| The most important path to the success of alcoholism | | | | education on alcoholism and recovery, identifying and |
| recovery is the recognition and willingness of an | | | | managing the craving to drink alcohol and its relapse |
| individual that the problem of alcoholism exists. | | | | and learning to deal with emotions such as anger and |
| Alcoholism is generally treated under the supervision of | | | | depression without consumption of alcohol. These |
| trained professionals. Alcoholism recovery would mean | | | | kinds of changing lifestyle patterns and improved health |
| an individual moving from dependency of alcohol to a | | | | care habits and behavior lead to a happier and more |
| healthier and happy life without the urge to consume | | | | productive life. Various therapies like group interactions, |
| alcohol. | | | | family or couple therapy, behavioral therapy and the |
| The treatments can be broadly classified in two ways, | | | | like are given to the patients in order to identify and |
| namely, conventional and drug treatments. | | | | overcome the problems that lead them to alcohol. All |
| Conventional treatment starts with detoxification or the | | | | this helps the person to change in positive directions |
| withdrawal of alcohol with the help of a physician. The | | | | and develop a clean and sober lifestyle. |
| person is treated with carefully measured medication. It | | | | Drug treatment is the inducement of approved drugs |
| may be done on outpatient basis, or be hospital based | | | | to an alcoholic for discouraging alcohol consumption. |
| or be done in a rehabilitation center depending on the | | | | Drugs like Antabuse (disulfiram), cause unpleasant |
| severity of the withdrawal symptoms. Once the | | | | effects and sickness if alcohol is consumed while one |
| patient is sober and the alcohol level in the blood is | | | | is taking this drug. Medicines such as ReVia |
| reduced, the treatment then aims to help people | | | | (naltrexone) and acamprosate act on the brain and |
| develop skills of no drinking and to modify their | | | | help reduce the craving for alcohol intake. Though |
| negative lifestyles. These could be day treatment | | | | treatment helps a person to fight alcoholism, complete |
| programs, short term, or long-term residential programs. | | | | recovery is entirely based on the willingness of a |
| The skills that are imparted in these programs include | | | | person to stop the consumption of alcohol. |