Alcoholism is a chronic disease characterized by a person's dependence on alcohol, according to Medical News Today. Alcoholism affects physical and mental health. Depending on the level of addiction, a person might need medical supervision to detox from alcohol. Without medication to reduce and prevent withdrawal symptoms, an addicted person can experience tremors, sweating or seizures. According to the National Institutes of Health, 15 percent of Americans are problem drinkers.
Inpatient Detoxification
Inpatient detox is a residential program that lasts about five to seven days or longer, depending on the extent of the addiction. When you enter detox, an addiction specialist evaluates you and determines your course of treatment. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, your intake counselor determines how long after reducing alcohol consumption your withdraw symptoms appear, and which withdrawal symptoms you have. The most common symptoms of acute alcohol withdraw include rapid pulse or heartbeat, tremors, nausea or vomiting, insomnia, anxiety, depression, hallucinations and seizures.
Detox Plan
Inpatient alcohol treatment facilities treat withdrawal symptoms with a fixed-schedule medication plan, a symptom-triggered regimen or, if withdrawal symptoms are minor, monitoring with no medication. For patients detoxing from alcohol, doctors might prescribe a benzodiazepine like Ativan or Valium. Benzos help treat anxiety and stress. They also act as sedatives. On a fixed-schedule plan, medication might be administered once every six hours. A symptom-triggered plan is for patients at low risk for seizures and other dangerous withdrawal symptoms. These patients receive medication to treat symptoms as they occur. For a patient at low risk for acute withdrawal symptoms, a treatment team will monitor his vital signs regularly.
After Detox
For people with alcoholism, staying sober can be challenging without continued treatment. The National Institute of Drug Abuse reports that behavioral therapy and counseling are an important part of treatment. In 2008, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, about 750,000 Americans sought treatment for addiction at an inpatient facility.
Inpatient Rehab
Residential treatment can last from seven days to 90 days, and some intensive programs last longer. Inpatient rehab provides recovering alcoholics with a community of recovering peers. You attend group therapy and one-on-one therapy, and some programs follow the recovery plan of Alcoholic Anonymous. AA is a 12-step program. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. The first step is admitting that you are powerless over alcohol and that your life has become unmanageable.
After-Care
After-care is a crucial step in recovery. The chances of staying sober increase if an after-care plan is set in place before your discharge from inpatient treatment. In 2007, a study published in the journal "Drug and Alcohol Dependence" found that people with addictions who were referred to a 12-step program following treatment were more likely to sustain abstinence after six months and one year.
References
- Medical News Today: What is an Alcoholic?
- National Institutes of Health: FAQs for the General Public
- ScienceDaily: Brain Chemistry Ties Anxiety and Alcoholism
- American Journal on Addictions: Gender Comparison in Alcoholics with Social Phobia
- MedlinePlus: Combination Treatment May Help Depressed Alcoholics
