According to the World Health Organization, there are approximately 140 million alcoholics in the world.
Alcoholism is long-term disease in which the body is dependent on alcohol. Alcoholics cannot control the amount they drink, even though it may cause problems at work, school or home. Several types of programs offer help for people seeking treatment for their alcohol addiction, including outpatient, residential and general support programs. The nature of the program an alcoholic chooses depends largely on the person's level of addiction and the amount of help and outside intervention he requires.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is a well-known and popular treatment program for people battling alcohol addiction. The support group involves men and women sharing the stories of their addiction, as well as their successes and setbacks, in order to help each other recover from the disease. Sessions encourage members to follow the organization's 12-step program, which has become the standard in addiction recovery and treatment. Alcoholics Anonymous charges no fees, and anyone can join.
Betty Ford Center
The Betty Ford Center offers a number of alcohol-treatment options, including outpatient, young adult track, residential day and inpatient programs. These programs range from 30 to 120 days and cost from $4,960 for the eight- week outpatient track to $63,500 for the young adult track. The center follows the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program, follows a gender-specific course of treatment and assigns each patient a treatment team that includes a doctor, nurse, psychologist, personal counselor, case manager, spiritual counselor, family counselor, dietitian and fitness trainer. The Better Ford Center is in Rancho Mirage, California.
The Abbey Center
The Abbey Center in Bettendorf, Iowa is a former monastery and one of the country's most well-respected treatment centers. It offers short-term and long-term residential treatment programs for both men and women. The Center follows the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program of treatment. While the Abbey Center provides patients with many amenities, including a gym, pool and veranda overlooking the Mississippi River, it also assign jobs such as groundskeeping while undergoing treatment.
The Hazelden Foundation
The Hazeldown Foundation is a group of non-profit treatment centers with programs tailored to men, women and youth age 14 to 25. Based in Center City, Minn., the foundation also has treatment centers in Chicago, Naples, Florida, New York City, Newberg, Oregon and Plymouth and St. Paul, Minnesota. It offers both residential and outpatient services, as well as on-going and family services. The Hazelden Foundation follows the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step plan, accepts a wide range of health insurance plans, and offers financial aid.
Tags: Alcoholics Anonymous, 12-step program, Abbey Center, Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step, Anonymous 12-step
