According to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, there are 15.9 million illicit drug users in the US; to include alcoholics. In fact, alcohol is one of the most commonly used drugs. People addicted to alcohol often utilize alcohol rehab facilities to reverse alcohol dependency. This is particularly important in that, without help, the disease is potentially life- threatening.

Because the effects of alcoholism progresses quickly, opting to participate in an alcoholic treatment program is essential. In most instances, people who depend on alcohol deny having a problem and minimize the amount of consumption. The symptoms become aggressively severe and intense; therefore an alcohol treatment program is needed to implement therapeutic interventions that will assist to maintain sobriety.

There are a variety of substance abuse treatment programs that is equipped to accommodate all levels of alcohol dependency. Stages of alcoholism may range from mild and annoying to life- threatening. Severe drinking problems merely suggests that it has been difficult to stop drinking and in need of intense levels of treatment. The therapeutic philosophies will address issues related to the addiction itself as well as apply solutions to reverse the effects. It is imperative to identify what rehabilitation therapy program will get you the best results.

Once an alcoholic decides to stop drinking, the process becomes more challenging. When the body becomes dependent on alcohol, it experiences severe withdrawal symptoms during abstinence. At this point, it is wise to seek medical assistance. Rehab facilities are available to administer a short- term treatment called Detoxification to release chemical alcohol dependency. However, this "band- aid" approach develops into additional vicious cycles; challenging you to maintain sobriety. Therapists recommend rehab programs that are comprehensive and can treat all facets of the disease; including psychological and emotional barriers to remain sober.

Proven professional interventions are executed to manage the treatment of alcohol abusers. For example, contingency management is a therapeutic intervention often utilized by therapists. This behavior contract measures good and bad behavior by contracting with parents as a reward to patients. The contingency management module suggests that punishing bad behavior can improve treatment results.

Some patients may require cognitive behavior therapy to help them recognize and cope with stressful situations that trigger alcohol dependency. Also referred to as social skills training, it allows for restored self- esteem to overcome stressful situations. The patients are given a sense of strong work ethic; thereby increasing motivation for change.

Contingency Management and Cognitive- Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are therapeutic treatment modules that focus on healing and restructuring negative feelings. To ensure that patients maintain sobriety, the therapists execute therapy procedures that reduce undesired behaviors, while also decreasing anxiety. These rehab methods ultimately rebuild healthy life-styles and help patients identify triggers for drinking.

The long- term and inpatient alcohol rehab treatment have proven to be extremely effective. They both provide the ingredients required to increase success rates, such as Detox, counseling, life-skills therapy, and health programs. Alcohol dependency is an ongoing struggle and cannot be managed without a professionals help.