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.
|