Meloxicam, which also goes by the brand names Vivlodex and Mobic, is a relatively safe drug, but there are some side effects and risks that you should be aware of while taking it. Especially when the drug is taken with alcoholic drinks, which is a dangerous combination.

What Is Meloxicam?

Meloxicam is an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that doctors prescribe for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Meloxicam alleviates pain and reduces stiffness and swelling in the joints. A meloxicam painkiller can come in either pill or liquid form, and people generally take it once per day.

To Whom Do Doctors Usually Prescribe Meloxicam?

Doctors prescribe meloxicam to treat patients with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and, less commonly, ankylosing spondylitis, a type of arthritis that mainly affects the spine. As such, a lot of people who take meloxicam are older, but doctors may also prescribe it to children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Doctors generally prescribe meloxicam for a period of about 10 days, and it can take up to six months for the drug to kick in fully.

Side Effects and Interactions

Like many prescription drugs, meloxicam has some potential side effects, which can range from mild to severe, and can have negative interactions with certain substances.

Mild Side Effects

The mild side effects of meloxicam are generally not serious and will usually clear up on their own, but you should consult your doctor if they are severe or last a long time. The common side effects of meloxicam are:

• Diarrhea or constipation
• Nausea and vomiting
• Abdominal or stomach pain
• Heartburn or indigestion
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Itching or rashes

Severe Side Effects

Though uncommon, there are some serious side effects you need to watch out for. You should immediately quit taking meloxicam and notify your doctor if you experience:

• Hives
• Blisters
• Shortness of breath or chest pain
• Swelling of your face, eyes, tongue, lips or throat
• Extreme fatigue
• Any signs of stomach or GI bleeding (gastrointestinal), such as black tarry stools and
• Bleeding from your mouth
• Fever
• Sore throat
• Yellowing of your skin or eyes (jaundice) which may indicate liver damage
• Difficulty urinating, painful urination or discolored urine
• Back pain
• Vomiting blood or material that resembles coffee grounds

This is not an exhaustive list, and you should talk to your doctor for a complete list of possible side effects. The bottom line is, if you feel any untoward symptoms after taking meloxicam, stop taking the drug and talk to your doctor right away. Some of these symptoms are life-threatening and should be taken seriously.

Interactions

There are a few things that will negatively interact with meloxicam. When your doctor prescribes meloxicam to you, they are most likely to give you a medical advice and what you need to avoid, in order to prevent any untoward reactions. People with chronic kidney disease should avoid meloxicam as well. Here are other contraindications to meloxicam.

Coffee

Coffee contains tannins, which are a type of plant compound that have the ability to easily bind with minerals and proteins. These tannins can bind to meloxicam and hinder your body’s ability to absorb it. This usually only occurs if you drink coffee within two hours of taking meloxicam, however, so if you really like coffee, you may not have to cut it out of your diet entirely.

Meloxicam and Alcohol

NSAIDs carry a risk of stomach bleeding, and consuming alcohol increases this risk, which may lead to stomach ulcers. This is why you should refrain from drinking entirely while taking meloxicam. Because people generally only take meloxicam for a short time, abstaining from alcohol shouldn’t be too difficult.

Furthermore, there is an increased risk of heart attack or heart failure when alcohol consumption continues while on meloxicam. It may be challenging for people who have alcohol addiction to stop drinking while on meloxicam, that’s why a doctor’s consultation is a must. The doctor may prescribe other NSAID medication like naproxen and celecoxib.

What To Do if You’re Struggling To Quit Drinking

If 10 days seems like a long time to give up alcohol, it’s possible that you’re suffering from alcoholism. In addition to having adverse interactions with many drugs, alcohol wreaks havoc on your body. If you think you might have a problem with alcohol, you need to get a good understanding of what alcoholism is, what the signs are and how you can treat it.

What Is Alcoholism?

