The Alcohol Treatment Clinic

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Historically, traditional alcohol rehab programs have been modeled on the 12-step methodology that was developed and put into operation by Alcoholics Anonymous.

Other less mainstream alcohol treatment programs, it might be added, have emerged and have been taking place rehab hospitals and in an alcohol treatment clinics and have been providing alcohol abusers and alcoholics with alcohol treatment that is not based on the 12-step alcohol recovery program.

The Alcohol Treatment Clinic: Medications and Counseling

image: doctor in an alcohol treatment clinic consoling a man about the loss of his alcoholic wife Numerous, non-12-step alcohol treatment programs are undertaken in alcohol rehab centers, rehab hospitals, or in an alcohol treatment clinics and provide alcohol treatment that is rooted in the administration of doctor-prescribed medications in conjunction with broad-based counseling, support, training, and education.

What is more, quite a few non-12-step approaches treat alcoholism and alcohol abuse from an emotional as well as from a physiological vantage point. Not only this, but due to the fact that some of the more productive and successful alcohol treatment programs are more intensive and more wide-ranging than others, they pay particular attention to alcohol abusers and alcoholics and how they will manage their financial issues, relationships, and employment status once they finish treatment, get sober, and go home.

Finally, more than a few successful alcohol treatment clinics operate from a holistic standpoint that helps alcoholics and alcohol abusers identify and deal with various fundamental issues that were more likely than not instrumental in the origin and continuation of their problem drinking. Illustrations of these basic issues include: poor interpersonal relationship skills, unemployment, poor anger management skills, spirituality issues, grief, poor financial management skills, pain, a sense of loss, career indecision, and poor coping skills.

Alcohol research reveals that people older than 65 years and having more than seven drinks per week or more than three drinks per occasion are drinking too much.

Follow-Up Treatment is Critical

When an individual enrolls in alcohol rehab, it is critically important to address what the alcoholic or alcohol abuser will be doing after he or she completes the treatment regime.

image: doctor and nurse in an alcohol treatment clinic reviewing some records

Stated more specifically, while getting through alcohol detox and prevailing over one's alcohol withdrawal symptoms are major components in the rehabilitation process, so is the “follow-up” education, counseling, and training that successful alcohol treatment clinics usually implement as soon as the inpatient portion of the rehab process is completed.

In fact, some of the more effective and better known alcohol treatment clinics, for example, provide follow-up outpatient education, training, and counseling for one year after the individual has finished his or her residential treatment.

In short, many of the results-oriented and more comprehensive alcohol treatment clinics provide rehabilitation that has been established and implemented for long-term success rather than on short-term, band-aid therapeutic methods.

As people age, it takes fewer drinks to become intoxicated, and organs can be damaged by smaller amounts of alcohol than in younger people. Also, up to one-half of the 100 most prescribed drugs for older people react adversely with alcohol.

The Significance of the Treatment Atmosphere

image: doctor in an alcohol treatment clinic checking the chart of an alcoholic patient The treatment atmosphere in which a problem drinker finds himself or herself is a key treatment consideration. As a consequence, many of the higher quality alcohol treatment clinics, for instance, foster a challenging, positive, supportive, and safe therapeutic environment that frequently leads to long-lasting sobriety and alcohol recovery.

In spite of the fact that most alcohol treatment clinics provide alcohol rehab and counseling that are relatively expensive, especially when inpatient, residential rehab options are taken into consideration, many of the more efficient and successful alcohol treatment clinics place financial matters down on their priority list and actually limit the number of problem drinkers they accept for treatment. While this is usually more of a "treatment" issue and less of a "profit and loss" consideration, such an emphasis allows staff to center their attention on the effort, time, resources, compassion that competent, top-shelf alcohol treatment demands.

Research shows that about 20% of alcoholics are able to abstain from alcohol permanently without the help of formal treatment or self-help programs such as AA. Of those patients who attend AA, 44% who remain abstinent for one year probably will remain abstinent for another year. This figure increases to 91% for those who have remained abstinent and attended AA for five years or more.

Features of a Successful Alcohol Treatment Clinic

image: doctor in an alcohol treatment clinic looking at test results for an alcoholic patient The following represents some of the characteristics of an effective and productive alcohol treatment clinic:

A caring, professional, and results-oriented staff
Hospital and non-hospital treatment options
Competitive pricing
Hotel or rehab facility suites for out-of-town patients or guests
Outpatient methods that are individualized to “fit” the personality, financial resources, and the needs of each client
The employment of medications to help clients refrain from alcohol relapse
Treatment options with different time frames and length of treatment options that are tailored to the needs of each client
Extensive day and night counseling and educational programs
Success rates well beyond the national averages
Private detoxification services
Doctor prescribed medications to help control and manage alcohol withdrawal symptoms

Acute alcoholism is strongly associated with very serious pneumonia. One study on laboratory animals suggests that alcohol specifically damages the bacteria-fighting capability of lung cells. (Chronic alcoholism also causes changes in the immune system, although in people without any existing medical problems these changes do not appear to be significant.)

The Alcohol Treatment Clinic: Conclusion

From a historical perspective it can be seen that many of the mainstream alcohol rehabilitation programs have been based on the 12-step treatment approach that was initiated and put into operation by Alcoholics Anonymous.

image: doctor in alcohol treatment clinic consoling mother of teen who died from alcohol poisoning Other, less traditional, non-12-step alcohol treatment programs, nonetheless, have surfaced and have increased in number and in acceptance. The vast majority of non-12-step rehab approaches are less concerned about group support, a "higher power, or the number of meetings a problem drinker attends and more focused on empirically validated, scientific data. What is usually found in such an orientation is that when doctor-prescribed medications are employed in tandem with a supportive staff, comprehensive training, counseling, and education, and feasible and practical follow-up treatment, long-lasting sobriety and alcohol recovery frequently result.

Many of the broader-based non-12-step alcohol treatment approaches take place in rehab hospitals, alcohol treatment clinics, or in rehab centers. These non-12-step alcohol rehabilitation facilities are commonly staffed with top-quality, supportive, and considerate healthcare professionals who do everything in their power to help problem drinkers learn more effective coping, “life,” relationship, and decision-making skills; help them recover from their abusive, unhealthy, and damaging drinking; and help them learn how to reclaim their lives, remain sober, and continue their alcohol recovery.

Even moderate amounts of alcohol can have damaging effects on the developing fetus, including low birth weight and an increased risk for miscarriage. High amounts can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, a condition that can cause mental and growth retardation. One study indicated a significantly higher risk for leukemia in infants of women who drank any type of alcohol during pregnancy.

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One study indicated that intensive care patients with a history of alcohol abuse have a significantly higher risk for developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) during hospitalization. ARDS is a form of lung failure that can be fatal. It can be caused by many of the medical conditions common in chronic alcoholism, including severe infection, trauma, blood transfusions, pneumonia, and other serious lung conditions.

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