It seems like every time you hear about a person going into drug rehab or the TV broadcasts another celebrity with a drug problem, most people say they are going in for alcohol treatment. Even on shows like “Celebrity Rehab” with Dr. Drew Pinsky, most of the characters are diagnosed as alcoholics, even if their drug of choice is a different substance; they are still treated for the specific drug that’s caused the most harm in their lives, but attest to being an alcoholic. That led me to question, does every person who has a substance abuse problem inherently have an alcohol problem? Is it impossible to be addicted to heroine, for instance, and not be addicted to alcohol?
You don’t hear many people say that they’re going to alcohol rehab these days. But in fact, most drug rehabs are also treatment centers for alcohol abuse. The reason so many drug addicts need to stray from using alcohol if they are trying to remain sober is because alcohol has the same intoxicating effects, and using alcohol, even if in moderation, may lead a recovering drug addict to use again.
I learned that addiction, as a larger issue, puts every addict in the category of alcoholism. Even if a person ultimately entered themselves into treatment for drug rehabilitation and not an alcohol problem, many realize that their drinking tendencies are just as destructive.
