In an alternative to AA, a self-empowering approach can be used to help individuals cope with cravings upon completion of a drug or alcohol treatment program. With individualized treatment plans, the score from the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale can be used to rate individuals, where those with higher OBCD scores may find increased relapse prevention approaches more useful. From a self-empowering perspective, coping with cravings is an integral aspect of relapse prevention. You might also be interested in: Drug and Alcohol Cravings - 10 Methods to Cope Many individuals relapse after alcohol treatment, often because of cravings for alcohol. The Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS) is a self-rating measure that has been used to predict future alcohol consumption after alc...

Alcohol treatment clinics commonly treat individuals with comorbid disorders. In fact, an individual with “pure” alcoholism is rare in alcohol treatment clinics. Comorbid anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety as well as phobic disorders, are extremely common in alcohol treatment clinics. For instance, the 1994 National Comorbidity Study found social phobia in 19.3 percent of alcohol-dependent participants. According to the self-medication hypothesis, individuals with anxiety use alcohol to decrease anxiety symptoms, and this promotes excessive use. Researchers in Amsterdam and the Netherlands set out to answers three questions regarding comorbid phobic disorders: (1) What are the clinical characteristics of treatment-seeking alcohol-dependent patients with a comorbid phobic d...

There may be an association between parenting style and alcohol consumption by adolescent children; however, it is important to note the availability of alcohol treatment programs for those individuals who have chosen to engage in drinking. In an alternative to AA, self-empowering addiction treatment programs are available to adolescents who may be seeking an individualized treatment plan. It is important to focus on the treatment of underlying issues and through the use of a self-empowering approach, adolescents can be offered a practical solution for their well-being. Individuals can learn problem-solving skills, good health habits, and self-control to aid them in learning how to live life with a purpose. It is important to have a treatment plan customized for a specific individual be...

Through the use of evidence-based addiction treatment, predictors of drug addiction treatment can be identified. Previous research shows that alcohol-dependent individuals have an increased risk of developing dependence on illicit drugs and prescription drugs. For instance, the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey of 42,862 households in the United States found that individuals with lifetime alcohol use disorders were 9 to 17 times more likely to meet the criteria for a lifetime substance abuse disorder. Studies suggest that approximately half of alcohol-dependent individuals also have substance use disorders. This tends to complicate alcohol rehab and recovery. Thus, it is important to identify predictors of drug addiction among individuals in alcohol rehab so that com...

Curious about whether your peers impact your drinking behavior? For most individuals, alcohol consumption is a social phenomenon, at least at the outset of their drinking. Previous research suggests that most human behavior is learned through imitation or modeling. Studies also suggest that imitation plays a role in addictive behaviors. Previous wine-tasting studies have demonstrated that participants exposed to a heavy-drinking model consume more alcohol. However, in these studies the participants knew beforehand that they would be consuming alcohol. Researchers from Canada and The Netherlands examined the effect of exposure to a heavy-drinking model on imitation of drinking behavior in a more naturalistic setting (Larsen et. al., 2009). Spoiler alert: our peers' drinking behaviors im...

Evidence based addiction treatment research suggests that alcohol-induced bladder dysfunction is not uncommon in alcohol rehab. However, the mechanisms are not clear. Researchers from The University of Tokushima Graduate School in Japan report on the case of symptomatic abdominal distension due to urinary retention after alcohol withdrawal (Iga et. al., 2005). You may also be interested in: Alcohol Treatment May Lower Risk of Multiple Cancers The patient was a 48-year-old Japanese woman, married with three children. She began drinking occasionally after college. At age 38 she experienced panic disorder and sought professional help. From age 42 to 48 she gradually increased the amount of alcohol she consumed until the alcohol abuse became severe at age 48, when she was admitted to the ...

Evidence based addiction treatment takes into consideration the trend between peer delinquency and alcohol consumption. However, there may be underlying issues present with adolescents that correlate with their alcohol consumption and aggressive behavior. Thus, it is important to consider the relationship between peers and adolescent drinking behaviors. Peers and Adolescent Drinking Behaviors - The Study Previous research studies have found associations between impulsivity and alcohol consumption, between alcohol expectancies and drinking behavior, and between drinking and aggressive behavior. The Acquired Preparedness Model (APM) integrates genetic influences as well as social learning to describe impulsivity as a major disposition for delinquent behavior. The APM also suggests that ...

Individuals who on a regular basis drink heavily may be at a higher risk for certain types of diseases than moderate drinkers. Although some people have been able to abstain from alcohol due to adverse health problems they are currently experiencing, some heavy drinkers cannot reduce their alcohol consumption regardless of the expected adverse effects. For those individuals, alcohol rehab may decrease risk of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and other chronic health problems. In an alternative to the 12 step program, evidence-based addiction treatment is available to help individuals solve underlying issues that may have been the cause for their drug and alcohol abuse. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the approaches used where people use talk therapy to solve problems through...

Article Updated 4/13/2022 Self-empowering addiction treatment utilizes cognitive-behavioral therapy and teaching mindfulness to help people cope with their cravings, be more aware of their thoughts, and increase self-regulation in alcohol recovery. But just how important is self-regulation in recovery from alcohol use? To better understand it in recovery, it helps to understand it in the context of addiction. Read on to learn more about the relationship between self-regulation and alcohol use. According to Hustad et. al., self-regulation refers to “the effortful ability to plan and achieve adaptive outcomes through goal-directed behavior, often by delaying gratification” (2009). It is important for individuals to develop self-regulation ability in alcohol recovery. Since lower lev...

Self-empowering addiction treatment support groups, including SMART Recovery, provide online recovery resources much like the one described in this article. Read on to find out more about internet self-assessments as alcohol treatment... are they a viable option? Article Updated 4/13/2022 Internet Self-Assessments as Alcohol Treatment Might a web-based self-assessment of risky drinking serve as an effective tool for alcohol treatment? Several previous studies suggest that it might. The self-assessment questionnaire at drinkerscheckup.com is one example of such a tool. In Finland, a similar self-assessment service known as the Drinking Habit Test (DHT) was launched in 2003. The site provides feedback and normative comparisons to raise awareness about hazardous and harmful alcohol use. ...