Alcoholism is a chronic disease characterized by the physical and emotional addiction to drinking alcohol. Alcoholism is a medical condition that can be treated effectively, but it is a hard journey. That’s why there are treatment centers like Long Island Interventions to help you or a loved one overcome alcohol addiction.

Alcoholism is a very common disease. The Washington Post reported that one in every eight Americans is an alcoholic, and there are as many as 107 million alcoholics globally. Additionally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the harmful use of alcohol causes an estimated 3 million deaths every year.

Signs of Alcoholism

There are a lot of signs of alcoholism. Some of the signs are physical while others are behavioral.

Physical Signs of Alcoholism

• Spending a lot of time feeling sick or recovering from heavy drinking
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop or reduce your drinking, such as irritability, restlessness, difficulty sleeping, nausea, sweating and tremors, especially in the hands
• Needing to drink larger quantities of alcohol to achieve the same effect
• Memory loss or blackouts from drinking too much

In the most severe cases of alcoholism, it can be dangerous or even fatal to abruptly quit drinking. Delirium tremens, the most severe type of alcohol withdrawal, usually manifests within two to five days after your last drink.

Symptoms of delirium tremens include confusion, fever, high blood pressure, shaking and hallucinations. Sedatives can sometimes prevent delirium tremens, so in these cases, detoxification should take place in a medical facility.

Behavioral Signs of Alcoholism

There are several behavioral indicators of alcoholism. If you find yourself hiding your drinking from others, drinking by yourself, getting angry or irritated when others observe or criticize your drinking or continuing to drink despite negative impacts on your health and relationships, it’s likely you’re suffering from alcoholism.

What Is Considered Heavy Drinking?

Everybody is different, and even people who drink every day may not be alcoholics. As a general rule, however, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines heavy drinking as:

• Four or more drinks in a day or 14 or more drinks in a week for men
• Three or more drinks in a day or seven or more drinks in a week for women

Other Risks Associated With Heavy Drinking

Alcohol use is also associated with some serious health problems. People who drink excessively over long periods of time run the risk of developing chronic health problems, such as liver disease, high blood pressure, kidney problems, stroke, heart disease and certain types of cancer.

In addition to health risks, people who drink heavily are more likely to engage in risky behaviors while drinking, such as unsafe sex and driving under the influence, both of which can have severe consequences.

Steps To Take If You Think You Have a Problem

Every case presents its own unique challenges, but the road to recovery is pretty uniform.

1. Ask the Question

If you’re wondering whether your drinking is a problem, there’s a decent chance that it is. Fortunately, if you’re asking yourself the question, you’ve already started to address your problem. It may sound like a cliché, but admitting to yourself that you have a problem really is the first step toward getting better.

2. Ask for Help

Addiction to alcohol is intense, and most people who try to beat it by themselves are unsuccessful. Luckily, there are caring professionals who have dedicated their lives and careers to helping people who are in the throes of addiction.

3. Stick With It

Recovering from alcoholism is difficult, and most people slip up at least once. In fact, the NIAAA estimates that 90% of recovering alcoholics relapse in their first year of sobriety. If you slip up, try not to get discouraged; a single slip doesn’t have to turn into a full-blown failure, so just dust yourself off and keep at it.

Long Island Interventions

If you live in the Long Island area and are ready to start treating your addiction, Long Island Interventions can help. It will be difficult, but waiting will only make it harder. You deserve to live your best life, so call Long Island Interventions today.

FAQ

---

Published on: 2022-08-31
Updated on: 2024-06-27

Flagyl is a strong antibiotic that is also known as metronidazole. You may have recently been prescribed this medication to treat conditions like a sexually transmitted infection or bacterial infections in the abdomen, skin, heart lining, bones, joints or other areas of the body. When a physician prescribes this medication, he or she generally will strongly caution against consuming alcohol while taking Flagyl. In addition, the prescription bottle may have a special warning label that delivers similar instructions. Consuming a combination of metronidazole and alcohol can have uncomfortable and even serious side effects.

