Alcoholism Treatment

Not unlike other illnesses and diseases, alcoholism can be overcome with increased research efforts, effective alcoholism treatment, and prevention.

By providing more people with access to quality alcoholism treatment, the costly drain on society and the financial, psychological, and physical burdens that alcoholism places on families can be substantially reduced.

One more point. It is important to emphasize the fact that when the term "alcoholism" is used, this also means "alcohol dependence," "alcohol dependency," or "alcohol addiction."

The Results of Effective Alcoholism Treatment

A review of the research literature reveals strong evidence that successful, professional alcoholism treatment programs and alcoholism prevention efforts result in significant reductions in HIV, traffic fatalities, crime, hearth disease, unwanted pregnancy, child abuse, strokes, and cancer.

Moreover, quality treatment for alcoholism and drug abuse improves an individual's job performance, health, and quality of life while at the same time reducing family dysfunction, drug abuse, and involvement with the criminal justice system.

Alcoholism Treatment: A Mix of Doctor-Prescribed Drugs and Counseling

As serious as alcoholism is, fortunately it can be treated.  Treatment for alcoholism typically includes a combination of counseling and doctor-prescribed medications to help a problem drinker abstain from drinking.  Even though most alcoholics and problem drinkers need help to recover from their disease, research has shown that with support and professional alcoholism treatment, many problem drinkers are able to address their drinking problems, quit drinking, and restore their lives.

Treatment for Alcoholism: Withdrawal Symptoms

A number of different techniques exist for treating alcoholism withdrawal.  Whereas some of these therapies use medications, many, on the other hand, do not.

Non-Drug Alcohol Detoxification

Interestingly, according to current research findings, the safest way to treat mild withdrawal symptoms is without drugs.  Such non-drug detoxification efforts use extensive social support and screening throughout the entire withdrawal process.  Other non-drug detoxification therapies, moreover, use vitamin therapy (especially thiamin) and proper nutrition for treating mild withdrawal symptoms.

Treatment for Alcoholism: Traditional Approaches

There are a number of traditional alcoholism treatment options that are considered "mainstream" therapies.  The following alcoholism treatment programs are considered "traditional" alcoholism therapies:  Behavioral Treatment, Outpatient Alcoholism Treatment and Counseling, Family and Marital Counseling, Therapeutic Medications, Detoxification, and Residential Alcoholism Treatment Programs and Inpatient Alcohol Rehab.

Alcoholism Treatment:  Therapeutic Medications

Since the employment of doctor-prescribed medications is used so extensively in alcoholism treatment, we will go into more detail regarding this subject matter.

A number of research scientists and practitioners strongly feel that chronic alcoholics who cannot maintain their sobriety should receive drug therapy to manage and control their withdrawal symptoms.  It is important to emphasize, by the way that by using medications, problem drinkers who are addicted to alcohol are less likely to experience possible brain damage and/or seizures.

Treating Severe Withdrawal Symptoms with Benzodiazepines

Recent alcoholism research demonstrates that the medications that are most likely to elicit effective results when treating alcoholism withdrawal symptoms are the benzodiazepines.  Examples include the longer-acting benzodiazepines such as Librium and Valium and the shorter-acting benzodiazepines such as Serax and Ativan.

Traditionally, medical practitioners have used a progressive decrease in doses during the entire withdrawal process when using benzodiazepines.  Moreover, due to the fact that the shorter-acting benzodiazepines do not stay in the problem drinker's system for an excessive amount of time and due to the fact that they allow for measurable and observable dose reductions, a number of alcoholism practitioners and researchers have asserted that intermediate to short half-life benzodiazepines should be used for treating alcoholism withdrawal symptoms.

Doctor-Prescribed Drugs to Help Prevent Relapses

Another major component of alcoholism treatment with therapeutic drugs centers on the employment of particular medications such as naltrexone (ReViaT) or disulfiram (Antabuse) that are administered by a healthcare practitioner in an attempt to help prevent the person with the drinking problem from returning to drinking after he or she experiences a relapse.

Stated simply, this type of alcoholism treatment is based on doctor prescribe medications that are used to treat a problem drinker's alcohol dependency.  For instance, antabuse is a medication given to alcoholics that elicits negative effects such as vomiting, flushing nausea, and dizziness if the problem drinker consumes alcohol.

Not surprisingly, antabuse "works" basically because it is a such a powerful deterrent.  Naltrexone (ReViaT), from an entirely different therapeutic perspective, is effective because it targets the brain's reward center and reduces the craving the problem drinker and the alcoholic has for alcohol.

Treatment for Alcoholism: Alternative Therapies

Although the research findings are not definitive, there are a number of alternative alcoholism treatment approaches that are becoming more researched, widely used, and mainstream.  Examples include the following therapies that have been proposed as "natural" forms of alcohol abuse treatment:  the holistic and naturalistic approaches employed by Traditional Chinese Medicine, various vitamin and supplement therapies, and "Drumming out Drugs" (a form of therapy that employs the use of drumming by clients). 

As promising as these alternative therapies are, more research, nevertheless, is needed to establish their effectiveness and to evaluate whether these forms of treatment for alcoholism provide long-term success.

Alcoholism and Depression

While on the topic of alcohol treatment, it is important to mention that according to the research literature, alcoholism and depression often take place in the same person.

Perhaps this is somewhat related to the fact that alcohol is a depressant and, as such, is one reason why so many people get depressed when they drink in an abusive and excessive manner.

In any event, alcohol abuse and alcoholism research studies emphasize the point that the person needs to get treatment for both medical conditions if he or she has alcoholism and depression.

Alcoholism Treatment:  Conclusion

A key factor in successful alcoholism treatment is finding a treatment program that you believe in and one that "works" for you.  Simply put, the best method of treating alcoholism in the world amounts to little if you don't want to quit drinking, if you don't accept that you have a drinking problem, if you don't want to overcome your drinking problems, and if you don't follow the treatment protocol.

It is also important to point out that when the term "alcoholism" is used, this also means "alcohol dependence," "alcohol dependency, " or "alcohol addiction."

Message to Problem Drinkers and Alcoholics

Don't just sit there and think that your drinking problems are simply going to go away and that things are going to get better. Addiction doesn't get better. It gets worse until somebody dies. You have a drinking problem and you need to take appropriate action by getting professional treatment and you need to take action now!

Extra Information

Finding a quality treatment program can be a difficult process.  This is why we are including the following information.

The following toll-free phone number is a number to a call center/treatment center that we are proudly affiliated with. This treatment facility provides top-quality and professional "holistic" drug and alcohol rehab and counseling that addresses virtually every aspect of the person's life.

There is someone at this phone number 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Please call this number if you have questions about a drug or alcohol problem or if you want some information about quality drug or alcohol treatment. (888) 565-2282