What is alcohol support?

Alcohol support refers to support for alcoholism. Alcohol support can come in various forms which are usually broken down into biological alcohol support, psychological alcohol support and social alcohol support. A comprehensive plan will include elements from all the forms of alcohol support.

Biological alcohol support

Biological alcohol support involves the prescription of medication. Alcohol detox is the commonest form of biological alcohol support. This involves the prescription of sedative medication to prevent and control alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Although often unrealized, alcohol withdrawal may be fatal if not treated with detox medication. Other biological alcohol support includes the prescription of medication to prevent relapse to alcohol use. Two medicines are commonly used in this context in the UK disulfiram (Antabuse) and acamprosate (Campral). Increasingly naltrexone is used as a form of alcohol support, as is topiramate.

Psychological alcohol support

Psychological alcohol support involves the provision of various forms of counseling to help the individual reduce harm or maintain abstinence from alcohol. The most proven forms of effective counseling in alcohol support are cognitive-behavioural therapy and motivational interviewing. However 12 step alcohol support (alcoholics anonymous model) is increasingly evidenced as highly effective, especially in a residential setting. Residential 12 step alcohol support is probably the most effective form of therapy to help an individual achieve and maintain long-term abstinence from alcohol.

Social alcohol support

It is usually considered vital that the social circumstances of the individual are taken into account when planning a return to normal life after a period of residential alcohol support. An unplanned return to the same situation as existed for the individual before admission for alcohol support may be responsible for relapse. Various forms of alcohol support have been devised around this theme, aimed at modifying the alcohol user´s social network, employment opportunities or financial situation for example.

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