What is Treatment of Alcoholism

The treatment of alcoholism is any program – inpatient or outpatient, long or short-term, individual or group – that is designed to help individuals break from his or her dependence and addiction to alcohol, and begin life anew as a sober individual. Alcoholism is a difficult disease to cure because of societal acceptance of the use of alcohol, and its pervasive nature because it is a legal substance.

What is an alcoholic?

Without seeming flippant, an alcoholic is a person who is addicted to alcohol, debilitating effects notwithstanding. There is debate regarding its classification as a disease, but semantics and categorization aside, alcohol abuse and addiction is a serious issue that negatively affects individuals and society, business, the economy, families, and relationships.

While not everyone has the same reaction to alcohol, there is a pattern to the signs of addiction. These include:

• Shame or guilt about drinking
• Lying to hide drinking habits
• Needing a drink to relax, to feel good, or to function
• “Blacking out” or memory loss
• Drinking to excess on a regular basis
• Neglecting responsibilities at work, home, or school
• Drinking alcohol in situations that endanger the drinker and others
• Preferring drinking to all other activities

Detox Risks

All drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs require detoxification (or detox). With alcohol, detox is not life threatening, but it is extremely uncomfortable and may seem impossible at the time. Recent developments in the medical field have resulted in detox approaches that allow for a medically supervised approached that lessen the effects of withdrawal.

Inpatient

Inpatient alcohol treatment programs require the individual to participate in therapy in an onsite residential setting. Generally lasting from thirty to ninety days, these programs are highly effective for those who undergone repeated attempts to become sober, or who need the benefits of that a separate environment offers – especially if the normal day-to-day activities of the individual are contributing factors to the addiction. By enrolling in and inpatient program, the treatment staff is best able to develop a program that targets all the factors that contribute to the addiction.

Outpatient

Outpatient treatment programs, of which the 12 Steps is the most familiar, permit the individual to continue with his or her daily life, while attending therapy sessions. The key advantage to this approach is the individual has a mentor, a support group, and is still able to maintain a normal routine.