There are three major steps that are included in most of the alcohol addition treatment programs regardless of the difference between their treatment philosophies. Those three steps are:

1. Stop the Drinking
2. Get the Poison out of the Body
3. Alcoholism Rehabilitation

Stop the Drinking:
Also known as alcohol intervention, stop the drinking step in most cases is the beginning of alcohol addiction treatment. This means the drinking problem is acknowledged and recognized by the drinker and probably friends, family members, or employer as well, and when this happens persons who are alcohol dependent stop alcohol consumption.
Moderate drinking may be successful if the person is what we call a problem drinker. It will not appear to many alcohol addicts at first that their drinking is out of control, and a successful way to deal with the drinking problem is often moderation. We would be able to say that the drinking problem is solved if moderation works. If it does not work, then the individual is typically ready to try going thru self-denial. Treatment and education for close people through counseling is needed because in many cases alcoholism affects the people who are close relatives of the problem drinker.

Get the Poison out of the Body:
Also known as alcohol detoxification, this step typically takes 4 to 7 days. The thing to remember here is that the more alcohol an individual has been drinking each day, the higher the possibility alcohol withdrawal symptoms will be developed by the person when he/she stops drinking. Staying at the hospital for medical observation might be necessary for the patient in this case as withdrawal from alcohol can be done safely and medications can be administered as needed to relieve symptoms of withdrawal in a hospital.

Alcoholism Rehabilitation:
Once the detoxification step is completed, recovery from alcohol addiction normally include support for the patient in order to help maintain alcohol abstinence. Medical care, nursing, and counseling will be likely included in this important alcoholism recovery support within these types of programs. Alcohol effects on the body and alcoholism disease education better be part of the rehabilitation. Medications are sometimes administered to help avoid relapses.