Alcohol Rehabilitation Center – Alcohol Rehab Program
About Sunshine Coast Health Centre
At Sunshine Coast Health Centre, we offer an alcohol rehabilitation center for successful, mature men looking for a way out of a life spiraling out of control professionally, socially and physically. Located on one of the world's most beautiful coastlines, north of Vancouver, BC, our alcohol treatment center combines an intense 
program of life changing education and therapy within a private, rural, beachfrontacreage. It's a place to rebuild physically and emotionally from the effects of alcohol abuse while feeling safe and protected from outside concerns.
Unlike large drug and alcohol rehabs that serve both men and women, at Sunshine Coast we can offer our mature male clients highly individualized, targeted programs that meet their specific needs. We understand that an environment of respect and partnership are important to a man who has achieved a high level of success in life despite drug or alcohol abuse. With a maximum of 23 clients in our drug and alcohol rehab program at any time and a highly trained staff of 30, a client at Sunshine Coast can expect to receive an unparalleled level of personal attention and support.
Alcohol Detox
Withdrawal from alcohol can be a very frightening experience for a heavy drinker. A medical detox for a man suffering from dependence on alcohol is imperative as repeated alcohol withdrawals without medical intervention can lead to brain damage. At Sunshine Coast Health Centre our alcohol detox program provides our clients with a safe, medically monitored experience in a large waterfront room. Detox staff stay with the clients 24 hours a day providing necessary personal care and emotional support until our Medical Director indicates they are well enough to begin the alcohol treatment program.
Alcohol Rehab Program
Alcohol addiction is a combination of both physical and psychological dependence. After a client has moved beyond his physical dependence through our medical detox program we address the psychological dependence that has usually manifested itself in a man's life with the use of alcohol for relief of stress, anxiety and depression or for social and professional acceptance. After several assessments by our medical and clinical staff a client, working one on one with his primary counselor will develop a treatment plan geared towards his specific needs in life. Over the course of 7 weeks, our clients will not only be provided with the individual and group therapy required to achieve his stated goals but also with the opportunity to focus on healthy lifestyle alternatives such as regular exercise and good nutrition in the company of a supportive peer group.
Continuing Care
It is often said that alcohol treatment is about discovery not recovery. Given the right support and education staying sober inside a residential alcohol treatment program is not that dificult. There is no alcohol on site, no pay per view nights at the bar with friends and lots of people to talk to when you wish you had a drink. After a client completes his treatment program at Sunshine Coast Health Centre he will be challenged regularly in his day to day life as society bombards all of us with regular messages about the acceptable, good fun of drinking. This is where a good continuing care plan becomes imperative and can mean the difference between a strong recovery and a quick relapse.
Beginning in the first week of alcohol rehabilitation our clients attend a minimum of 3 twelve step meetings a week in the town of Powell River. Studies have shown that over 90% of people that attend 3 or more meetings a week stay clean and sober. No other aftercare program can offer that kind of success in as many communities with as many opportunities for regular meetings. That is why, at Sunshine Coast Health Centre, we believe in the importance of our clients developing a strong relationship with the 12 Step community. By the end of drug rehab all clients understand how these meetings work, what they can expect at them, how to find a temporary and permanent sponsor and where the meetings are at in their home communities.
About Alcohol
Alcoholism is widely misunderstood and misrepresented. People often equate alcoholism with the skid row alcoholic, bottomed out and barely surviving. This is not the reality. The majority of alcoholics are high functioning, hard working people. What makes them different from the majority of people that drink alcohol is that an alcoholic continues to drink despite negative consequences such as driving impaired charges, marital discord, declining work performance and loss of friends.
Alcoholism is caused by environmental, biological, psychological and possibly genetic factors. It often runs in families. Although genetics may be involved it is important to note that not all children of alcoholic parents grow up to be alcoholics themselves and some alcoholics have no family history of the disease.
Many alcoholics can go days, weeks and even months without a drink. The problem is that once they start to drink they have no control over the amount and often drink far more than they intended. This type of drinking is also known as "binge drinking." Though these people have many long periods of sobriety they are still alcoholics because of their apparent lack of power over their consumption once they take that first drink again. Alcoholism is a progressive disease and often people who binge drink will eventually become daily, heavy drinkers.
