Alcohol Addiction Treatment Program - 3
Alcoholism Treatment Option Steps
David Buster
An alcohol addiction treatment program consists of three
general alcoholism treatment option steps. These three steps
are intervention, detoxification and rehabilitation.
Many persons with a drinking problem do not see or acknowledge
that they have a problem with alcohol abuse. Intervention used
in an alcohol addiction treatment program used to be more
confrontational since problem drinkers would be confronted
about their excessive drinking and threatened with consequences
if they did not begin treatment.
Today, the more effective alcoholism treatment option consists
of caring and understanding counseling and intervention.
Studies have found that more people begin an alcohol addiction
treatment program when family members or employers are honest
with them and try to help the drinker see that alcohol abuse is
adversely affecting their health and lives in many ways.
Family or friends may need to help start the process of
drinking problem recognition by reading relevant books on the
subject to become better informed, by contacting their
healthcare professional or by locating the nearest Alcoholics
Anonymous or similar group.
An alcohol addiction treatment program intervention is a
structured process where a group of family members, friends or
co-workers get together in a caring way to communicate their
concerns about a problem drinker's behavior. Done correctly,
intervention has the objective of moving the person (and those
who are part of the problem drinker's life) out of crisis mode
and into addressing the addiction. Without the problem drinker
recognizing and acknowledging that he or she has a drinking
problem, there can be no effective and lasting alcoholism
treatment option.
Here are the three main alcohol addiction treatment program
steps:
1. Intervention - this is the initial alcoholism treatment
option whereby the drinking problem is recognized and
acknowledged by the drinker and perhaps family members or
employer as well. Once the alcohol problem is recognized,
alcohol consumption is stopped for those persons that are
alcohol dependent.
If the person is a problem drinker, moderate drinking may be
successful. Many alcoholics at first will not acknowledge that
their drinking is out of control, and moderation can often be a
successful way to deal with the drinking problem. If moderation
works, the drinking problem is solved. If it doesn't work, then
the person is usually ready to try abstinence. Because
alcoholism affects the people closely related to the problem
drinker, education and treatment for family members through
counseling is often necessary.
2. Detoxification - this phase of an alcohol addiction
treatment program usually takes from 4 to 7 days. The more
alcohol a person has been drinking each day, the higher the
likelihood the person will develop alcohol withdrawal symptoms
when they stop drinking.
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can range from annoying and
uncomfortable to serious and even life-threatening. Withdrawal
symptoms generally begin within 12 hours of the last alcohol
consumption and will be the maximum in two or three days. The
person may need to stay at the hospital for medical
observation.
In a medically supervised environment, withdrawal from alcohol
can be done safely, and medications can be used as needed to
relieve withdrawal symptoms. Other medical problems that may
exist increase the likelihood of developing severe withdrawal
symptoms. For example, blood clotting and liver problems are
often found in heavy drinkers, and serious symptoms such as
convulsions, fever or delirium tremens can develop.
3. Rehabilitation - recovery from alcoholism should include
support for the problem drinker once the detoxification
alcoholism treatment option phase is completed to help maintain
alcohol abstinence. This important recovery support will likely
include counseling, nursing and medical care within these kinds
of programs. Alcoholism disease education and alcohol effects on
the body should be part of this alcoholism treatment option and
rehab.
An alcohol addiction treatment program can be an inpatient or
outpatient program. Medications are sometimes prescribed in
alcoholism treatment to help prevent relapses. Naltrexone will
reduce the desire for alcohol. Antabuse is another drug that is
used in alcoholism treatment. It functions by producing
unpleasant side effects if any alcohol is consumed within
fourteen days after the drug is taken. Counseling or support
groups are often needed on a long-term basis to help maintain
sobriety.
Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can become life-threatening if not
treated. It is never too late to begin the process of
intervention, detoxification and rehabilitation to help a
problem drinker regain control of their health and their lives.
If you'd like to see what alcoholism treatment option
facilities exist, you can search online for a USA alcohol abuse
treatment center that's located near you. If recovery from
alcohol becomes a priority in your life or the life of someone
you care about, seek an alcohol addiction treatment program
that can provide the caring and professional alcoholism
treatment that the problem drinker truly deserves.
Copyright 2006 InfoSearch Publishing
About The Author: Read more about the typical steps in alcohol
abuse intervention at
http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com/alcohol-abuse-intervention.html
- David Buster is VP of InfoSearch Publishing and webmaster of
http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com - a website of natural
health articles and information for healthier living.
Find More Free Natural Health Information
Back To:
All Free Info about Addictions
Choose Natural Health Site Map
