Detox
There have been many different approaches to the treatment of alcohol addiction, but before any type of real treatment can begin, the addict must first be detoxified. Alcohol detoxification is almost always performed with the supervision of a medical doctor and is usually the first part of most treatment programs. Detoxification allows the body to rid itself of alcohol and prepares the addict for treatment.
Behavioral Treatments
The three main types of behavioral treatments for alcohol addiction have been Alcoholics Anonymous, Motivation Enhancement Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Studies from The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) have determined that all three of these behavioral treatment therapies are able to help addicts reduce their drinking. The Institute also found that behavioral treatment approaches generally worked well for at least one year.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an anonymous mutual support program based on a 12-step program of recovery. The support provided in the anonymous meetings has proven to be an effective therapeutic program, but most people find that AA is most effective when combined with some form of psychotherapeutic care as well. Motivation Enhancement Therapy (MET) is a therapy approach that uses motivational strategies to strengthen the addict’s personal responsibility for positive change and improvement in his life without alcohol. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is based on emotional responses to change drinking behaviors and tries to replace them with more positive ways of feeling and reacting.
Therapeutic Medications
A few therapeutic medications have been developed to help combat alcohol addiction. These are prescription-only drugs that are usually administered in conjunction with other therapies. Naltrexone and disulfiram (Antabuse) were both developed to help prevent addicts from drinking after a period of sobriety. Antabuse is a deterrent drug that causes vomiting and nausea if alcohol is ingested. Naltrexone is a “reward” drug that reduces the craving the client has for alcohol in the first place. Therapeutic medications do not work alone, and are most effective when used in conjunction with other forms of therapy.
Counseling
Counseling is a key component in almost every alcohol treatment process. The process of recovery is directly coupled to the support an addict receives, and both peer and professional counseling have been shown to be effective tools to help addicts learn to cope with their feelings and develop life strategies that do not include alcohol. Counseling therapies can be offered on both inpatient and outpatient basis and may also offer the addict help with community resources like job training, legal assistance, and financial management.
Recently there have also been some alternative treatment approaches becoming more widely used. Holistic and naturalistic approaches along with various vitamin and supplement therapies have been used to treat alcohol abuse. However, more research is needed before their effectiveness can be determined.
Obviously, there are different rates of success for different therapies and some people remain sober and some do not. Some people cannot abstain from alcohol regardless of the treatment they receive. However, if any type of treatment helps an addict stay away from alcohol, it is a good treatment.
