Alcohol Treatment Models

There are various theories about the nature of Alcoholism and how to treat it. Some consider Alcoholism to be a disease, others a habit, and still others consider it to be a product of genetic or biological differences.

However you personally view Alcoholism one cannot deny that it is a significant problem in todays society. Treatment options vary and here we give a brief introduction to each of the four most common Alcohic Treatment Models in use throughout the world today.

The Minnesota Model

The Minnesota Model is perhaps one of the most prevelant models for alcoholic treatment in the world today. It stresses lifelong abstinence, the importance of education, involvement with Alcoholics Anonymous or other 12 step programs and individual or group counselling sessions as well as family therapy.

It is used by many of the more famous Alcohol Rehab Programs in the United States including the Betty Ford Center in California, Hazelden in Minnesota and the Sundown M Ranch in Washington State.

Rational Recovery

Rational Recovery is  an Alcoholic Treatment Model based on Self Recovery. The group offers a source of counseling, guidance, and direct instruction on self-recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs through planned, permanent abstinence.

They utilize a technique which they call AVRT, or Addictive Voice Recognition Technique, which teaches individuals to recognize the interior monologue which causes them to drink. Once a person becomes aware of the voice one can effectively elinate the desire to drink at all.

They have a very high success rate in the treatment of Alcoholics.

The Problem Solving Model

The Problem Solving Model for Alcohol Rehabilitation or Treatment involves a sequence of smaller lifestyle changes rather than major lifestyle changes occuring all at once. By breaking down the challenge of alcoholic rehabilitation into smaller, more manageable steps this model creates a sense of possibilities in the individual undergoing treatment.

At its most basic outline the Problem Solving Model uses Three Steps for effective treatment which include Defining the Problem, Exploring Courses of Action and finally Setting a Course.

The Biological Model

The Biological Model for Alcoholic Treatment focuses on internal body chemistry and differences between Alcoholics and those without a drinking problem.

Basically it breaks the majority of Alcoholics into two camps, the so called Allergic Alcoholics and those with certain extra enzymes in the liver which aides in the breakdown of alcohol molecules.

It is a uniquely interesting look at the problem of Alcoholism and recent data suggests that it can be a very effective treatment model.