Flagyl and Alcohol

If you are like many other people, you have taken antibiotics many times previously in your life to fight various types of infections and illnesses. While you were on these other antibiotics, you may have been able to consume an alcoholic beverage from time to time without an issue. This is because many types of antibiotics do not have strong interactions with a moderate amount of alcohol. Unfortunately, this is not the case with Flagyl and alcohol.

Antibiotics work in different ways in the body, and alcohol consumption can interact with the metabolism of some antibiotics. Alcohol breaks down in the human body through a two-step process. First, the alcohol is converted into acetaldehyde. This is a toxic compound that can create a variety of undesired effects in the body. Toxic acetaldehyde is then broken down into acetate through aldehyde dehydrogenase, a special enzyme produced in the body. This important step prevents toxic acetaldehyde from accumulating in large quantities in the blood.

Flagyl, however, prevents the production of the aldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme. Because this enzyme is not produced by the body when you are taking Flagyl, toxicity in the blood builds up. This is the cause of the many uncomfortable and dangerous side effects that you may experience if you consume alcohol while Flagyl is in your system. With a closer look at these side effects, it will be clear why you should not mix these substances.

Side Effects of Mixing Flagyl and Alcohol

Individuals who seek medical treatment for alcoholism may be prescribed disulfiram. This medication produces a variety of health effects that ultimately reduce the positive feelings that come from alcohol consumption. To do so, disulfiram creates a variety of unpleasant effects in the body that deter the individual from future alcohol consumption. Disulfiram blocks the aldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme’s production in the same way Flagyl does. Because of this taking Flagyl with alcohol will cause a disulfiram-like reaction with a wide variety of mild to moderate symptoms.

It is important to note that the disulfiram-like reaction does not occur in all individuals. However, it can be severe in others. In fact, a 31-year-old woman died from a Flagyl and alcohol reaction in 1996. Some of the moderate symptoms that you could experience by consuming metronidazole with alcohol include facial flushing, a rapid heartbeat, nausea and vomiting, a headache, and low blood pressure. More serious side effects can include numbness or tingling in appendages, difficulty walking, a skin reaction, or seizures.

Some patients with skin infections or sexually transmitted infections may be prescribed Flagyl in a topical form. The medication is available as a lotion, a cream, and a gel. Because it is unclear if topical versions of the medication can cause disulfiram-like side effects, patients should avoid consuming alcohol while using any Flagyl. If you have questions about the potential for interaction, you should ask your pharmacist or physician.

Some people wonder if it is safe to have only a drink or two while taking metronidazole. Many studies have been conducted over the years on both oral and topical uses of Flagyl to determine if there is a safe amount of alcohol that can be consumed. Unfortunately, Flagyl appears to affect people in different ways, and there is a risk of unpleasant or even serious effects when mixing any amount of alcohol with this medication. Because of this, alcohol use with Flagyl is contradicted in all forms and amounts.

In addition, some people may be more likely to experience adverse effects from mixing Flagyl and alcohol. For example, those who are 65 years old or older may feel more of the effects of alcohol use. Women biologically carry less water in the body, so they may accumulate a higher blood alcohol volume faster than men do. In addition, individuals with liver disorders may not be able to metabolize the alcohol as quickly or as well. All of these individuals may be more disposed to experience stronger side effects.

How Long Should You Wait Before Drinking Again?

After your infection clears with Flagyl treatment, you understandably may be ready to resume your normal lifestyle. You should continue taking the full course of the antibiotic even after you feel better. This can prevent the infection from returning. Even after you stop taking the antibiotic, however, you are still not clear to drink alcohol. This is because metronidazole may remain in your bloodstream for up to three days after the last dose. This is how long the body takes to fully metabolize and clear the antibiotic from your system. During this period of time, the antibiotic will continue to disrupt the production of the aldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme. As a result, blood toxicity can increase if you consume alcohol too soon after finishing a round of Flagyl. If you have been prescribed topical Flagyl, you should wait at least 24 hours before drinking alcohol again.

