Getting Help for Alcoholism

By Gabby Hyman gabby.hyman@hqpublications.com Pharmavita Columnist February 22, 2005

Alcoholism is a progressive and terminal disease that takes no prisoners. Sadly, the social stigma attached to alcoholic drinking often isolates the sick person. Families who endure the fallout from alcoholic behavior have little empathy that alcoholism must be treated like any other disease - rather than as a despicable habit that needs fixing.

Alcoholism treatment works wonders, but until the alcoholic understands the dire nature of the illness, it is unlikely that anything will change for the better.

Alcoholics Anonymous and Treatment

While there are other successful modalities for treating the disease, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has become the primarily choice for referring medical professionals. Short-term, intensive treatment centers throughout the country help alcoholics to identify the nature of their illness, but usually refer patients directly to Alcoholics Anonymous upon their release.

When Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in the late 1930s, physicians concurred for the first time that alcoholism stems from a physical allergy to liquor coupled with a mental obsessive disorder. They said that just as an asthmatic does not choose to have lung disease, alcoholics ultimately do not choose to inherit a crippling allergy to liquor.

Using the 12-Step Model

The12-step program used by Alcoholics Anonymous to treat the causes and conditions of alcoholism has been adopted by legions of other treatment programs for gambling, tobacco, sex, and narcotics addictions. The 12-steps feature a spiritual-based program based on the principle that helping others can best help abstinent alcoholics recover.

Sadly, most real alcoholics die before they accept help. But many thrive if they accept continuous treatment. If you need help or know someone who does, there are contact numbers for AA and treatment centers around the U.S.

About the Author
Gabby Hyman has written for print and online media for more than 20 years. He has created online content for eToyds, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Avaya, and Nissan, UK. He has also been a web consultant to the Governer of California. As an author of fiction, journalism, and poetry, Gabby is a former English professor for the University of Illinois, Universityu of Alaska, and Old Dominion University. He holds an MFA in fiction writing from the University of Alabama.