Living With An Alcoholic » Alcohol Treatments

Treatments for Alcoholism Part Two

Daniel — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:23:00 +0000

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 person’s 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 individual’s 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 person’s 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.” 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. 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.

Treating All Three Issues Involved In Alcoholism

Daniel — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:04:00 +0000

The American Medical Association defines the term Alcoholism as: “alcoholism is an illness characterized by significant impairment that is directly associated with persistent and excessive use of alcohol. Impairment may involve physiological, psychological or social dysfunction.” The treatment for alcoholism must therefore address all of these issues: the physical needs of the body, the psychological issues and the social dysfunction.

The physical issues revolve around how the person’s body is processing and coping with the drug – alcohol.

The psychological issues revolve around how the person is responding cognitively and emotionally while under the influence of alcohol and in-between periods of drinking.

Alcohol comes from an Arabic word that mean “essence” and has been used over the ages and in many different cultures to celebrate the essence (substance or spirit) of occasions like weddings, births, coming of age, even passing of loved ones. Alcohol has been used for medicinal purposes and for drowning out sorrows and pain. Alcohol is a common beverage for sporting events and social gatherings. It is abundantly available in any neighborhood.

Our exposure to the drug alcohol, is evident, how much we understand about it and what to do when we ourselves, or someone we love has become dependant upon alcohol is of vital importance.

Treatment:

The purpose of treatment is to evaluate the problem, to help the person understand the disease and how to manage it. Initiation of treatment may be voluntary, or court ordered, if the person has encountered legal problems associated with his or her drinking. Treatment starts with the understanding that there is cause to explore how alcohol is affecting someone. The person, who is drinking, must be evaluated to determine if they are indeed suffering from the disease – Alcoholism. A physician, preferably someone who has the medical history of the person in question, can do the evaluation or refer them to someone who is competent to do the evaluation. If the doctor is unfamiliar with the person, a complete medical history will be assessed at the time of the first visit. Even if there is a medical history, a form to be filled out will assess some alcohol related information about the person and his or her drinking habits and consequences experienced. After evaluation and possible testing, a diagnosis will be made and a treatment plan fashioned to address the three issues.

Support Groups:

If a determination has been made that the person is suffering from alcoholism – a disease where the person is dependant on alcohol; a detoxification process will be initiated. Detoxification is usually done while under careful medical supervision at centers or hospitals. Medical and mental health professional are involved in the detoxification process to address all of the issues faced by the patient.

Support groups will be recommended to help the person stay in control of their disease.

Some support groups are:

Alcoholics Anonymous http//www.aa.org

Smart Recovery http://smartrecover.org

Al-Anon and Alateen – http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/

This is aa support and a place to form discussion groups for the relatives of people suffering from alcoholismj. Alateen is for teens.

Rational Recovery http://www.rational.org

Ongoing Care:

Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive disease. That means that it will not disappear because it has been diagnosed, or because it has been treated. Everyone who suffers from alcoholism must understand the lifelong commitment involved in managing the disease. All three issues must be monitored on a routine basis and treatment plans adjusted accordingly. As of the date of this article, there is no known cure for alcoholism.

The New Shot to Treat Alcoholism

Daniel — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 23:08:00 +0000

Alcoholism is the fourth leading cause of disability in the world. Alcoholism is increasingly viewed as a chronic disease and is the cause of approximately 100,000 preventable deaths in the United States each year. There are many treatment options such as Alcoholics Anonymous, addiction counseling, behavioral counseling, and medications. As with all chronic diseases, long-term comprehensive management is necessary to sustain the desired result, which in this case is sobriety. The view of alcoholism as a chronic disease has led to the development of many new medications and in particular, a medication called Naltrexone.

Naltrexone was approved by the Federal Drug Administration in 1994 for alcohol dependence. This drug has been shown to reduce the frequency of drinking and the likelihood that people will revert into heavy drinking. This was the result of several years of intense research. Naltrexone works by blocking the body’s ability to use endorphins and opiates. This medication can be used in two different ways. The first and most preferred treatment is used to decrease cravings for alcohol and to encourage abstinence. When used in this manner the medication needs to be in the body continually without a lapse in blood serum levels.