Keep in mind that some people may need to wait longer. For example, if you have liver disease, your body may not clear Flagyl from your system full within three days. Other medications, such as Tagamet, can also impact how quickly the antibiotic may be fully removed from the bloodstream. If you have liver disease or if you take other medications, you should consult with your physician before you drink alcohol again.

Taking the Next Step

For many types of infections, Flagyl treatment will last for seven to 10 days. In the case of joint infections, bone infections and some other issues, the treatment may need to be continued for a longer period of time. While some people may not find it difficult to avoid alcohol consumption while being treated with metronidazole, the treatment time can seem unbearable for others.

Alcohol abuse impacts millions of people in the United States alone. In fact, almost 141,000 Americans die from alcohol-related effects annually, and many others seek medical treatment for related effects. There are many signs that may indicate alcohol abuse or addiction. One of these signs is the inability to control alcohol consumption. This includes, but is not limited to, managing consumption when presented with possible complications or issues. Another sign is experiencing withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop drinking alcohol. Such symptoms may range from uncontrollable shaking and nausea to anxiety, a fast heart rate, insomnia, sweating and more. If you are struggling to complete a round of Flagyl treatment because of these symptoms or you feel compelled to have a drink despite knowing the risks, you may benefit from seeking alcohol abuse treatment.

Do You Have an Issue with Alcohol Abuse?

Alcohol abuse and addiction can impact many aspects of your life. In addition to preventing you from safely completing the antibiotic treatment that you need, it can be detrimental to your career, your personal relationships, your health, and more. At Long Island Interventions, we understand how challenging it can be to seek assistance for addiction, and we are here to help. The first step is to contact Long Island Interventions for a consultation. At that time, we can answer your questions about the treatment process and create a treatment plan that is tailored to fit your situation and needs. To explore your treatment options, reach out to us today.

FAQ

---

Published on: 2022-08-31
Updated on: 2024-06-21

If you fancy yourself a numbers person, the following statistics might be of some interest to you. A 2016 study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that more than 270 million Americans were taking antibiotics to resolve a medical condition. Another study, published in 2019 by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), found that roughly 85% of Americans ages 18 and older say they have consumed alcohol at least once in their lifetime. At first glance, these two things seemingly have nothing to do with one another. But that couldn’t be any further from the truth. Despite warnings from physicians and drug manufacturers, many people combine alcohol with prescription-based medications, one of which is levofloxacin. To say this combination could spell disaster would be a gross understatement.

What Is Levofloxacin?

For those unfamiliar with levofloxacin, it is the generic for Levaquin. It also belongs to a class of drugs known as fluoroquinolone antibiotics. And because it can quickly stop bacterial growths, physicians will sometimes prescribe it to combat the following:

• Bronchitis
• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhea
• Pneumonia
• Skin infections

Along with these infections, physicians will sometimes prescribe levofloxacin to individuals that have been exposed to anthrax or certain types of plague, a life-threatening disease caused by bacteria. As good as levofloxacin is at destroying bacterial infections and providing individuals with relief from symptoms brought on by those infections, there are a few potential downsides to taking it.

Levofloxacin Side Effects: What to Know Before Getting Started on This Particular Antibiotic Regimen

Levofloxacin, even when taken as prescribed, can trigger many side effects, much like Cipro, Avelox, Factive, Baxdela, and other fluoroquinolone antibiotics can. According to drugs.com, an online pharmaceutical encyclopedia that provides drug information for consumers and healthcare professionals alike, the most commonly reported side effects linked to levofloxacin include the following:

• Anxiety
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Irritability
• Low blood sugar levels
• Nausea
• Profuse sweating
• Tachycardia

In rare cases, levofloxacin can trigger numbness, weakness, tingling, and a burning sensation in one’s hands, arms, legs, or feet. As with any drug, taking levofloxacin while consuming alcohol can worsen these side effects and may even lead to the development of some that you would have probably never had to deal with in the first place.

