contact us | privacy policy
printer friendly

Alcoholism - Therapy

From DrKoop's partner site on depression, MyDepressionConnection.com

(Page 2)


The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous

  1. We admit we were powerless over alcohol -- that our lives have become unmanageable.
  2. We have come to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
  3. We have made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understand what this Power is.
  4. We have made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
  5. We have admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
  6. We are entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
  7. We have humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.
  8. We have made a list of all persons we had harmed and have become willing to make amends to them all.
  9. We have made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
  10. We have continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
  11. We have sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understand what this higher Power is, praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry that out.
  12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we have tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
text continues below

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) uses a structured teaching approach and may be better than AA for people with severe alcoholism. Patients are given instruction and homework assignments intended to improve their ability to cope with basic living situations, control their behavior, and change the way they think about drinking. The following are examples of approaches:

  • Patients might write a history of their drinking experiences and describe what they consider to be risky situations.
  • They are then assigned activities to help them cope when exposed to "cues" (places or circumstances that trigger their desire to drink).
  • Patients may also be given tasks that are designed to replace drinking. An interesting and successful example of such a program was one that enlisted patients in a softball team. This gave them the opportunity to practice coping skills, develop supportive relationships, and engage in healthy alternative activities.

Visit Our Health Centers

What's HOT

Find a Therapist

Powered by Psychology Today


PR Newswire





Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Disclaimer

The drkoop.com URL and web site are not associated with C. Everett Koop, M.D., former Surgeon General of the United States.

By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on drkoop.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2004-2008. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. All rights reserved.