Before entering an alcohol rehabilitation center, people with a drinking problem must make a commitment to stop drinking. No matter how good a treatment program claims to be, little can done to help the alcoholic if she has not decided to stop, according to the nonprofit resource Help Guide. Once the decision is made, a number of elements should be included in a recovery program.
Quit
Medically supervised alcohol treatment centers are designed to assist alcoholics with the initial withdrawal symptoms that can occur after long-term alcohol abuse. Most alcohol treatment centers rely on total abstinence as the basis for their recovery programs. Withdrawal symptoms depend on how long you've been drinking and how much you consume daily. Mild side effects when quitting can include headaches, anxiety and nervousness. More severe withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening and include convulsions, coma, spikes in blood pressure, nausea, sweating and fever.
Lifestyle
While still in treatment, patients often are educated about how to stay off alcohol once they leave the facility. According to Help Guide, dramatic changes in lifestyle often are necessary in order to remain sober. You must remove temptation from your home such as bottles of alcohol and the paraphernalia that often accompanies drinking. Many alcoholics must remove themselves from certain relationships that centered around drinking. Drinking destinations and bars must be avoided as well.
Support
Ongoing support is important to maintain sobriety. Groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous provides regular meeting places where you can meet others alcoholics who quit drinking and are learning how to navigate socially without drinking. AA offers tips and advice as well as support. According to the Pavilion, a drug and alcohol rehab center in North Carolina, alcoholics must continue practicing the lessons they learned in the program such as diligent self-examination, finding a spiritual guide and learning how to handle stress. Patients are encouraged to develop relationships that hold them accountable for their actions and their continued sobriety. In AA, sponsors serve as mentors and guides, and hold newcomers accountable for meeting attendance and step work.
Counseling
Formal inpatient and outpatient alcohol treatment centers provide counseling in groups and individually to patients. Other issues that lead to the alcohol abuse are addressed and solutions discovered. Families often are included in therapy sessions because alcoholism is a disease that affects the entire family. According to the Mayo Clinic, once you leave treatment, ongoing individual and family counseling can add to the ongoing support system required for continued sobriety. Alcoholics tend to have a higher recovery rate when the entire family is involved in the process.