Levofloxacin and Alcohol: Why the Two Should Never Go Hand-In-Hand

If you’re among the 270 million Americans who enjoy a refreshing alcoholic beverage from time to time, it would be in your best interest to avoid consuming them while taking levofloxacin or its brand counterpart, Levaquin. And this is not a baseless recommendation; studies show that combining the two can have devastating health consequences. One of those studies comes from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which found that consuming alcohol while taking this particular antibiotic can significantly worsen or increase the likelihood of experiencing stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, headaches, and flushing. And the risk of experiencing these side effects remains pretty high for up to three days after an individual has consumed their final dose of levofloxacin. Since we are on the topic, it is worth noting that the combination of levofloxacin and alcohol can potentially cause severe liver damage. The same NIH study revealed that consuming alcohol while taking levofloxacin forces the liver to work harder. When alcohol and levofloxacin are in someone’s system, the liver must metabolize both. Meanwhile, it still has to distribute levofloxacin throughout the body to help rid it of infection.

What Should You Do if You Have an Alcohol Problem and Have to Take Levofloxacin?

People who binge drink or have a full-on alcohol use disorder (AUD) can get sick and develop infections like everyone else. Some might argue that a drinking problem might even make them more susceptible to experiencing such health problems. Like everyone else, there invariably comes a time when they have to start taking medication. Many medications will require abstaining from alcohol, which is not something that comes easy for those with a chronic drinking problem. Available data shows that around 15 million Americans are struggling with an alcohol use disorder, and more than 66 million have a problem with binge drinking. Fortunately, many of these people have chosen to make their health a top priority, and as such, they are turning to rehab facilities across the nation to get the help they need to quit alcohol for good. That said, if you have to be on medication and have a problem with alcohol, consider this a clarion call to do the same.

How Rehab Facilities Are Helping Individuals Overcome Alcohol Addiction

If you have an alcohol problem coupled with a health problem, you will undoubtedly be in good hands at any of the more than 14,500 rehab facilities in the United States. And there are several reasons why this is the case. Firstly, the vast majority offer medication-assisted detox to help ease many of the difficult withdrawal symptoms that come about when individuals abruptly stop drinking. Some of the more notable symptoms include the following:

• Anxiety and depression
• Chronic fatigue
• Irritability and mood swings
• Hallucinations
• Nightmares
• Confusion
• Profuse sweating
• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Arrhythmia
• Tremors

Rehab facilities that offer medication-assisted detox will generally provide round-the-clock monitoring by a licensed physician or nurse. And these medical professionals often prescribe FDA-approved drugs to help individuals cope with these symptoms, which can be both mentally and physically taxing. Some of these FDA-approved drugs include naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram. In addition to these medications, the physicians and nurses at these facilities will even prescribe medications that can help improve an individual’s overall health, including those that help clear up infections, such as levofloxacin. Another benefit of going to rehab to get help overcoming alcohol addiction is most offer counseling sessions with a licensed therapist. The benefits of these sessions are many insofar as they teach individuals to value themselves, which leads to them taking more pride in their appearance and making a concerted effort to look after their health. But it does not end there. These counseling sessions, which can be in the form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), or motivational interviewing (MI), also teach individuals how to cope with temptation and cravings that can sometimes trigger a relapse.

Final Thoughts on Combining Alcohol With Medication

When someone has a problem with alcohol, many things that would otherwise be important to them get forgotten about or put on the backburner. And taking medication as directed by their physician is but one of many. Fortunately, there is hope for those ready to regain control over every facet of their life, especially their health. In the interim, if they are on levofloxacin or any other medication, they should avoid combining them with alcohol. When they’re ready to get sober, it would be in their best interest to choose a rehab facility that offers medication-assisted detox and counseling sessions with a licensed therapist. Those that offer these two things can significantly improve an individual’s chances of achieving short and long-term sobriety.

