Alcoholism

There is no cure for alcoholism. Treatment consists of bringing the alcoholic to realization of his condition and the need to avoid alcohol. It is often unsuccessful, and many alcoholics relapse into their drinking habits even after a period of abstinence.

Long-term therapeutic programs of about four weeks usually are considered necessary to arm the alcoholic to function without drinking. He is first sedated to sleep through the initial, painful withdrawal symptoms. After that he is subjected to an educational program to reveal to him the reasons for his condition and its inevitably fatal outcome. He is introduced to a supportive network such as Alcoholics Anonymous, the oldest such program in existence, to provide guidance for the remainder of his life. Ideally, family members participate in the treatment process to some degree, since they too can benefit from an educated understanding of alcoholism and from a support network. During his institutional stay the alcoholic receives appropriate therapy for organ damage and a concentrated nutritional regimen to restore his metabolism to normalcy rather than to an alcohol dependency.

Upon completion of therapy, the alcoholic is released into the world to resume a normal life without the physiological need for alcohol. Statistically, he has about a 50-50 chance of success. While many alcoholics return to drinking in the face of everyday stress, many others do recover, frequently finding greater peace of mind in their recovery than they possessed even before their drinking became excessive.