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Alcohol Abuse

The abuse of alcohol is a medical disease. It is called a primary disease because it becomes the medical condition that affects the rest of the body. The crippling affects of the disease include a gradual inability to function normally in every area of a person's life. With adults, job performance and family relationships are affected. With adolescents, alcohol abuse is often coupled with other emotional problems, and may include rebellious behavior, poor school performance, lying and secretiveness. It takes a toll on social and emotional development in teen-agers and destroys relationships and families in adults. Alcoholism affects people, families, communities, and nations and destroys millions of lives every year. It is a progressive disease and gets worse over time. It never gets better on its own.

The tendency to abuse alcohol is higher in families where there are one or more alcohol abusers in the immediate family. An addiction is usually a process of learning to cope through introduction of a chemical substance. A person can learn to abuse alcohol by exposure or through a genetic component that is inherited.

Alcoholism can progress from mild to severe. Alcohol recovery requires a complete life-style change and may include an alteration in friends, jobs and living experiences. Everything that interferes with his sobriety, including family members in some cases, must be changed before recovery can be successful.

There are over 60 million adult alcoholics in the United States today. Many of them are elders. Alcoholism is considered a national epidemic and is the second leading cause of adult deaths in the country, led only by tobacco related diseases. Unfortunately, alcoholics not only destroy their own lives, but the lives of innocent people, as well.

Symptoms are:

  • Preoccupied with thoughts of drinking
  • Used to relax; used to have fun
  • Think of alcohol when should be focusing on something else
  • Gulping drinks
  • Drinks more than others and not show it
  • Uses alcohol as medicine; used to calm or reduce tension
  • Used as a nightcap or to sleep; used to relieve physical discomfort
  • Drinks alone
  • Money is used for alcohol rather than paying bills
  • Hides alcohol or fact of drinking
  • Blackouts are profound and experienced often
  • Drinks more than planned
  • Morning tremors, unsteady and unbalanced
  • Drinks in the morning or upon waking
  • Dramatic change in personal appearance
  • Legal difficulties - DWI/DUI

Suggestions to Help Support Alcohol Recovery:

  • Stop Drinking! Often a difficult order when managing an addition without help.
  • Make an appointment with a Counselor for an assessment. Many alcoholics have other illnesses that need attention before sobriety can be established.
  • Find an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting.
  • Listen closely to other alcoholics. Remember you only have to maintain sobriety "one day at a time".
  • If possible, find a Detox Program.
  • Manage the fear and the shame. Talk, talk, talk, and talk about it. When there is no one available to listen, write about it. Fear and shame, along with mind chatter, prevents sobriety.
  • Get a sponsor. Someone that has at least 3 consecutive years of sobriety.
  • Work the 12-steps of AA. Millions of people have achieved sobriety through the 12- steps.
  • Assess your family relationships. Ask for support from the ones you can trust and leave the others alone for now.

Our Skills

  • Most essential is our core competence in recovery. We maintain an experienced team advancing our company-wide objective for highly applicable and cost effective mental health treatment.
  • We know how to manage a crisis.  We provide a rapid response to any situation as we can quickly evaluate the problem stabilize the condition and anticipate a positive outcome.
  • We apply our skills and expertise to help motivate individuals and groups to work together for the betterment of communities. 
  • Our client community is diverse and varied.  This diversity is reflected in our treatment staff allowing for healthy therapeutic relationships to develop.
  • We understand that other people's feelings are central to emotional well-being. Modeling this philosophy is essential for success. Our treatment programs focus on social awareness - the ability to understand and respond to the needs of others.

What Our Clients Say

  • Everyone made me feel welcome; the staff and clients from my first day. If I felt lost or confused I was pointed in the right direction or was given information to answer my questions. I had time to get adjusted to everything without feeling hurried.

    Alumnus
  • All aspects of the program were special. The staff was kind well trained professional and experienced. Treatment was tailored to each person’s needs complemented by group therapy. My transformation has been wonderful.

    Alumnus
  • InnerWisdom provided an approach to treatment that renewed my spirit mind and body. I would recommend the program to any of my family and friends. The environment is nurturing for anyone needing an environment for recovery.

    Alumnus
  • I am very grateful that my treatment was at InnerWisdom Inc. This place is very special and that is because of the staff and caring environment.

    Alumnus
  • Fabulous treatment program! Can’t put into words how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to come here.

    Alumnus
  • Inner Wisdom has a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) where patients meet in groups with a therapist on a daily schedule. Patients have a variety of mental illness diagnoses including Bipolar Disorder Schizoaffective disorder Schizophrenia and substance abuse which interfere with their ability to live a full and productive life. Students will have the opportunity to shadow therapists facilitate therapy groups and Psychoeducation groups meet individually with patients and understand the case management required by Medicare and private insurance companies. Students work under a variety of therapists and can observe different styles and strengths. A strong team approach is encouraged. Students have the opportunity to get direct experience with patients and to use their skills creatively in offering therapy.

    Bonnie Fall
    Former Student Intern