The other treatment, which is called pharmacological extinction, combines Naltrexone with normal drinking habits in order to reverse the endorphin conditioning that causes alcohol addiction. When used in this manner the drug only needs to be taken when the person plans to drink alcohol. However, since most alcoholics do not plan their drinking it is advised to use the drug on an on going basis to make sure it stays in the blood. Experimental evidence indicates that the presence of Naltrexone causes the drinking of alcohol to have a reverse affect on alcoholism.

In the past, Naltrexone has been taken orally on a daily basis. Sticking to a daily medication routine is a general problem in medicine and especially in alcoholism. With this, came the development of a long-acting form of Naltrexone in the form of a shot. An even better benefit of this long-acting shot is that it only needs to be given once a month. The best results of this shot are with the highest dose possible which is 380 milligrams per injection but the shot is also available in 190-milligram injections.

With most every person who uses the Naltrexone injection, it is well tolerated and they do not suffer from side effects. If they do suffer from the side effects, they usually are not bad enough that the treatment has to be discontinued. The most common side effects with the injection are nausea, headache, and fatigue.

In addition to the treatment of alcoholism, Naltrexone can also be used to prevent relapse in alcoholics who have reached sobriety. It is even more effective when combined with behavioral therapy.

Although medications are not necessary for the successful treatment of alcoholism, they can be a big benefit. Some may ease the transition to sobriety and others cause physical effects when the person drinks alcohol. Regardless of the drug that it used or the purposes of the medication, research has shown that in most cases the desired effect is to have the alcoholic abstain from drinking alcohol. The other suggested use of medications is a combined modality in which the medications are used in conjunction with other forms of treatment such as therapy or Alcoholics Anonymous.

Do All Alcoholics Need a Treatment Center?

Daniel — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Alcoholism affects many different people of all shapes, size, ages, races, and circumstances. Likewise, the various treatment modalities for alcoholism also come in different shapes and sizes. There are treatment centers in every state and within them are programs for people from all walks of life. One of the most popular treatment centers is the Betty Ford Center that was organized by the former First Lady of the United States, Betty Ford, after her own journey with alcoholism and recovery. Treatment centers also tend to combine several treatment modalities in an effort to assist the alcoholic in the recovery process. The different treatments can include behavior therapy, cognitive therapy, hypnosis, twelve step programs, nutritional therapy, detoxification, group therapy, and medications.

It is believed that comprehensive treatment centers do provide the best range of treatments for the alcoholic and thus provide the greatest chances of success for the alcoholic. The person is removed from their environment in which drinking alcohol is stimulated which helps break the habit of drinking. They are then given access to a wide variety of different types of methods to assist them in their recovery. During this time, the alcoholic is closely monitored by staff members who can detect problems as they arise and ultimately help prevent relapse and encourage success.

The downside of treatment centers is that they can be extremely costly and the treatments are not always covered by health insurance plans. Likewise, it is not always feasible for the alcoholic to leave their home and work responsibilities for many days or weeks at a time. The treatment centers tend to require a large monetary commitment as well as the commitment of time spent away from family and possibly even work.

Many researchers and professionals believe that alcoholism is the same within every person but in actuality, it is becoming more and more apparent that there are varying levels and degrees of alcoholism. More and more professionals are realizing that not all alcoholics benefit from or require the intensive kind of treatment that comes from treatment facilities. Many alcoholics can be just as successful in their recovery process by using individual treatments or by using programs set up for them by their medical doctor. In many cases, twelve step type programs such Alcoholics Anonymous are extremely successful as are medications that can be used alone or in conjunction with a program or individual therapy.

The primary goal of every alcoholic is sobriety. It is up to each person to figure out the best treatment for them and what will work best in their case. In many cases it is important for the family member and possibly even doctors of the alcoholic to step in and assist the person in choosing the appropriate treatment for them. The main point is that not every alcoholic needs a treatment facility in order to become sober. Although treatment centers are very beneficial, there are many other types of treatment that the alcoholic can benefit from. Not every alcoholic requires the use of a treatment center to become sober but it is a great option for any alcoholic to investigate.

Living With An Alcoholic » Alcohol Treatments

Treatments for Alcoholism Part Two

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