Treatments for Alcoholism

Detoxification is often the starting point to getting an alcoholic on the road to recovery. Detoxification treats primarily the physical effects on the body of consuming alcohol over a prolonged period of time. However it does not technically treat the disease of alcoholism.

Once detoxification is over with it is very likely that a person will relapse if no other from of treatment is put into play. Often rehabilitation (or rehab) can occur in either an inpatient setting or by way of an outpatient setting of a hospital or clinic. The need for detox varies from person to person and ifs often dependent on a variety of factors such as a persons age, their history of alcohol consumption and their medical status.

Once detoxification has been successfully completed it is time for group therapy and/or psychotherapy. There are a number of different kinds of group therapy and psychotherapy but they are all methods of learning how to cope with psychological issues and problems in an individuals life that are in one way or another connected to the addiction of alcohol. Group therapy and psychotherapy sessions often provide relapse prevention skills to the people who attend.

These methods have been found to bring success and to also help assure individuals that they are not alone in their life predicament. The form of group therapy that appears to be of the most benefit to people is the mutual-help-group-counselling approach that is often put on by a variety of helpful organizations, either by themselves or in combination with others.

These include Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Women For Sobriety, Rational Recovery, Smart Recovery and LifeRing Secular Recovery. Another from of treatment for alcoholism is rationing and moderation. It is important to note that rationing and moderation programs do not mandate that total abstinence from alcohol is the only way to be.

One of the common side effects of drinking is to impair a persons judgement, which in essence means that the more drinks a person consumes, the harder it is for them to realize that yet another drink is not a wise idea. If those individuals who are predisposed towards becoming alcoholics are taught to drink in moderation then this will have the positive consequence of strengthening the endorphin-based addiction.

Did You Know

For the alcoholic, quitting drinking is extremely difficult and something that takes time, patience, and dedication. Recovery is not a task that can be entered into lightly or without reservation. If you don't have access to an AA support group then you have 3 other options.

You can use self-help books where the alcoholic is taking responsibility for his own health. This can work well because once the person knows of the problem it becomes easier to resolve.

By putting together their own plan of action and choosing his own techniques, the alcoholic takes an active role in the recovery process. The more common techniques include examining the individual’s need for alcohol, decide whether to quit drinking altogether, or just to cut back, identify the reasons for quitting drinking and sharing the recovery plan with others. These are just a few steps that can be involved in self-recovery.

Another thing that someone with alcoholism can do to recover from it is to use a combination of approaches. This could involve working on self-help issues, going to AA meetings and involving other people in the process for support.

The benefit of this approach is that you can work on the issues behind the drinking while at the same time developing some kind of accountability to others. Plus you would be able to rely on support from people around you when you go through the tough times.

This is what a rationing and moderation program seeks to do. Not all alcoholics can learn to drink in moderation but many can, and when they put this form of treatment into play it can help to avoid many of the hardships associated with other forms of alcohol treatments such as the physical, social and financial costs. This is especially the case when a person is in the beginning phase of alcohol recovery.

Research done by the United States National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) shows that on average 18% of people who have been drinking for one to two years are able to be taught how to drink in moderate quantities.

Interesting Facts

Recent studies have determined that genetics plays a vital role in the development of alcoholism but the exact genes or genetic pathways to addiction have not been found.

There are many avenues for professional help if this is a type of treatment that interests you. For example there is the Moderation Management Program that is put on by a variety of organizations and might even be available at a hospital or clinic near you.

Alcoholism in the News

09/03/2008
Off the bottle and back to work (Baltic Times)
{{thebaltictimes}}TALLINN - The labor office will offer treatment for alcoholism and pay most of the expenses in a bid to reduce alcohol abuse in the nation’s work force. According to the labor office’s experience, the need for such a program is obvious and pressing.

Off the bottle and back to work (Baltic Times)

09/04/2008
Neighborhood Alcohol Outlets Tied to Kids' Injury Risk (Health Scout)
Parental supervision undermined in 'disordered' areas where liquor is sold, study says.

