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If you have ever had “one too many” and suffered the consequences, you already partially know the answer to the following question: What are the effects of alcohol on the body? Alcohol dependence causes much more damage that a night of drinking. So why don’t alcoholics stop? Alcohol cravings are one reason, and there is help available to reduce them.

A hangover is nothing more than alcohol withdrawals. The sad truth is that the most effective cure for a hangover is… more alcohol. During a night of drinking, the body goes through a form of mini-dependence – for lack of a better term – and actually comes to need alcohol to function properly. When you wake up the next morning, or “come to”, normal body temperature, oxygen levels in the blood, and other things you never think of, are foreign to the body. So you sweat and feel awful, but you probably don’t crave alcohol.

Alcoholics sign a virtual contract with alcohol, early on, where they will accept the pain of hangovers in return for the relief they get from drinking. The agreement slowly evolves into a daily relationship where alcoholics drink alcohol because the effects will be very bad if they don’t. The effects of alcohol on women set in faster than with men. Regardless of gender, though, alcohol cravings get stronger with dependence.

Tarzana Treatment Centers provides Vivitrol in alcohol treatment. Vivitrol is a monthly injection that reduces alcohol cravings in the brain. Our patients are assessed for this treatment during medical detoxification, and will get their first injection when alcohol detox is complete if approved. With this distraction minimized, long-term recovery is more likely to be achieved.

Tarzana Treatment Centers in Los Angeles provides a full array of health care services including adult and youth alcohol and drug treatment. We specialize in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and have two primary medical care clinics in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley and specialized services for HIV/AIDS care. If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol dependence, drug addiction, or co-occurring mental health disorders or from other services we offer, please call us now at 888-777-8565 or contact us using our secure contact form.

Telemedicine services are also available with online medical care, online mental health treatment, and online alcohol and drug treatment.

Tarzana Treatment Centers has locations all over Southern California in Los Angeles County. Other than our central location in Tarzana, we have facilities in Lancaster in the Antelope Valley, Long Beach, and in Northridge and Reseda in the San Fernando Valley.