Alcohol Addiction Care in Utrecht

The sooner you take action, the better.

Professionally trained staff. A modern, personal approach. One-on-one — no group sessions.
You’re in the driver’s seat, but if you want a skilled co-pilot, this is the place to be.

Experience of a client who completed treatment for alcohol/medication addiction with us in Amsterdam. Shared on the independent review site ‘Zorgkaart Nederland’.

We help you take action in a way that works for you.

More control over your drinking?

Sometimes you might wish you could manage your drinking better. Once you start, it can be hard to stop. Often, you end up having a few more drinks than you intended. Then there are the talks with your partner about your drinking… You might regularly try to convince others — and yourself — that it’s under control.

Those first drinks often feel good. Within ten minutes, the alcohol reaches your brain, making you feel more relaxed and cheerful. Your inhibitions fade, self-criticism eases, and conversations seem easier and more enjoyable. Worries about work or relationships can feel like they disappear, if only for a while. Who wouldn’t want to hold on to that ‘magic’?

But sadly, the positive effects of alcohol can quickly turn into negative consequences, and in some cases, lead to alcohol addiction.

Facts about addiction & ADDICTION TREATMENT

Two glasses of wine a day — is that too much?

This is a question many people ask themselves.

Drinking less — how do you stick with it?

You’ve made the good intention, now comes the hard part: keeping it up. How do you do that?

Negative effects of alcohol

Short-term effects

While drinking

Feeling happy can turn into excessive emotion, and reduced self-criticism can become overconfidence.
Inhibitions fade, your face may become red and puffy, and coordination suffers.
Higher risk of accidents, arguments, unsafe sex, losing things, or blackouts.

Short-term consequences

Weight gain from the calories in alcohol and sugary drinks.
Bad breath from alcohol breakdown and a dry mouth (alcohol is dehydrating).
Poorer sleep quality — it may help you fall asleep faster, but rest is lighter and less restorative.
Problems at work and in relationships.
Shame and guilt.

Long-term effects

Increased risk of cancer — especially breast cancer, and cancers of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, colon, liver, and pancreas.
Risk of memory problems, difficulty planning, and organising daily tasks.
Risk of chronic liver disease.
Low mood, anxiety, burnout.
Loneliness.

For your health, it’s wise to limit your alcohol intake.

There’s also the question of whether you are dependent on alcohol, or at risk of becoming so. Regular drinking significantly increases that risk. Alcohol can quickly lead to tolerance and dependence.

In the Netherlands, 1 in 10 adults struggles with an alcohol problem.

Dependent on alcohol?

It can be hard to recognise for yourself if you’re dependent on alcohol; often, we tend to deny it. To get a first sense of your risk, you can ask yourself the following questions:

As a man, do you drink more than 20 drinks a week, or as a woman more than 15?
Do you drink daily and find it hard to stop after a few drinks?
Do you notice that you need more to feel the same effect and don’t get tipsy or drunk as quickly?
Do you often try to convince others that your drinking is under control?
Do you often find a reason to drink?
Do you sometimes try to cut down on your drinking?
Have you ever thought about stopping drinking?
Do you sometimes feel guilty about your drinking?
Do you get irritated when others comment on your drinking?

Unsure if your drinking is still under control? Talk to someone you trust, make an appointment with your GP, or get in touch with us.

Are you being treated for anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues? Then discuss your drinking with us in Utrecht. Many of these symptoms can improve — or even disappear — when you stop drinking. Sign up for our alcohol treatment in Utrecht.

Help with alcohol and drug addiction
A treatment approach for busy men and women

We developed an addiction treatment approach in Amsterdam and Utrecht that fits the lives of busy men and women dealing with unhealthy habits and addictions.

We see addiction as a normal process that has gotten out of hand.
Something that once worked for you — pleasure, comfort, distraction, confidence —
slowly turns against you.

We help you get moving, in a way that fits you.

Contact us