Neighborhood Alcohol Outlets Tied to Kids' Injury Risk (Health Scout)

09/03/2008
The Candidates on Energy Policy (Foreign Relations)
Obama has been critical (AP) President Bush's energy policy. “Saying that America is addicted to oil without following a real plan for energy independence is like admitting alcoholism and then skipping out on the twelve-step program,” Obama said in 2006. In August 2008, Obama unveiled his " New Energy for America " plan, which includes measures to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and to ...

The Candidates on Energy Policy (Foreign Relations)

09/02/2008
Alcoholism-associated molecular adaptations (EurekAlert!)
( European College of Neuropsychopharmacology ) At the 21st Congress of the ECNP 2008 in Barcelona, Prof. Georgy Bakalkin, involved in research focusing on biochemical mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric disorders, highlighted the latest findings on this clinical challenge and presented a novel mechanism and understanding of cognitive deficit in human alcoholics. Thereby an emerging concept ...

Alcoholism-associated molecular adaptations (EurekAlert!)

09/04/2008
Neighborhood Alcohol Outlets Tied to Kids' Injury Risk (Health Scout)
Parental supervision undermined in 'disordered' areas where liquor is sold, study says.

Neighborhood Alcohol Outlets Tied to Kids' Injury Risk (Health Scout)

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Better Your Health

Alcoholism is a Widespread Problem


◦	What the Bible Says About Alcohol Abuse

◦	The Difference Between Alcohol Dependence And Alcohol Abuse

◦	What is the Attraction To Alcohol

◦	FAQ's About Alcoholism Pt 1

◦	FAQ's About Alcoholism Pt 2

◦	A Brief Summary Regarding Alcoholism

◦	Alcohol Abuse and the College Campus

◦	The Brain And Alcohol

◦	Health Risks For Women Alcoholics

◦	Holiday Survival Guide For The Alcoholic

◦	How A Child See's Alcoholism

◦	Alcoholism Detoxification Steps

◦	Alcoholism and the Workplace

◦	The Children of Alcoholics

◦	Common Questions About Alcoholism

◦	Tests for Alcohol Use

◦	Do All Alcoholics Need a Rehab Center

◦	The Dangers and Penalties Of Drinking and Driving

◦	The War On Drunk Driving

◦	How To Determine When Someone Needs Professional Help

◦	Some Facts About Alcoholism

◦	Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

◦	Diet Hints To Assist With Alcoholism Withdrawal

◦	Helping Someone To Overcome Alcoholism

◦	Alcoholism Risk Is Linked to Early Aged Drinking

◦	A Portrait Of An Alcoholic

◦	The Symptoms of Alcoholism

◦	Basic Facts About Alcoholism

◦	Hard Facts About Alcoholism

◦	Cautions Concerning Non Alcoholic Beer

◦	The College Campus And Alcoholism

◦	Dangers of Alcoholism

◦	Alcoholics Anonymous Steps 1-6

◦	Alcoholics Anonymous Steps 6-12

◦	What Causes An Alcoholic Blackout

◦	New Shot to Treat Alcoholism

◦	Alcoholism's Physical Effects

◦	Group Support For Alcoholism

◦	Threats From Alcoholism

◦	The Truth About Alcoholism

◦	Treating The Three Main Issues In Alcoholism

◦	Treatments for Alcoholism

◦	Vitamins and Supplements For The Alcoholic

◦	Recovering From Alcoholism

◦	Help Your Teen Avoid Becoming An Alcoholic

◦	What Is Alcholism

◦	Family Members Drinking Too Much

◦	Explain Alcoholism

◦	Who Are The Alcoholics

◦	Women Fighting The Consequences of Alcoholism

◦	Al Anon Support For The Alcoholic's Family

◦	Health Consequences Of Alcoholism

◦	Medications Used For Treating Alcoholism

◦	Screening Tests For Alcoholism

◦	What Is The Difference Between Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism

◦	How to Stop Drinking Alcohol without AA

◦	The Truth About Alcoholics Anonymous

◦	Alcoholism - Curable or Just Controllable

◦	The Causes of Alcoholism

◦	So How Much Drinking Really Is Too Much?

◦	Is Alcoholism Hereditary

◦	What Children Need to Know About Alcohol

◦	How to Recognize When Children are Drinking

◦	What You Need to Know about how to Set Up an Intervention for an Alcoholic

◦	How to Quit Drinking Without Gaining Weight

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