Have you been arrested and charged with a DUI, otherwise known as driving under the influence? If you have, then you are probably faced with entering a DUI treatment program at some point in the future. Alcohol treatment programs are almost always part of the solution when you are charged with a DUI. In most cases, you must complete the program before you are able to come off of probation.
If you are being ordered to go to treatment, you may find yourself reluctant to attend. You may be thinking that you don’t need treatment and that being forced to attend a program you don’t want to will be useless. You may even think that you are being punished by being made to attend the class. However, these types of programs are not just about fulfilling your court requirements. They are developed for men and women who are struggling with an alcohol or drug addiction.
Are you wondering whether the program is out to punish you or help you? Read on to learn why the answer is “help”.
1. Treatment programs can educate you on alcohol abuse
If you have never stopped to think about what alcohol does to your body and mind, now is the time. A treatment program will show you just what alcohol is doing to your body. Alcohol abuse can cause damage to both your body and mind. For example, you may experience the following effects if you continue to abuse alcohol:
• Heart damage
• Liver damage
• Sexual dysfunction
• Infertility
• Lung infections
• Behavioral changes
• Birth defects
• Thinning bones
• Diabetes
• Hallucinations
• Malnutrition
These are just a few of the changes that can occur to your body and mind when you can’t stop using alcohol. A treatment center will help you learn more about the effects of different alcohols on your body. Once you see these effects in black and white, you may be more inclined to stop drinking altogether.
2. Treatment center programs will target behavioral and social issues
Alcohol abuse isn’t just a problem for you, the person using. You may have impacted your family, friends, coworkers, and community because of your alcohol use. Treatment programs help their patients by decreasing the instances of drunk driving, mending broken families, and helping underage kids find sobriety before they get more involved with alcohol, drugs, or crime. Treatment centers can also help the community fight against drug-related crime.
A treatment center may even provide additional resources that will help you become more financially stable or independent. For example, you may be given information that will allow you to obtain your GED while you are attending treatment. Instead of just punishing you for your crime, treatment centers usually try to help as much as they can.
3. Treatment centers hold you accountable
You may think that the treatment center is simply out to punish you for your DUI, especially when they insist upon urine tests and breathalyzers. You’ll likely have to breathe into a breathalyzer before every session, and you may have to submit to urine tests every week or every other week until you are out of treatment. However, these tests hold you accountable for your actions and can help you quit alcohol for good. If you fail a breathalyzer or drug test, you may have to repeat the program or you may be faced with additional charges. Knowing that you have to stay clean and sober for the program will help you in the long run, even if you dislike the test in the moment.
Will Court-Ordered Treatment Help?
Many individuals believe that involuntary treatment for alcohol use will not be effective. This is not true, as research has consistently shown that you don’t have to choose to go into a program for it to work. Even if you are being made to attend treatment by the courts, you can and will experience positive outcomes from your sessions.
If you have a DUI on your record and have to attend treatment, go into it with an open mind. You can get the help that you need to stay sober once and for all. In some cases, you may even choose to continue treatment after your court-ordered sessions are complete.
Ready for Help? Call Our Facility Now!
Alcohol and drug addiction is a serious problem. Don’t wait until you hit rock bottom-call us for help today. We can provide you with a personalized treatment plan that will help you manage your addiction. Stop by our facility or call us at 772-266-5320.
