Inpatient Treatment for Alcoholism

For an alcoholic who wants to recover from his disease and resume to a normal life, inpatient care provides the most concentrated efforts through round-the-clock treatment. Whether the alcoholic suffers only occasional urges to drink or has a compulsion to drink all the time, the intensive care of inpatient treatment will go further and faster, as he is isolated from external pressures to drink. But the alcoholic will have to make a commitment. It is not a magic bullet.

• Perhaps inpatient treatment will work.

Detoxification and Withdrawal

• End-stage alcoholics or persons who have consumed a considerably large quantity of alcohol over a prolonged period of time, may risk withdrawal if they attempt to stop drinking cold-turkey. According to "Alcoholism Withdrawal," the risks could include "seizures, fever, delirium or severe confusion, hallucinations or irregular heart beat," and possibly even death. After the risk stage has passed, they will need to detoxify to become mentally and physically prepared for psychological counseling. Inpatient care can include these treatments.

Long-Term Treatment

• Alcoholics who have completed detoxification, and those who have attempted recovery previously, but have not succeeded, may need long-term care, which lasts for more than 30 days and can last up to several months, depending on the severity of the case. Various types of psychological therapy can be performed in classroom settings, in private sessions or on an on-call basis, 24 hours a day. Since the alcoholic remains on premises, there is little temptation to drink, giving her a better chance of recovery.

Short -Term Treatment

• Inpatient treatment for a few days and up to 30 days is generally classified as short-term treatment. The early-stage alcoholic usually has trouble understanding that he, in all probability, must quit drinking altogether to resolve his problem. Sometimes a few days or weeks in a concentrated environment of psychological care, with experienced counselors and no external influences, can help the alcoholic understand his problem and be better prepared to begin a recovery program that includes abstinence.

Therapy

• A large portion of inpatient treatment is preparing the alcoholic for a life without alcohol or how she will conduct himself after treatment. This includes various therapies to investigate the alcoholic's reasons for drinking and to help her deal with those reasons in another manner. The therapy also includes methods to help the alcoholic understand the impact that her behavior has had not only on herself but also on her family and everyone around her. And being in a facility with no external temptations to drink intensifies this therapy.

Finding Inpatient Treatment

• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services maintains a website, Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator, to help you find an alcohol treatment center in your area. You can call or arrange a personal interview for admission information. Also, be sure to check with your insurance company for possible coverage.