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Treatment for Alcoholism

Alcoholism is one problem that can be viewed as a medical or a psychological issue. People become dependent on alcohol for a number of reasons, and their dependency levels also vary, so treatments for alcoholism may differ from one person to another. The ultimate goal of any kind of treatment is to stop the alcohol dependency, which can be followed by guiding the person to cope with life without alcohol. The must be no prevailing issues that pushed the person to alcoholism, otherwise that person may end up alcoholic again. Here are a few methods used as treatment for alcoholism.

Group Therapy and Psychotherapy: This method of treatment usually follows detoxification. In therapy, an alcoholic tries to resolve his/her mental issues in regards to his alcoholism, preventing any relapse by resolving (or at least acknowledging) the deep-down, lingering issues that started his/her alcohol problems in the first place. Rationing and Moderation: Instead of making the individual fully withdraw from alcohol (that is, go "cold turkey"), he or she instead tries to regulate the amount of alcohol intake through low-risk drinking without becoming intoxicated, thus eliminating dependency in a gradual manner.

Rationing and Moderation. Rationing and moderation programs such as Moderation Management and The HAMS Harm Reduction Network do not mandate complete abstinence. While most alcoholics are unable to limit their drinking in this way, some return to moderate drinking. Abstinence indeed represents the most stable form of remission for most recovering alcoholics. Medication. A variety of medications may be prescribed as part of treatment for alcoholism. Antabuse (disulfiram) prevents the elimination of acetaldehyde, a chemical the body produces when breaking down ethanol. Naltrexone is a competitive antagonist for opioid receptors, effectively blocking our ability to use endorphins and opiates. Naltrexone uses naltrexone to decrease cravings for alcohol and encourage abstinence. Topiramate (brand name Topamax), a derivative of the naturally occurring sugar monosaccharide D-fructose, has been found effective in helping alcoholics quit or cut back on the amount they drink.

Nutritional Therapy. Alcoholics often eat poorly, limiting their supply of essential nutrients and affecting both energy supply and structure maintenance. Nutrition is a process that serves two purposes: to provide energy and to maintain body structure and function. As such, Multivitamins and other such nutritional supplements may be needed for patients undergoing the above treatment to counter the effects of the prolonged use of alcohol in the body

By: Hispanic

Learn about Alcoholism and how you can be cured!

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