Alcoholism Treatment 2.0

The weakness to limit or control the amount of alcohol intake majorly caused by physical or emotional dependence on alcohol is referred to as alcoholism. It is a chronic disease and is usually self-diagnosed. Being an alcoholic can result from various reasons, majorly based on emotional, mental, and physical issues (Burke, 2018). Patients with alcoholism can be treated through therapy sessions, medications that reduce the desire to drink, or self-realization. Alcoholism can last for a long time or a short time. The signs and symptoms of this disorder include drinking a lot for no apparent reason, taking alcohol in the morning, unlike ordinary people, feeling guilty about drinking a lot, drinking even with health or legal issues against it, and a few others.

Alcoholism can be treated differently, but the most effective way is through therapy sessions. These therapy sessions are offered in rehabilitation centers and health care centers. Counseling is offered in a rehabilitation center where the patient is taught new coping behaviors and skills designed to avoid alcohol cravings and misuse (Burke, 2018). They also have support groups, and they help address the emotional issues that these people are facing. Again in these facilities, patients have to detox where the alcohol in the body has to be withdrawn and replaced with healthy diets for the patients to regain their lives.

There are medical treatments for alcoholism that help patients control their addiction. Some medications include disulfiram, naltrexone, and acamprosate, which all serve different purpose and are used in various stages of alcoholism (Wang et al., 2020). Disulfiram is used to help patients stop drinking alcohol. When a patient consumes alcohol, disulfiram causes vomiting, headaches, or nausea, which is a discomfort that people do not like.

Therefore, this helps patients to stay away from alcoholic drinks hence avoiding alcoholism. Naltrexone is used to reduce alcohol cravings. After detox, a patient is advised to use this drug because it helps block receptors that trigger alcohol abuse. For acamprosate, it is combined with therapy to restore the original brain of the patient before the patient becomes dependent on alcohol.

In some cases, alcoholism can be severe, and patients require inpatient care, then later, they can receive outpatient treatment. People with alcohol use disorder can have several outlooks such as damaged liver, dementia, pancreatitis, GI tract cancer, nerve damage, high blood pressure, and depression. For these patients, medications combined with therapy are the best treatment (Wang et al., 2020).

They have to detox, and certain medications are prescribed for them. The medications help clear the alcohol in the blood and prevent or deal with withdrawal symptoms. People with alcohol use disorder, once they stop taking alcohol, might experience withdrawal symptoms that can be severe if not addressed well (Burke, 2018). Different people have different withdrawal symptoms, and they can be dangerous.

Treating alcohol use disorder patients also entails having a good understanding of the root cause of alcoholism. Addressing the main issue that led the patient to alcoholism helps provide better care to the patient and insights on how to avoid a similar case happening again. In these sessions, patients are also taught new skills and physical activities that can help them stay away from alcoholism (Wang et al., 2020). These activities help them detox and keep their bodies active which acts as a catalyst in the detoxification process. The body gets healthy and releases those unnecessary substances.

Nevertheless, treating alcoholism needs much support from the concerned parties. Patients need social support from their family members and friends to motivate them to stay clean and recover their lives again. In rehabilitation, centers specialist use one-on-one counseling or a group session. The group sessions can be more productive since patients understand that it is a problem they are going through, and together they can support each other and change their lives (Wang et al., 2020). The personal experiences discussed help them see the damage they have caused and the importance of changing their lives for the best. Some people may find refuge in treating alcoholism by using the spiritual approach. In most cases, these people are involved in spiritual practices regularly. With the aid of intervention, they can recover easily and find a better meaning of their lives in their spiritual life.