Comprehensive Phased Treatment of Alcoholism
Treatment of alcoholism needs to be carried out in a phased manner for comprehensive and permanent cure of the affliction. The four main phases of the treatment include the primary treatment, treatment for relapse, treatment extension in case of relapse, reinforcement and the same with the fourth step. The expertise developed by some rehabilitation centers for alcoholics helps them treat their patients within a month in some cases. However, in severe cases, the alcoholism treatment is bound to stretch for a few months .
Phases in treatment of alcoholism
The first stage of treatment is called primary in which the patient is made to undertake individual therapy as well as the same with family and peer group. The patient needs to be educated about their alcohol dependency. The family program in this treatment is intense as the patient is made to realize how deeply the disease had cut them off from their family and society at large. The patient is made to reintegrate with family as well as society with the help of expert therapists.
Some of the topics of education in the primary stage include the same on codependence, communication, recovery, family dynamics, relapse prevention and complete recovery. The really good rehab centers devise a comprehensive 12 stage process of de-addiction for the recovery of patients. The extension of the primary program is for 15 to 20 days. Be it for primary treatment or for treatment of relapse, reinforcement can be considered for so many days.
Another phase of treatment is for patients who fear a relapse. A special consideration is made for the patients who have begun to enjoy their addiction free life but are apprehensive that their condition may yet return to haunt them. The therapeutic and other activities involved in this phase of treatment last for three to five days.
The 12 steps in primary treatment
There are 12 steps in the primary treatment of alcoholism which are intended to make the patient realize their dependency on alcohol and later on progress them towards normal living through individual therapy. They are made to meditate and submit their will to God for bringing about a transformation in their lives. After a patient is through these comprehensive 12 steps, there is some element of control over their life that gets developed. With the help of this treatment twice over, one can expect the patient to recover completely from the addiction.
