Within the medical profession, the idea that alcoholism is a disease is highly contentious. However, drinking is defined as ‘harmful’ when it leads to physical or mental health problems. ‘Harmful drinking’ is further defined as that which puts interpersonal relationships at risk while fostering alcohol dependency.

Harmful drinking involves continuous thoughts about consuming alcohol and difficulty regulating alcohol consumption. The longer the thought-consumption cycle repeats, the more physiologically dependent the alcoholic becomes on alcohol.

Long-term sustained alcohol use often leads to alcohol tolerance, which forces the individual to consume greater quantities to achieve the same effects, and in the longer term, discontinuation of alcohol is mired in withdrawal issues.

As the market leader in alcohol treatment with a 97% success rate, we adhere to the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (N.I.C.E.) recommended the use of psychological therapies in conjunction with pharmacological treatments, particularly for assisted withdrawal.