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
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.

Follow-Up Treatment is CriticalWhen 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.

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
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
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.
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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