Alcoholism is one of the most frequent addictive disorders, and currently represents a true public health problem in most countries, which results in the death of more than 3 million people each year worldwide.
As in any disorder based on addictive behavior, alcoholism has a destructive effect on the person who suffers from it and also on their closest social, work and family environment. In addition to that, this disease causes significant health problems on a physical and emotional level that lead the person into a vicious cycle of consumption and discomfort.
Health professionals who specialize in drug addictive disorders offer a global and comprehensive treatment for cases of alcoholism that is based on 4 well-differentiated phaseswhich are essential for the final success of the process.
What are the stages of alcohol addiction treatment?
Here we will briefly explain the characteristics and functions of the 4 phases of alcohol addiction treatment.
1. Detox
The first phase in the treatment of alcoholism is detoxification, which is carried out by a team of health professionals normally headed by a specialized psychiatrist, a professional who often collaborates together with a psychologist or an expert therapist. in addictions.
The detoxification phase consists of an evaluation of the patient’s condition, the establishment of a diagnosis and the application of treatment focused on supporting the person while their body eliminates the drugand adapted to the needs and situation of the person who has alcohol addiction disorder
During the detoxification phase, an exhaustive analysis of the patient’s lifestyle is carried out, and an intervention plan divided into several therapeutic sessions is proposed to understand in depth the severity of their case and apply strategies adapted to that person and their needs. These sessions can be individual with the person or also in groups with other addicted people or with the first person’s family members.
If in the detoxification phase the focus was placed on the biomedical aspects of the disorder, in the dishabituation phase the behavioral component gains prominence.
The cessation phase aims for the person to eliminate the habit of alcohol consumption from their life, to voluntarily accept the new alcohol-free situation both physically and psychologically, and to learn to live without depending on the drug.
In her Various psychological techniques and therapies are put into practice, as well as a pharmacological intervention (if necessary), with the aim of getting the person involved to achieve well-being and quality of life prior to their addiction, without resorting to alcohol.
This phase is also directed by a health professional and in it elements such as acceptance of the problem, motivation or willpower, social skills are worked on, and positive and decisive thinking modalities are trained aimed at overcoming the disorder. through the search for new incentives and motivating activities associated with a healthy lifestyle.
The dishabituation It usually lasts a little more than a year and ends when the person is satisfied with their abstinence situation.; If this is not achieved, mandatory abstinence is imposed for as long as necessary.
3. Rehabilitation
In the rehabilitation phase there is a reduction in the person’s anxiety, as well as their urge to drink, and an improvement is observed in their social skills and interpersonal relationships.
This phase aims for the person to incorporate healthy social behavior patterns away from alcohol consumption, as well as a radical change in the way of relating and managing friendships and the social environment that encouraged the maintenance of the addiction.
In addition to that, in phase 3 there is also **learning of new skills useful for the person’s life** and all those activities that the person could not do or stopped doing due to their addiction are put into practice.
4. Reintegration
The last phase is reintegration; This is one of the most important of the entire process, since It is what provides the keys to avoiding relapses in alcohol consumption. It is based on providing support in difficult daily situations, reinforcing the presence of the techniques learned in the previous phases through reminders, motivation sessions and resolution of doubts, and the early detection of thoughts and sensations that may precede a relapse. .
This phase is also supervised by the various mental health professionals who have participated jointly throughout the entire process and in it some of the most necessary elements are worked on again to maintain total reintegration into the person’s life.
The most important areas that are worked on in this last phase are the person’s self-knowledge and concepts related to the risks of relapse and which are the healthy behaviors that should continue to be carried out daily.
