It is a sad fact that some of society's adolescents and adults become unintentionally addicted to one drug or another, whether it is alcohol, nicotine, food or opiates. As an expert in addiction treatments, Dr. Sheta has devised customized programs for each of these dependencies.
In 2006, heavy drinking was reported by approximately 7 percent of the population aged 12 or older, or about 17 million people. More than one fifth (23.0 percent) of persons aged 12 or older participated in binge drinking at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey in 2006. This translates to about 57 million people.
Outpatient treatment of Alcohol addiction is done with new medications that permit you live your life as you are being medically treated with various medications that can include Vivitrol, Campral, Revia (naltexone) and newer off label medications.
Overview
Outpatient services for alcohol rehabilitation are designed to treat people who do not have a severe addiction to alcohol. They are also encouraged for alcoholics who have gone through an initial stage of inpatient treatment. Although this treatment is quite popular and there are many outpatient facilities throughout the country, there is little research on its effectiveness.
Outpatient treatments do not require overnight stays and usually include alcohol education, individual and group counselling, support for family members of the alcoholic and case management. The outpatient treatments programs can be intense, requiring an alcoholic to attend four to five hours a day - every day of the week. They can also be held in the evening to allow a person to continue working. In some cases, outpatient treatment consists of weekly therapy sessions.
Basically, there are three behavioral treatments used to treat alcoholism. They are motivation enhancement therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy and 12-step facilitation.
There are places that you can go to find outpatient alcohol treatment programs in your area. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) has a toll-free, 24-hour treatment referral service to help you. You can call 1-800-487-4889 for more information.
Other agencies include The American Council on Alcoholism. They have access to an online database to help search for outpatient rehab centers all over the US. They can be reached at 800-527-5344. There is also The National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service that offers lots of resource information. You can reach them at 800-662-HELP.
Aside from traditional Alcoholics Anonymous programs that are available in all communities, alternative
programs include The Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS).This group encourages self-empowerment approaches to recovery from alcohol but attracts those who are uncomfortable with the spiritual content of AA. SMART Recovery is a self-management and recovery training program that is based on the principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Its four point program enhances motivations to Abstain, discusses ways to cope with urges, offers problem solving solutions, and helps an alcohol deal with lifestyle balances.
Medical Treatments with Campral and Vivitrol
MAT (Medically Assisted Therapies)
Medication-Assisted Treatment is pharmacotherapy relating to substance misuse. It combines pharmacological intervention with counseling and behavioral therapies. This provides the patient with a comprehensive approach in the treatment of substance misuse disorders. MAT is clinically driven and focuses on the patient as an individual and care is provided as such.
Vivitrol
In the second quarter of 2006, the FDA approved a new drug called Vivitrol to help treat alcoholism.
Vivitrol is the first and only inject able version of Naltrexone, a powerful weapon against alcohol dependence. It is intended for use with those who are able to abstain from drinking in an outpatient setting. It is also indicated for use in combination with psychosocial support, such as counseling or group therapy.
At Breakthrough Addiction Recovery, we utilize Naltrexone (Revia) to reduce cravings, which has been highly effective for long term recovery. Unlike deterrent medications which may make you nauseous, Naltrexone simply and safely eliminates the "high" or "buzz" associated with alcohol. In addition, it significantly lessens the physical "need" to drink. Coupled with a personalized cognitive/behavioral program, Naltrexone allows the freedom to focus on the emotional and mental facet of addiction.
Reduces the physical and emotional distress that may occur in the weeks and months after alcohol consumption is stopped.
Campral
Campral (acamprosate calcium) Delayed-Release Tablets were approved by the FDA on July 29, 2004. Campral is another of the new medications approved for the treatment of alcohol addiction.
Campral is a medication that helps people stay alcohol-free in combination with counseling or support groups once they have stopped drinking. Campral is thought to restore the normal brain balance, which has been disturbed in someone who is alcohol dependent.
Other medications prescribed to help people stop drinking work differently than Campral. They either make people very ill if they drink even small amounts of alcohol or block the “high” associated with drinking alcohol.
Campral helps reduce the physical distress and emotional discomfort (e.g. sweating, anxiety, sleep disturbances) associated with staying alcohol-free. This, in combination with counseling and support groups, makes it easier for people not to drink.
In several clinical trials, Campral was shown to help up to 3 times more people stay alcohol-free than placebo pills (sugar pills). In addition, for patients who did experience a slip, or relapse, Campral prolonged the periods of abstinence and reduced the number and severity of relapses.
Campral has been used by over 1.5 million patients worldwide. Campral may also be used by people with mild to moderate liver problems.
Campral may be taken with most other medications, including those for anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders and is not addictive.
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