Most alcoholics require some type of treatment or help for their alcoholism. The following are some common types of programs and settings treatment:

Detoxification – Also known as "detox," is a process whereby the alcoholic undergoes a supervised withdrawal. The body can begin to recover from the toxic effects of alcohol and the patient can become sober. This is something that is best done in a medical setting where the patient can be closely monitored and have his or her medical condition evaluated. This process can last anywhere from two to seven days. It is sometimes required before entering treatment, but should not be thought of on its own as treatment. Many people mistakenly believe that because they have undergone detox they are ready to live a sober life. This situation frequently leads to relapse. For the best results further treatment is essential.

Inpatient treatment – This consists of a formal, residential program which may include detox at the beginning. Typically an residential treatment would include education about the disease; medical treatment for related medical conditions and nutritional stabilization; counseling, including individual and group therapy sessions; an introduction to self-help programs; and monitoring of the patient including drug and/or alcohol testing to ensure compliance with the program. Inpatient programs last anywhere from one to six weeks, typically 3-4 weeks. Some are connected with hospitals while others are not. There are some programs called "day treatment" in which patients spend the entire day at the treatment center but go home at night or on weekends.


 

Outpatient treatment – This consists of counseling and treatment on a daily or weekly basis in an office or clinic setting. Outpatient treatment is often a follow-up to an inpatient or detox program. In some cases, the severity of the addiction is such that inpatient care is not needed, and the client undergoes only outpatient treatment. It may include education about the disease, individual or group therapy, or follow-up counseling. Outpatient treatment is not as expensive as inpatient treatment and may last anywhere from one month to a year.

Quite often, treatment will consist of a combination of all of the above, depending on such factors as the severity of the problem, the individual’s insurance coverage, whether detox is needed, and the availability of programs. The cost of treatment is the employee’s responsibility. All Federal Employee Health Benefit Plans have some kind of coverage; however, that coverage is limited. The EAP counselor and the employee benefits representative will have information on health benefits coverage. Employees should direct any questions to one of these resources.

Post Treatment
After the initial treatment program, the employee may be in follow-up counseling and treatment for an extended period of time, possibly up to a year. This will most likely consist of outpatient counseling, AA meetings, and follow-up sessions with the EAP counselor. It can be very beneficial for the EAP counselor to schedule a back-to-work conference with the employee, the supervisor, and other interested parties such as an employee relations specialist or a counselor from the treatment program. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the employee’s treatment, the expectations in terms of the employee’s performance and conduct, scheduling concerns in terms of follow-up counseling and AA meetings, and to help get the employee back into the regular work routine.

Relapse
An important and frustrating facet of treating alcoholism is relapse or a return to drinking. An alcoholic often relapses due to a variety of factors including: inadequate treatment or follow-up, cravings for alcohol that are difficult to control, failure by the alcoholic to follow treatment instructions, failure to change lifestyle, use of other mood altering drugs, and other untreated mental or physical illnesses. Relapses are not always a return to constant drinking and may only be a one time occurrence. However, relapses must be dealt with and seen as a sign to the alcoholic that there are areas of his or her treatment and recovery that need work. Relapse prevention is an area in the treatment field that is receiving increased attention and research. A basic part of any effective treatment program will include relapse prevention activities. Good coordination between the EAP counselor and the treatment program can help the employee deal with and prevent relapse.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) – AA is what is called a 12-Step program and involves a spiritual component (not affiliated with any particular religion) and a supportive group of fellow alcoholics to provide a network for total abstinence from alcohol. There are AA meetings where alcoholics can gather to learn about the disease, hear talks from recovering alcoholics, and enjoy the support of fellow alcoholics who are learning, or have learned, how to stay sober. AA is not really a formal organization as it has no leaders. It is a loose confederation of groups formed by recovering alcoholics operating on common principles spelled out in the book Alcoholics Anonymous (it is also known as the "Big Book") which spells out the Twelve Steps and the principles of AA.

Other support groups: such as Rational Recovery which have a different focus than AA. Some individuals find approaches other than AA to be more useful in their treatment.


Office of Work/Life Programs, U.S. Office of Personnel Management