!: Help Alcoholism Rehab Centers: December 2011

!: Alcohol, Drug Rehabilitation

Lately, Alcohol and drugs have become an intrinsic part of our society. They are like an epidemic present everywhere which influences a large part of society with deadly consequences. One person introduces it to the other, the second to the third while some reach them on their own. In the initial stages, the need arises out of curiosity, but in no time the person finds himself completely dependent on these psychoactive substances. The problem becomes so gross that if timely assistance is not provided to the addict, it ruins his entire being, from his health to his household, relations, career and everything else. Sooner or later rehab becomes essential in form of alcohol rehab or drug rehab.

Therein lies the need for Rehabilitation, the need to wake up the mind, to restore it to a life of dignity and prosperity. Programs like residential treatment, drug rehab, alcohol rehab or sober houses, support groups etc. are commonly used. Drug rehab sees to it that the patient recovers from his dependence on alcohol and drugs by offering a healthy and safe environment to them, medical assistance of experienced doctors and motivation to realize their self-worth and responsibilities. To make this venture successful they use a number of techniques depending upon the seriousness of a patient's condition. Age and gender specific programs are also included. Often a patient is advised to avoid association with his former drug consuming friends. For legal drugs like alcohol, a complete abstention is recommended to eliminate the chances of relapse. A twelve step program is followed to completely change the person's addiction and thinking habits.

The treatment starts off with detoxification or detox, in which the person's system is freed from the drugs. The therapeutic process includes medication and behavior therapy which reduces the chances of relapse. Motivational speeches, interviews, and an aim to eradicate the desire of the patient to consume drugs are all parts of this process. Drugs like Cocaine, and other prescribed drugs by doctors are all mostly used to stimulate central nervous system powerfully. Therefore medicines like buprenorphine and Methadone are prescribed; behavioral therapies for nervous system depressant addiction are also commonly used. Ibogain is another hallucinogenic drug used to control physical and psychological dependence on drugs. But its use can be fatal and has led to deaths in several cases. Hence it is an illegal method of combating this problem. Against alcohol addiction, medications like Topiramate, Acamprosate and disulfiram have also shown to help. Beside these medications a number of other historical approaches are also used to stop the use and abuse of alcohol and drugs.

Disease model and twelve-step programs

First published in the book Alcoholic Anonymous in 1939 it stresses upon the behavioral treatment and need for the individual to accept his addiction, denounce his dependency on drugs by changing his former lifestyle and seeking social help. All these approaches are a part of the 12 step program.
Client Centered Approaches

Psychologist Carl Rogers came up with three important conditions for a person to change in his book Client-centered therapy: unconditional positive regard, accurate empathy, and genuineness. He said with conviction that these three conditions can help a person overcome any trouble in his life.

Psychoanalytic approaches

Sigmund Freud suggests that a person abuses drugs to cater to his deviant fantasies. This approach is completely in contrast with social cognitive theory as it does not hold impulses and our internal choices responsible for addiction syndrome.

Cognitive models of addiction recovery

Under this approach relapse prevention and the risk of the person returning to his old lifestyle is prevented by cognitive behavioral approaches for additional recovery. This approach was given by Alan Marlatt in 1985.

Emotional regulation has also been known to combat drug abuse.

With all these available approaches to combat drug abuse one can conclude that if a person exercises proper self-control and take right kind of precautions, he can very well succeed in overcoming his addiction problems and leading a happy and healthy life with his family. Rehab in form of Drug or alcohol rehab might be the first solution.