---

Published on: 2022-07-04
Updated on: 2024-06-21

People take Lexapro to relieve symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders. This medication can be very helpful on its own. However, when mixed with alcohol, Lexapro can quickly become dangerous. You don’t want anyone in your life to inadvertently hurt themselves. Therefore, if you believe that a loved one is at risk of consuming alcohol while taking Lexapro, then you should take a look at this overview of how the two substances interact.

What is Lexapro?

Lexapro is the brand name of escitalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that doctors commonly prescribe as an antidepressant. An SSRI essentially works by allowing certain parts of the brain to absorb more serotonin, which is an important natural hormone that positively affects a person’s mood. On its own, Lexapro isn’t very harmful. Doctors consider the drug non-habit-forming, and the side effects are fairly mild.

Dangers of Lexapro Misuse

Unlike benzodiazepines, pain medications, and other prescription drugs, SSRIs do not give the user any sort of high when taken in large quantities. Thus, most people do not intentionally ingest more than the prescribed dose. However, if someone takes too much Lexapro at once for some reason, then they may experience nausea, constipation, confusion, heart palpitations, or serotonin syndrome. Long-term misuse can result in kidney damage, liver damage, and exacerbated symptoms of depression.

Effects of Mixing Lexapro and Alcohol

Taking Lexapro with alcohol may worsen some of the more debilitating effects of alcohol intoxication. Many people who take Lexapro with alcohol report drowsiness, poor coordination, erratic mood, and other problematic symptoms. On top of that, alcohol can worsen symptoms of depression and counteract the effects of an antidepressant. Therefore, someone who takes an SSRI but regularly drinks may not see their symptoms of depression improve. While most people who take Lexapro can have an occasional beer or glass of wine, patients should always discuss the matter with their doctor before consuming any alcohol.

Signs of Alcohol Addiction

Lexapro isn’t addictive, and excessive consumption of the drug won’t make a person high. Patients don’t really have any incentive to intentionally misuse Lexapro. Because of this, mixing Lexapro and alcohol is a bigger indication of an alcohol problem than anything else. People tend to take antidepressants with alcohol simply because drinking is a part of their daily routine. Therefore, it’s more important to look for signs of alcohol dependence if you suspect that someone in your life is taking their prescribed antidepressant with alcohol. Slurred speech, confusion, erratic mood, poor coordination, and other effects of intoxication are the most conspicuous signs of an alcohol problem.

However, many of the other symptoms of alcohol addiction may not be so obvious. When someone regularly consumes alcohol, their body becomes dependent on it. Consequently, they will begin to experience early withdrawal symptoms after several hours without a drink. Common withdrawal symptoms include fatigue, irritability, shaking, headache, sweating, and muscle weakness.

Dangers of Alcohol Detoxification

Many people try to quit alcohol without outside help. However, overcoming alcohol addiction presents some unique challenges compared to other addictive substances. In contrast to other drugs, alcohol detoxification can be deadly. If a person manages to make it past the early signs of withdrawal, then they may begin to experience hallucinations, extreme confusion, and even deadly seizures. The worst symptoms usually occur between 48 and 72 hours after the last drink. After that, symptoms slowly become more manageable as the body adjusts to sobriety.

Treatments for Pill Abuse and Alcoholism

Although Lexapro presents very little risk of misuse, some patients who take Lexapro also take other prescription medications that could be addictive. Combined with alcohol dependence, misuse of prescription drugs is a recipe for disaster. Overcoming alcohol addiction is already very difficult and dangerous without professional treatment.

This is exacerbated by the fact that people rely on Lexapro and similar medications to function properly, so they cannot simply stop taking them. Thus, it’s extremely important for patients who take prescription medications while struggling with alcohol addiction to receive professional help at a reputable treatment facility. The addiction specialists at a high-quality facility have the necessary skills, tools, and infrastructure to help your loved one achieve sobriety. Below are some of the most common treatment programs for individuals suffering from addiction.

