The Benefits of Inpatient Alcohol Rehab for Healing at the Cellular Level

The iconic British poet Lord Byron once wrote, “Adversity is the first path to truth.” Not everyone’s path toward recovery is going to be the same. Some are going to have linear paths toward success, while others are going to have a few side steps along the way. The key is to be persistent and always take the next right action when it is presented to us. This includes taking advantage of an inpatient alcohol rehab if the situation warrants it.

The Prevalence of Alcohol Use Disorder in the U.S.

Alcohol is the most misused and abused substance, not just in the U.S. but around the world. For example, According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), “221.3 million people ages 12 and older (78.5% in this age group) reported that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime.” These are not insignificant numbers. They also lead to significant problems with addiction and alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Also, according to the NIAAA and the 2022 NSDUH, “29.5 million people ages 12 and older (10.5% in this age group) had AUD in the past year.” Yet, according to the same study, only “2.2 million people ages 12 and older who had alcohol use disorder in the past year (7.6% of people with past-year AUD in this age group) received alcohol use treatment in the past year.” So, there is a serious issue with alcohol addiction, but a serious disconnect between people who have a problem and people who get help. One of the reasons for this is that people don’t know the signs and symptoms of alcohol addiction and AUD to look for. 

The Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Use Disorder

As with other types of substance use disorder (SUD), AUD has some very telltale signs and symptoms. While they are not universal for everyone, the following are some of the more common ones:

• Frequently smells like alcohol
• Slurs and stumbles their speech
• Trouble with memory and cognitive functioning
• Difficulty standing and with overall balance
• Exhibits uncharacteristic mood swings
• Experiences bouts of anxiety and depression
• Constantly thinks about alcohol and drinking
• Has withdrawals when not drinking
• Starts having trouble with relationships, including those at home and work
• Isolates away from loved ones

Not if any, many, or all of these symptoms are present, it is highly advised that professional help be sought as soon as possible. Doing so can help a loved one avoid the long-term side effects of AUD.

The Long-Term Side Effects of Alcohol Use Disorder

Of course, the most drastic side effect of long-term AUD is death, and it might be more common than many people may think. According to the NIAAA, “The Alcohol-Related Disease Impact application estimates that each year there are more than 140,000 deaths (approximately 97,000 male deaths and 43,000 female deaths) attributable to excessive alcohol use, making alcohol one of the leading preventable causes of death in the United States, behind tobacco, poor diet and physical inactivity, and illegal drugs.” Also, “An analysis of death certificates from 2019 and 2020 showed that deaths involving alcohol rose from approximately 79,000 to more than 99,000, a 25.5% increase.”

Of course, death is not the only long-term side effect. There are many other painful emotional and physical long-term side effects that can precede it. The following are just a few of those long-term side effects:

• A higher potential for many co-occurring mental health disorders, like bipolar disorder and other anxiety disorders
• Long-term health issues like increased chances of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer
• Familial consequences like broken relationships between spouses and children
• Occupational consequences like job loss and demotion
• Legal consequences that can result from public intoxication and driving under the influence (DUI)
• Issues with sleep patterns over time
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Severe withdrawals that could lead to delirium tremens
• Feelings of self-harm and inflicting self-harm
• Having suicidal ideations and attempting suicide

As one can see, these are very serious consequences that need very serious solutions.

What Does Healing at the Cellular Level Mean?

Healing at the cellular level is all about healing the whole mind, body, and soul. It is about focusing on the interconnectedness that exists in everyone and healing each part because if one aspect of oneself goes untreated, the other aspects will not fully heal as well.

For example, one may heal oneself physically, but if they do not do so mentally, that physical progress will eventually come to a halt. Also, it is hard to participate in physical activities when one is still struggling with anxiety and depression. Then there is the spiritual component that may not be for everyone, but many people find it to eventually be the cornerstone of their recovery. When one lets go and connects with a spiritual practice, the other components of recovery just seem to come a bit easier. These components can all start coming together in inpatient alcohol rehab.

What Is Inpatient Alcohol Rehab?

Inpatient alcohol rehab is very much what it sounds like. It is a type of alcohol rehab where an individual stays on the property while they begin to get better. Of course, not all inpatient alcohol rehabs are equal.

Most inpatient alcohol rehabs begin right after the detox process. While not everyone will go through a detox process before inpatient alcohol rehab, it tends to be more common than not. This detox may or may not happen at the inpatient facility. The key is to make sure that detox is done professionally in a safe and secure setting. It is important to remember that alcohol is one of the few substances in which detoxing unsafely can be fatal.

Inpatient alcohol rehab usually lasts around 30 days. However, it is often highly recommended that an individual stay for 90 days to get the full benefits of the treatment process. Essentially, to really start to heal at the cellular level.

The Benefits of Inpatient Alcohol Rehab for Healing at the Cellular Level

There are many benefits to inpatient alcohol rehab. Perhaps the biggest benefit is that an individual gets round-the-clock, 24/7 attention and care. This can be highly beneficial because early recovery can be a very raw time, and being able to connect with a professional can be the difference between continuing the rehab process or not. Being in inpatient care is also beneficial because there are medical professionals on site in case there is any type of medical emergency. 

Another benefit of inpatient alcohol rehab is that it allows an individual to be immersed in the recovery process. This also means being immersed in an environment with other people going through the same process, and for recovery, this type of connection can be essential.

There is a belief in many recovery programs that working with other people also struggling with addiction is a key to success. For example, the primary text of 12-Step recovery (most commonly known as the “Big Book”) states, “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much ensure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics. It works when other activities fail… You can help when no one else can.”

Another benefit of inpatient alcohol rehab is that it allows an individual to try many types of recovery means, methods, and modalities until they find the right combination that works for them. One of the most common modalities that is often used is psychotherapy.

