The Alcohol Rehabilitation Center
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The traditional alcohol rehabilitation programs are frequently based on the 12-step approach modeled after the
twelve-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Other alcohol rehabilitation programs, however, take place in a hospital setting or in an
alcohol rehabilitation center and are seen as providing “alternative” rehab approaches that are not based on the
12-step methodology.
Alcohol Rehabilitation Based on Counseling and Medications
Many of the “alternative” alcohol rehab approaches take place in an alcohol rehabilitation center or in a hospital
that features the use of intensive therapy and counseling in combination with doctor prescribed medications.
Furthermore, these
non-traditional approaches deal with alcohol dependency from both a physiological and a psychological
orientation.
In addition, some of the more successful alcohol rehabilitation programs are more comprehensive than others and
focus on how the alcoholic will manage significant relationships after he or she gets and remains sober.
Moreover, some of the more productive alcohol rehab programs have a holistic orientation that emphasizes the
addressing and working through of important foundational issues that may have lead to the person’s dependency in
the first place: poor financial management skills, pain, poor anger management, loss, poor interpersonal
relationship skills, grief, spirituality issues, poor coping skills, and career indecision.

The Need For Outpatient Follow-Up Counseling
When undergoing alcohol rehabilitation, it is critically important to get involved in a “follow-up,”
outpatient, counseling program that starts as soon as the inpatient part of the rehabilitation ends.
Some of the more effective alcohol rehab programs, for example, provide outpatient counseling and follow-up for
one year after the residential program is completed.
In short, the more extensive and productive alcohol rehabilitation programs are targeted for “long-term”
success, rather than on a “quick fix,” band aid approach.
| Regarding alcoholism and drinking problems, employers can be particularly effective.
Their approach should also be compassionate but strong, threatening the employee with loss of
employment if he or she does not seek help. Some large companies provide access to inexpensive or
free treatment programs for their workers. |
Why The Rehabilitation Environment is Important
The
“rehabilitation” environment to which an alcoholic is involved is a significant therapeutic
consideration.
Some of the more successful alcohol rehab programs, for instance, provide a safe, involving, comfortable,
positive, and stimulating environment that results in productive, effective, and efficient long-term rehabilitation
success.
While most alcohol rehab programs can be expensive, especially those that feature an inpatient, residential
orientation, the more successful protocols put financial profits aside and actually limit the number of clients
they accept for alcohol rehabilitation at any one time.
This is done so that the staff can provide the effort, time, compassion, and the resources that top quality
alcohol rehabilitation demands.
| Even individuals who are determined to stay sober may suffer one or several “slips,”
or relapses, before achieving long-term sobriety. Relapses are very common and do not mean that a
person has failed or cannot recover from alcoholism. |
Features of Successful Alcohol Rehabilitation Methods
The following represents some of the main attributes of effective alcohol rehabilitation programs:
Hospital and non-hospital rehabilitation options
- Doctor prescribed medications to help control and manage alcohol withdrawal symptoms
- Competitive pricing
- Outpatient programs that are individualized to “fit” the financial capabilities, the personality, and the
needs of each client
- Hotel or treatment facility suites for out-of town clients
- Programs with different time periods and length of treatment options that are tailored around the needs of
each specific client
- Intensive day and night counseling and therapy programs
- A caring, professional, and results-oriented staff
- Doctor prescribed medications to help clients refrain from alcohol relapse
- Private detox services
- Success rates well beyond the national averages
| Since alcohol blocks emotional pain, it is frequently resorted to as a cover up
during times of temporary or ongoing stress or grief such as that experienced with the loss of a
loved one or relationship, unresolved family tensions, and chronic work stress. |
Alcohol Rehabilitation Center: Conclusion
Most of the traditional alcohol
rehabilitation programs have been and still are modeled after the 12-step recovery methodology placed on the
map by Alcoholics Anonymous.
Other, less traditional alcohol rehabilitation approaches, however, have materialized that are centered less on
issues such as group support, frequent meetings, and a “higher power” and more on empirically-based, highly
researched methodologies that focus on doctor-prescribed medications combined with intensive counseling and
therapy.
Some of the more successful “non-traditional” alcohol rehabilitation programs take place in an alcohol
rehabilitation center or in a hospital setting.
Such rehab facilities are typically staffed with caring and competent healthcare professionals who help their
clients recover from their addiction, learn more effective relationship, life, and coping skills, and teach them
how to restore their lives.
| Some individuals with drinking problems also may withhold information because of
shame or fear of stigmatization. This can lead to missed information about medical and psychiatric
conditions, potential surgical complications, unexpected alcohol withdrawal symptoms, drug
interactions, and lost opportunities for prevention, including intervention during pregnancy to
prevent damaging effects of alcohol on the fetus. |
| Depression is a common cause of alcoholism as the depressed person seeks a way out
of their problems or a relief from insomnia. Unfortunately, alcohol is itself a depressant, so the
problem is only compounded. |
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