Detox

Without proper medical supervision, patients have a significant risk of encountering severe complications during alcohol detox. At a high-quality detox facility, medical staff and addiction specialists will constantly monitor patients and make the detoxification process as safe and comfortable as possible. Medical professionals will be right there if the patient experiences seizures or requires medical aid. After a week or two, the patient will have overcome the most dangerous stages of detoxification, and they’ll be able to enroll in less intensive addiction treatment programs.

Inpatient Treatment

An inpatient program allows patients to stay at a facility for several weeks or months while they receive the highest standard of care. Patients will regularly undergo individual therapies, group therapies, and holistic therapies during their stay. Inpatient programs remove patients from the stresses of daily life and separate them from potential triggers or bad influences. In turn, the patient will be more likely to succeed as they make it through this major step in the treatment process.

Intensive Outpatient Program

Some patients shift to an intensive outpatient program after receiving inpatient treatment. Other patients immediately go to an intensive outpatient program after they’ve undergone detoxification. An intensive outpatient program provides a similar level of care as an inpatient program. Patients will spend over 10 hours per week receiving various therapies at the addiction treatment facility.

However, patients don’t stay at a treatment facility in an outpatient program. Because of this, an intensive outpatient program is a great way for patients to receive a high level of care without missing work and other important obligations. Any type of outpatient program will only be successful if the patient lives in an environment that facilitates sobriety. Therefore, patients who live with or around triggers or bad influences should consider enrolling in an inpatient program while they find better accommodations.

Regular Outpatient Programs

In a standard outpatient program, addiction specialists will assess the patient’s needs, and the patient will accordingly receive a tailored combination of group therapies, individual therapies, and other therapies. Generally, patients will receive treatment between one and three times per week in a regular outpatient program. During this phase of the treatment continuum, patients will work closely with addiction professionals to come up with plans and contingencies to maintain long-term sobriety as they settle into regular life.

Why a Treatment Center Is the Best Choice

Some people have been fortunate enough to achieve sobriety on their own. However, professional treatment is a much better option for those who have access to it. A reputable treatment center will keep patients safe and greatly increase their odds of success while removing them from harmful triggers during their recovery. The following list details some of the most important benefits of professional addiction treatment.

Patients Can Build the Necessary Skills To Thrive

Addiction specialists understand the ins and outs of substance dependence. They’ve spent years dedicating their lives to learning about how to treat addiction, and they continue to update their skills and methods with the most recent scientific advancements in mind. Thus, when a patient works with certified addiction specialists, they can leverage this knowledge and develop the most effective coping mechanisms to face the challenges involved in maintaining long-term sobriety.

Regular Care

Withdrawal symptoms can be extremely difficult to endure without professional help. Because of this, many individuals who struggle with addiction are unable to get through the worst stages of the detox process. A treatment center gives patients access to addiction specialists and medical personnel and prevents them from accessing alcohol when symptoms become unpleasant. Thus, patients will be more likely to make it through detoxification and move forward in their journey to overcome their addiction.

Peer Support

Many individuals who struggle with addiction feel extremely isolated. Society demonizes people with substance abuse problems, which can seriously damage their self-worth and sabotage their efforts to achieve sobriety. At an addiction treatment center, patients meet people who struggle with similar challenges. Thus, they won’t feel so alone in their quest to become sober, and they’ll receive valuable support from their peers as they attempt to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

Receive Effective Treatment at Long Island Interventions

Mixing Lexapro and other medications with alcohol can have serious repercussions. By enrolling in the right treatment program, your loved ones will overcome their alcohol addiction so that they can take their medications without the risk of negative drug interactions. You want your loved one to enjoy a happier, healthier life, so contact Long Island Interventions today to find the right solution for their unique situation.

---

Published on: 2022-05-30
Updated on: 2024-06-27