Victims of alcohol addiction know the damaging effects that alcohol can have on the brain and body. To properly rehabilitate, you need a guide to help you regain your physical and mental health. This is where goals and objectives for your alcohol addiction treatment come in handy. They provide a way for you to measure your success and see what you have accomplished. At our alcohol rehab centers in Long Beach and Newport Beach, Gratitude Lodge team members work with patients to set goals and objectives that serve as good motivators for attaining sobriety and returning to a normal life.
GOALS VS. OBJECTIVES
There is a slight difference between goals and objectives. Objectives are smaller and a measurable action taken to achieve a bigger goal. So while you may set goals in alcohol rehab, it is also important to start small and build on your goals. Starting life over can be overwhelming, and the small objectives are easier to set and attain while in alcohol addiction treatment. They are like stepping stones that lead to your larger goals. This way you are more prepared to attain your goals outside of rehab.
SETTING OBJECTIVES FOR ALCOHOL ADDICTION TREATMENT
Setting objectives inside alcohol rehab allows you to see the way forward and gain confidence in yourself. It helps contribute to a positive mindset and provides hope; all-important emotions needed on this journey. The individual also has the opportunity to develop patience by working on their objectives in a timely manner and understanding that success doesn’t happen overnight. Patients also gain a sense of pride as they reach each new objective on the way to achieving their goals. Feelings of pride and hope were once lost on the individual struggling with alcohol addiction. Gaining them back helps the patient to realize they can function normally once again free from alcohol.
How do you set objectives and goals for yourself? The first thing to know is that they are individualized to a specific person and their case. Not every person or addiction is the same, which means you have to decide what objectives will best fit your journey. This is where therapy sessions come in handy in rehab. Therapists can help you come up with some attainable objectives that fit where you are in the journey. One of the best ways to set objectives is to ask yourself questions like:
- What do you want to accomplish?
- What do you want your future to look like?
- How do I regain control of my emotions?
These questions help you look at the big picture goals you want to attain. From there, you can break it down into more reachable objectives. One way to do this is to use the S.M.A.R.T. method. This method is an acronym that provides criteria to see if your objectives or goals are attainable.
- Specific – write out specifics, don’t be vague with what you want to accomplish
- Measurable – be able to measure your progress
- Achievable – something attainable for you
- Relevant – important or meaningful to you
- Time – helps stop procrastination and keeps you focused
SAMPLE OBJECTIVES DURING ALCOHOL REHAB
Here are some examples of objectives you might consider setting during alcohol rehab:
- Focus on health – this includes exercise, eating healthy, and sleeping well. Addiction causes you to lose your healthy lifestyle due to the damage to your body. Regaining your health helps you maintain a sober lifestyle.
- Commit to attending meetings and therapy sessions – to maintain sobriety, you need a support system that will guide you and keep you accountable in sober living.
- Learn how to manage stress and anxiety levels – stress and anxiety can easily cause relapse, so it’s important to learn ways to cope without turning to alcohol.
- Rebuild social life – learn to rebuild relationships with family and friends, make amends at a job or be ready to search for a new one. Therapy and interactions with others who are in a similar situation can help you learn the social skills needed for the outside world.
ALCOHOL ADDICTION EFFECTS
Victims of alcohol addiction have long-term damaging effects to the brain and body. “Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These disruptions can change mood and behavior and make it harder to think clearly and move with coordination.”
Mental health illnesses like anxiety and depression are more prevalent with alcoholism. Social problems are also an issue due to a breakdown in relationships with family and friends during addiction. Unemployment and job-related issues can also occur.
Within the body, organs such as the heart, liver, pancreas, and immune system are affected by alcohol. Some possible consequences of alcohol addiction can include:
- Heart – cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias, strokes and high blood pressure
- Liver – fatty liver and cirrhosis
- Pancreas – alcohol causes the pancreas to produce toxic substances that lead to pancreatitis
- Immune system – it is weakened, making it harder to ward off sicknesses and diseases.
These factors make it more important than ever to set goals and objectives for yourself in alcohol rehab, so you are restoring your health and regaining skills to function normally in society.
ALCOHOL REHAB CENTER NEAR ME
If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol addiction, Gratitude Lodge provides alcohol addiction treatment at an alcohol rehab center near me in California. You will undergo alcohol detox and rehab in one of our luxurious alcohol rehab centers with a professionally trained and credentialed staff. Our goal is to help you attain sobriety while giving you the tools needed to maintain a sober life for the future.
If you are also looking for help with a mental illness, we offer a dual diagnosis treatment program that will simultaneously treat your mental illness and your alcohol addiction. Contact us today to find out more about our programs and facilities.
