Jim had been an alcohol for three years. It all started when he had joined his friends for a guy’s night out. His friends all were casual and social drinkers. Jim had been going through some tough time at work. His boss has been tough on him. He has also been having some trouble with his wife. His wife has always been unhappy with him. He has a lot of work and he can’t always seem to find time to help out with house hold. There is one way that he feels happy and relaxed, and that is when he takes a peg. He wants to just forget everything and when he drinks his work and his wife seems like a blur. That makes him feel better when he doesn’t have to think of those things.
What help will help someone like Jim?
One of the things that we need to be remember is that when an individual is coming for help, then it has to come after trust has been established. This will help them to know that their best interest is kept in mind. Offer a lot of physical as well emotional help along with this. To initiate this, it is important to have the support of the family which is a great asset and an impetus for growth and change for the individual.
The treatment for Jim would look like this:
1. Initial assessment: This is an evaluation of what is going on for the individual and what is the extend of the addiction, getting the right treatment and drawing up a plan.
2. Detoxication: This phase is getting the individual to stop using alcohol.
3. Treatment: Medications, 12 step program, self-help activities or group therapy.
4. Prevention of relapse, out-patient treatments
Getting started with the action plan.
The individual will be in denial and will be in deep distorted thinking. And so, this aspect has to be worked on through with continuous counselling sessions.
Once this phase is through then the process of detoxification begins. This is a very critical step for most individuals. The treatment that the individual goes through helps to develop a commitment to change, to keep the motivation to change, to create realistic goals and to put this goal into action.
In the next step, medication plays a pivotal role. The medications will help to curb the cravings that every individual will face with this behaviour. Research has proven that when the individual has stayed on the treatment, the longer they remain sober.
The final stage of maintenance and sobriety phase of the recovery is often a little blurred in terms of the treatment. This stage looks at the individual to stay sober and develop the skills that can be used to avoid the relapse. At this stage it will be good to be part of a support group like Alcohol Anonymous or Women for Sobriety.
To read the first part of this article, click here, Alcohol Addiction – is there redemption?
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