Treating alcoholism amounts to accepting that there is a problem, and a serious one. It is necessary to be aware and understand that this is a long and tedious process. Requiring undergoing the rigor of treatment and understanding that consistency in action becomes necessary.
Treatment of alcohol addiction also requires the involvement of loved ones, and to a large extent. In addition, awareness, education and knowledge count. Knowing that treatment is not about administering a specific drug like an antibiotic for an illness. Comprehensive, complex activities are what count. Psychological therapy and psychiatric intervention, and if necessary, also internal medicine.
Psychotherapy as the basic form of treatment of alcoholism
The primary form of treatment for alcoholism is psychotherapy. Its action is multidirectional, and its aim is to consolidate new, correct patterns of behavior. The therapeutic process consists of various activities to make the changes that take place are profound. These are to concern behaviors, thoughts, habits, beliefs, relationships with others, as well as ways of feeling and experiencing. Recovery programs cover the next months of treatment and even years.
Each patient receives an individual treatment plan. It is agreed with the patient, monitored on an ongoing basis and modified if the situation requires it. An individual plan of treatment, psychotherapy, classes and participation in them is set by the therapist, guardian and guide.
An important supplement to the therapy is also the Alcoholics Anonymous Twelve Step Program. Therefore, the vast majority of rehab centers recommend their patients to participate in AA Community meetings. On the other hand, relatives should participate in the meetings of Al-Anon and Alateen groups. A wide range of materials that are used in patient therapy is based on the assumptions of the AA Community. Hence, meetings are extremely important, valuable and constitute one of the elements of comprehensive treatment.
Detoxification as a stage in the treatment of alcoholism
Among the methods of treating alcohol dependence, there is also a detoxification stage. This one is performed in patients exhibiting abstinence syndrome. However, there is often a problem which of them require hospitalization in psychiatric, neurological and detoxification centers. Among all addicts, only a small part requires specialist help in medical institutions, in a stationary system. Most are treated on their own.
