Alcohol dependency is one of the leading causes of family breakups. Alcoholic family members are often seen as a burden and are discriminated against. The social disconnect experienced by families with alcoholic members is among the leading causes of depression. Alcohol treatment is one of the most talked-about topics in the recent past. This comes after a rise in concern by the government and other stakeholders over the reduced productivity of working-age individuals. The good news about alcoholism is that it can be reversed with the right treatment and support from relevant parties. However, some treatment methods are costly and hence avoided by many people.
Alcoholism Treatment Techniques
There are several ways in which alcoholism can be treated. The techniques used depend on decisions by those affected and the extent of alcoholism. Here are some popular treatment methods:
- Rehabilitation-Rehabilitation is the main institution-based treatment technique for alcohol dependency. It involves an alcoholic being taken into a rehabilitation center where their alcohol intake is slowly reduced to manageable levels. At the centers, the behavior is closely monitored by professional caregivers. With rehabilitation, there should be a mutual agreement between the institution and the affected parties. This eliminates cases where an alcoholic person feels they are segregated.
- Medical treatment-Several medications have been approved by authorities to stop alcohol consumption. These medications are prescribed by licensed physicians after examining the extent of a patient’s alcoholism. In most cases, medication is accompanied by counseling and close monitoring to ensure one completes the dosage.
- Mutual support groups-Support groups are an effective way of combating alcoholism. However, they are more beneficial to individuals whose consumption is not extreme. Mutual support groups involve people affected by alcoholism coming together and sharing ideas on how to cope. They give alcoholism victims a sense of belonging and an understanding that they are not alone in their fight. Discussions between affected people help in identifying the root cause of alcoholism, making it easier to treat. Mutual support group discussions are held with the guidance of health professionals.
- Drink substitution-Drink substitution is the best home-based treatment technique for alcoholism. With this technique, one finds an alternative drink with lesser effects than alcohol and drinks it whenever they feel the urge to drink alcohol. Drink substitution is effective for individuals that haven’t reached the dependency stage. However, it requires a lot of discipline before the urge to drink alcohol is completely erased.
Treating alcoholism could take long; therefore, people should be patient with anyone going through the treatment process. In most cases, the treatment involves reducing the amount of alcohol intake by slow bits until one can completely live without it. Cutting down alcohol consumption comes with withdrawal effects that may be extreme. Withdrawal effects could lead to death when not dealt with properly.
Many people relapse to alcoholism after treatment. This is usually caused by exposure to the same environment as before. Lack of support during the treatment process makes people quit before they fully recover. This leads to financial losses as some treatments are very costly.
