Alcohol dependence is characterized by an obsessive behavior of compulsive search for alcoholic drinks (typically the need to drink in the morning, upon waking up) and by habituation and tolerance (to achieve a specific desired effect by the individual, he is forced to consume ever more significant quantities of alcoholic beverages). Also, for alcohol addiction, as for any habit of illegal drugs, the abrupt interruption of alcohol consumption causes the withdrawal syndrome characterized by tachycardia, tremors, nausea and vomiting, agitation, hallucinations, convulsions.
alcoholic problems
Alcoholis the cause of pathologies and related problems even when its consumption has not reached the point of being able to define an individual as an “alcoholic.”
harmful consumption
For example, we speak of risky or harmful consumption of alcoholic beverages when the quantities of Alcohol consumed can expose the person or third parties to a danger or risk to health or safety, even interfering with the regular conduct of social, work, or school life, to negatively affect the integrity of individual skills, such as those necessary to deal with potentially dangerous situations (for example, before driving) to cause problems with the law in those who use it.
There is no “safe” amount to consume Alcohol and the higher the consumption, the greater the risk to health and safety.
Alcoholdepresses the central nervous system, reduces inhibitions, and affects thoughts, emotions, and judgment.
It can therefore cause problems of varying degrees of seriousness which involve not only the subject but also his family and society (for example, in the case of road accidents or acts of violence).
The objective of the Alcoholic Intervention is to accompany and, if necessary, to offer treatment.
The objective of the Alcoholic Intervention is to accompany and, if necessary, to offer treatment.
Above all, it aims to make people think about the dangers they are running and to limit them.
As a practical aid to the brief intervention to help patients with alcohol problems, we refer to the manuals indicated below in the bibliography.
Alcohol
Addiction
Intervention
Thereare several proven and standardized procedures for providing counseling and therapy to a person with a drinking problem.
One of the most promising methods is the so-called Alcoholintervention, which can be used in all age groups in combination with motivational interviewing and the the transtheoretical model proposed by Prochaska and DiClemente.
In the Anglo-American linguistic area, treatment models (e.g., SBIRT or BRITE) have been developed based on the AlcoholAddiction Intervention.
Controlled Consumption
This type of approach is especially suitable in cases of problematic consumption.
Thecontrolled consumption programs are carried out according to a precise standard and in the context of self-help groups or under the watchful eye of experts in accompanying addictions.
Provided that they are motivated to change, the person autonomously establishes when and how he gives up Alcohol and when not, specifying in advance the quantities and types of drinks.
Trying, if possible, not to exceed the daily ethanol limits set by the WHO, i.e., 205 g for women and 30 g for men (see the tab Amountof Alcohol), the program establishes three weekly objectives, namely: the number of alcohol-free days;
The the maximum amount of Alcohol on the designated days; and the complete weekly quantity.
In Switzerland, many regional specialized centers offer individual or group controlled consumption programs (on this subject, we refer to the documents and links below).
Several
studies have looked at the results of controlled drinking in various age groups (summarized, e.g., in Saladin / Santa Ana 2004; Walters 2000; Apodaca / Miller 2003). It isn’t possible to define an age in which this method works less well or doesn’t work. Controlled consumption, therefore, can give good results at any stage of life and regardless of gender. In the case of older adults, however, it must be considered that the limit quantities must be lower than those provided for younger people.