ALCOHOL TREATMENT

There are many different types of alcohol treatment facilities or treatment program types. Before picking a program to attend, it is an excellent idea to have some knowledge of the program ingredients that have been proven to get the best results.
A research study known as 'Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems' conducted by George Washington University Medical Center, in conjunction with professionals in the field of rehabilitation and treatment of alcoholism and after an extensive review of research literature, isolated a total of thirteen ingredients which combine to ensure effective treatment of alcohol abuse. Not every ingredient is going to be available in every alcohol treatment program, but it's a good idea to try to find a program which includes as many as possible of the thirteen components.

EARLY INTERVENTION

The first thing to consider is that if a tendency to abuse alcoholism is detected early, including abuse screening and short term interventions where it is appropriate for problem drinkers who have not yet reached the stage of dependency, alcohol treatment is more effective than those programs which begin later in the course of condition.

ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING

Both alcohol treatment and treatment for drug abuse are not a single robotic program where each person must follow the exact same series of steps for effective recovery. Effective alcohol treatment relies on a comprehensive assessment of the person's status in the course of the dependency on alcohol and this assessment should be used to develop the best course of treatment for the individual. Certainly it is true that not every patient requires an approach that can be classified as acute care.

MANAGEMENT OF CARE

It is important that every steps of the alcohol treatment program be managed carefully. It helps if friends and family members are involved in the process. The full range of treatment beginning with the initial review and assessment of the client through the ongoing follow up even after the original intervention program is completed should be under the oversight of a trained professional in alcohol treatment programs.

INTERVENTION

Professional interventions delivered individually are critical for reducing intake of alcohol. Multiple interventions are more effective than a single one, particularly if they each use various philosophies for treatment. The intervention should be different based on the gender of the patient, the level of dependency on alcohol, and the amount of internal motivation to change the addictive behavior.

BEHAVIOR CONTRACT

A behavior contract is also known as contingency management. The concept is that you contract with the patients to decide on an accepted level of behavior. The contract spells out the expected behavior as well as the rewards for positive behavior and punishment for poor or wrong behavior. This contract not only makes it clear what is expected, but also makes the alcoholic accountable to someone else for their actions.

SOCIAL TRAINING

Part of effective alcohol treatment is to teach the person with problems controlling the level of drinking how to realize that a situation is stressful and has in the past usually resulted in abuse of alcohol. Then the next step is to teach the same individual how to take the recognized problem and not allow it to control their life. Instead, the alcoholic learns skills to assist them in coping with the situation in a socially acceptable wa

MEDICATIONS

Medication doesn't cure alcoholism, does not even stop drinking drinking problems. The reason for including medical treatments as part of the important components of effective alcohol treatment is that medication is often used in combination with other therapy and interventions to produce more effective treatment.

SPECIAL SERVICES

It is important that the effective alcohol treatment program include targeted special services to meet individualized needs of each patient. These can include services for family problems, employment issues, psychiatric or medical problems or any combination which might apply.

CONTINUING CARE

Statistics say that almost all patients who enter into alcohol treatment relapse at least one time. For this reason is it vital that there be follow up contact with each graduate of the initial program and equally important that the individual participate in support groups for an extended period of time. The regular meetings of the group help to keep the patient focused on recovery since he or she is responsible to at least one other person in the group for sponsorship and reporting.

BONDING

A strong connection with a counselor or therapist is an important component of effective alcohol treatment programs. It is critical that the bonding be done because the patient feels a sense of empathy with their struggle rather than as a confrontational figure. Particularly, counselors who have struggled and overcome alcoholism personally are extremely powerful influences to motivate and encourage recovery from alcoholism.

DURATION

Particularly for those who are dependent upon alcohol, the length of time in treatment is vital. This is especially true if the patient is treated in an outpatient setting for less than ninety days. The recovery rate is lower in this circumstance. Best results appear to be gained when the patient is in a residential setting which lasts six months or more. Realistically, this is not possible nor necessary in every case, since the need will be based on the level of dependency, the person's age and frequency of alcohol abuse.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Several definitive studies conducted during the 1990s confirmed that participation in groups that are supportive in nature such as Alcoholics Anonymous and other similar programs can be an important component of effective treatment for alcohol dependency. This support group interaction is helpful both during the professional therapy and even more so as part of the follow up program.

MOTIVATION

A strong patient motivation and desire to succeed may be the most important component in recovery from alcoholism. The person must have a desire to get sober and stay sober. Treatment programs which are most effective will enhance this motivation by stressing therapy and by utilization of intervention during the earliest stages of alcoholism.

When searching for the appropriate treatment program for alcohol addiction, it's important to find a center which makes use of as many of these ingredients as possible.