Using ‘Traditional’ Mental Health Therapies in Inpatient Alcohol Rehab

“Traditional” mental health therapies have long been used to help people struggling with alcohol addiction and AUD. This is because traditional therapies like psychotherapy can help get to the underlying issues that are often closely associated with why an individual drinks in the first place. As is said by many people in recovery, alcohol is but a symptom of deeper issues.

Perhaps the most common type of psychotherapy used to treat alcohol addiction in inpatient treatment is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). According to the clinical thesis, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, by Doctors Chand, Kuckel, and Huecker, “[CBT] has been extensively researched and found to be effective in a large number of outcome studies for psychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse, and personality disorders. It also has been demonstrated to be effective as an adjunctive treatment to medication for serious mental disorders such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.” Also, “CBT has been adapted and studied for children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families.”

CBT works by helping individuals see the underlying thoughts and feelings that are related to their negative behaviors. Once these cognitions and emotions are discovered, then they can begin to be altered and adjusted positively. Essentially, it gives an individual a more positive outlook on themselves. This, in turn, reduces their reliance on negative behaviors. 

Some of the other more popular traditional therapies are dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), psychodynamic therapy, interpersonal therapy, and humanistic therapy. All of these types of therapies also pair very well with holistic methods like yoga and experiential therapies like nature immersion therapy.

Using Experiential Therapies in Inpatient Alcohol Rehab

Experiential therapies are different than psychotherapies as they rely more on experiences had by the individual and what thoughts and feelings came up during those experiences. These types of therapies are also highly beneficial because they tend to get an individual engaged with some type of natural setting or creative activity.

Art and dance therapy can be highly beneficial because they allow individuals a chance to express themselves via creative means. This also allows the final product (a dance or a painting, for example) to be analyzed by both the individual and the therapist. Often, this results in cognitive and emotional discoveries that would not have otherwise materialized. Two other types of experiential therapies are more based on interacting with nature. These are nature immersion therapy and surf therapy.

Two Types of Beneficial Experiential Therapies

Nature immersion can be a great way to rediscover the benefits of the natural world and how one sees one’s place in it. This can be especially helpful to individuals struggling with alcohol addiction because one of the results of addiction is isolating away from the rest of the world.

There are also many wonderful benefits that can come from nature immersion therapy. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “Besides physical health improvements, nature exposure can bring about positive influence upon psychological constructs such as boredom, friendliness, well-being, and liveliness.” Also, “Besides improvements to physical and psychological well-being, exposure to natural environments has been shown to bring about positive impacts on cognitive functioning. While cognitive restoration and physiological well-being are the prominent and renowned benefits of nature exposure, there is one important construct that is often overlooked in environmental psychology research studies – that is, the human-nature relationship; also known as connectedness to nature (CN).”

This connectedness to nature (CN) is also a crucial part of surf therapy. Also, there may be no better place to experience the benefits of surf therapy than on the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. A mere 15-minute journey from our luxury 30-acre property at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab is one of the island’s premier surf spots, Honoli’i. Here, one can both meditate between waves and catch some of the best breaks around.

Like nature immersion therapy, there are also a plethora of benefits to surf therapy. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “Carefully planned water activities tailored to the needs of the individual can contribute to correct psychosocial and cognitive development. The International Surf Therapy Organization summarizes the benefits of adequately indicated surf therapy as follows: improved physical health and mobility; improved mental health, including reduction of specific symptoms, such as posttraumatic stress and depression; improved well-being (strengthening of trust and confidence, encouragement of independence, resilience and protective coping strategies) and improved social skills.” These are all ideal benefits for someone recovering from alcohol addiction.

Surf therapy is also something that can be more thoroughly investigated when someone is in inpatient alcohol rehab rather than an outpatient program. The same can be said for a holistic practice of yoga.

Using Yoga in Inpatient Alcohol Rehab

Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years. However, it hasn’t been until relatively recently that it has been used as a means to help people recover from issues of mental illness and addiction.

The reason for this shift is that it is now widely agreed upon that yoga can have many benefits that can aid someone in their recovery. According to the International Journal of Yoga (IJOY), “Therapeutic yoga is defined as the application of yoga postures and practice to the treatment of health conditions. Yoga therapy involves instruction in yogic practices and teachings to prevent reduce or alleviate structural, physiological, emotional, and spiritual pain, suffering, or limitations. Yogic practices enhance muscular strength and body flexibility, promote and improve respiratory and cardiovascular function, promote recovery from and treatment of addiction, reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improve sleep patterns, and enhance overall well-being and quality of life.”

In alcohol inpatient rehab, all types of recovery tools can be taken advantage of to the fullest. Yes, CBT, nature immersion therapy, and yoga, but also tools like group therapy, drama therapy, mission therapy, and meditation (to name a very small few).

Healing at the Cellular Level With Exclusive Hawaii Rehab

We here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab have one of the best inpatient alcohol rehabs in the country, and we will be here whenever anyone, anywhere, is ready to heal at the cellular level. To heal by any means necessary is our primary purpose.

The spiritual leader and psychologist Ram Das once said, “It is important to expect nothing, to take every experience, including the negative ones, as mere steps on the path, and to proceed.” Ultimately, the choice to get sober and recover must come down to the individual. But, from there, one never has to do it alone.

There are many benefits that an inpatient treatment program can offer compared to an outpatient program. These include round-the-clock monitoring and care and an opportunity to focus solely on recovery. These benefits can become even more pronounced when one chooses to extend an inpatient stay for 90 days. If you or a loved one is struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or both, we can help get you on the right path to positive long-term recovery. For more information about how Exclusive Hawaii Rehab eliminates the stress of the outside world, enabling our clients to focus solely on their recovery, please reach out to us today at (808) 775-0200.