How to Help a Functional Alcoholic

Smarmore Castle Drug & Alcohol Rehab

Smarmore Offers Unrivalled Facilities and Medically Managed Detox From Drugs and Alcohol.

A functional alcoholic, or someone with functional alcoholism is someone suffering from alcohol addiction who manages to sustain – or appear to sustain – a normal life. They may not exhibit the usual signs of alcoholism, such as dysfunctional relationships and difficulties at work, but still meet the definition of alcoholism.

Should a Functioning Alcoholic Seek Treatment?

Anyone who meets the diagnostic criteria for alcoholism should seek professional help, regardless of whether they appear to be ‘functional’ or not. Left untreated, it can have severe and damaging effects on health, personal life and career prospects of the individual. In addition, it can be very damaging to the people close to them.

How Can Family Members Help a Functional Alcoholic?

If someone you know is suffering from alcoholism, you can support them by recommending them to access professional treatment services. You can also seek educational resources and support from local mental health services, as well as organisations such as SFAD (Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs), and Drinkaware.

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Smarmore Castle’s Treatment for Functional Alcoholism

At Smarmore Castle, we treat patients for alcohol addiction, regardless of how functional the patient appears. Our treatment begins with a period of detox, where the patient becomes clean of alcohol. As soon as the patient is physically able, they can join in with the programme of therapy offered in our residential rehab programme.

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  • How to Access Rehab With Health Insurance

    For those experiencing existing mental health conditions in Ireland, there are private medical insurers who can help you cover treatment. As addiction experts, we know that receiving the appropriate care and support when you have a mental health disorder is pivotal to attaining long-lasting recovery. Below, we will go through the various health insurance options to help you understand your options when it comes to seeking private residential care for substance abuse. Please note that there is no guarantee that you can be covered for all addiction problems as policies are always assessed on a case-by-case basis. Find Out More

  • My Loved One Doesn’t Want Help, What Do I Do?

    You can’t force someone to go to rehab. At the end of the day, it needs to be their decision because they are the ones that need to be open to turning their lives around. There are ways in which you can encourage someone to enter treatment, one of these ways is via an intervention with a trained interventionist, who facilitates an honest discussion between family members and the addict. This is something Smarmore Castle can arrange – contact us today.

  • Which Drugs Does Smarmore Castle Detox From?

    We can detox people from any drugs whether they are illegal drugs such as cocaine, heroin, ketamine; or prescription drugs such as benzodiazepines or zopiclone, oxycodone, zolpidem, klonopin, methadone, cannabis; and legal drugs such as alcohol.

  • How Long Is the Treatment Programme?

    Our treatment programme starts at 4 weeks and is flexible in length, giving you the opportunity to extend for a longer period if you need it.

  • Do You Treat Dual Diagnosis?

    All patients are reviewed by a consultant psychiatrist in the first week and we can diagnose and provide treatment for a number of co-occurring mental health conditions.

  • Do I Need to Be Abstinent Before Admission?

    Our medically managed detoxification with 24/7 medical cover means that we can perform complete and complex detoxes at Smarmore Castle. You don’t need to be abstinent before arrival.

  • How Do I Get To Rehab Safely?

    Smarmore Castle is one hour north of Dublin international airport and we can arrange a driver to collect you and bring you straight to us for free.

    We can also arrange a ‘sober transport’ service with a trusted driver, from anywhere in Ireland or Northern Ireland, at an additional cost.

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