Quit Alcohol – Curing Alcoholism Guide
In order to cure alcoholism it is first necessary to wipe out the addiction to alcohol. A doctor views alcoholism as a disease, the definition of which is a mental or physical state which interferes with the normal workings of the body. Disease in general can lead to a feeling of discomfort, dysfunction, disturbed behavior, syndromes, distress or it can even result in causing death.
Going by this definition of disease, alcoholism is also a disease that may impede the subject’s control over his habit of compulsive alcohol consumption. His craving for alcohol becomes as strong as the need for food or water. An alcoholic may continue to drink alcohol in spite of its grave legal, health and family consequences. Excessive consumption of alcohol or its denial may cause distress, deviant behavior and withdrawal symptoms. Alcoholism may damage the vital organs and lead to the consumer’s death.
A cure to alcoholism is not far away as you begin to feel guilty for every time you have a drink. You won’t fall any lower when you start off the day drinking and in larger quantities, just to forget about wanting to give up. This is the point when you must pick yourself up and start to get medical help to cure alcoholism.
Screening and Diagnosis: The apparent signs and symptoms of alcoholism such as memory loss, dyspepsia, pain and weakness may be initially confused with those of the old age. The doctor will prescribe a screening test with a standard questionnaire to confirm his suspected diagnosis.
Withdrawal Symptoms: Should an alcoholic be denied access to alcohol at a fixed hour, then you will begin to see withdrawal symptoms set in such as sickness, head aches, pains, uneasiness etc. This state of mind can be confirmed by either the patient or someone very close to him.
Blood Alcohol Tests: Such tests are important for discovering what level of alcohol consumption we are dealing with at a particular point of time. This test can give some insight into how serious the problem is, but it doesn’t indicate any problem that may have arisen due to long term alcohol consumption.
Tests on kidney, liver or reduced testosterone levels in case of men are also suggested to determine the effects of alcohol. Other blood tests are carried out on the size of red blood cells which enlarge due to prolonged alcoholism. These tests also determine the existence of a factor called carbohydrate-deficient transferring which points to heavy alcohol consumption.
Treatment: The irony with alcoholics is that they refuse to acknowledge the existence of health problems as consequences of their nefarious addiction. They probably understand that the first step in their treatment would start with reduction or stoppage of their loved drink. A great amount of patient counseling is required on the part of the family and friends to persuade the victim to take up treatment. A variety of treatment procedures is required depending upon the circumstances of the addict. It may involve evaluation, an outpatient program or a residential inpatient treatment.
Evaluating the Level of Dependence: Counseling is the ideal method to really find out the real level of alcohol dependency as the existence of alcohol craving is a real one. Once we have established this level, an alcohol reduction plan will be drawn up in order to smooth out the body’s negative effects.
Intervention by Specialists: Normal practice involves specialized alcohol addiction medics determining a specific treatment strategy. This will of course include counseling with relative behavior therapy, prevention therapy, the identification of paranoidism and beliefs that lead to psychological stress, learning how to cope with traumatic events, learning how to put mind over matter, behavioral modification techniques, the use of self-help manuals. Once all this has been put into practice then it is time for follow-up care in a treatment center.
Residential Alcoholism Cure: If, however, you have become dependent upon alcohol, simply cutting back the alcohol quantity may not prove effective. You may have to go for residential treatment programs which may include alcoholism cure, abstinence, individual and group therapy, participation in alcoholism support groups, educational lectures on alcoholism cure and so on.