The link between personality and alcohol dependence is a topic that is of interest to many. The most common question surrounding the topic is whether certain personalities are more prone to develop dependency issues than others. You might have wondered whether alcohol influences the person and creates a certain personality or whether they were more prone to dependency because of their unique personality. Researchers also asked this question. For women’s addiction treatment, contact our North Carolina treatment center today.
The Connection Between Personality and Alcohol Dependence
The connection between personality and alcohol dependence interests both professionals and clients alike. Clinical studies found that certain personality traits increased the likelihood of someone developing alcohol use disorder. Those who are more impulsive and people who tend to show their emotions on the outside are more likely to develop alcohol use disorder. In addition, people with anger issues or depression are more likely to drink to ease the pain. These personality types tend to turn to things in their external environment to manage emotions, which makes them more likely to turn to alcohol or drugs to solve their problems.
What Does This Mean for Treatment?
Even though certain personalities have a link to alcohol use, environmental factors affect the tendency to develop excessive alcohol use more than personality traits. In the past, psychologists believed that personality is stable over a person’s lifetime. Now, we know that a person’s personality can change over time. We change over time as we learn to cope with life events. Personality is simply a set of responses and behaviors to the world, and these responses change as we grow older. Change is a part of the growth process. If we do not change, then we do not grow. How we feel now does not necessarily determine our feelings in the future.
Personality and excessive drinking are sometimes connected, but this is not necessarily a lifelong condition. People with high levels of stress and self-consciousness are more likely to get involved in problem drinking. This is why the connection between alcohol dependence and trauma is important. Trauma and stress often result in alcohol use disorder. Treatment must focus on resolving the underlying issues behind using alcohol to cope. Alcohol use disorder only means that the pain is too great to handle at the time.
Certain situations tend to be more likely to result in alcohol use. Examples include an abusive relationship, suffering a loss, or physical injury. Alcohol and substance use is an attempt to reduce the pain. When there is nowhere else to turn, alcohol and substance use seems like the only way out. The problem is that you can often create more long-term problems than you solve in the short term. The good news is that an effective treatment program can help you learn other ways of coping with life’s stresses other than alcohol or drugs.
Finding Help for Alcohol Dependence
If you are a woman who needs help with alcohol or substance use, our facility offers a range of treatment programs to suit your needs. Our treatment program offers solutions in a safe, relaxing, and nurturing environment to help you gain your life back and begin building your future. Some of the women’s treatment services that we offer include residential long-term programs (90+ days), aftercare and transitional living, experiential outdoor therapy, recreational therapy, and traditional therapy programs, such as intensive clinical therapy.
This is only a sampling of the treatment methods that The Willows Red Oak Recovery center has to offer. You can also find treatment for eating disorders, cognitive behavioral therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, and other traditional therapy methods.
The Willows Red Oak Recovery program offers a wide range of therapies and methods to help you achieve long-lasting results. If you, or your loved one, is ready to begin taking control of alcohol use, contact us at 855.773.0614 to get started.
