Treatment of alcoholism

Our approach to the treatment of alcohol addiction is based on the Minnesota Model of Addiction Treatment. The model was developed between the 1940s and 1950s by two American researchers – a psychologist and psychiatrist. The Minnesota Model is built around a concept of blending of professional and trained nonprofessional (recovering) staff around the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). As such, it relies heavily on the 12 Steps Program of Anonymous Alcoholics (AA) both during the individual and group therapy. An inherent component of the Minnesota Model is active participation of the family members of the addicted individual.

The model was first introduced to the Polish clinical practice in the 1980s. The model’s fundamental principles have been continuously evolving since then in order to meet the changing socio-cultural landscape. This model is applicable not only in alcohol addiction treatment, but also in other substance abuse.

Acknowledging the problem – The first step in alcoholism recovery

The alcoholism addiction – one of many modern day plagues – starts with, often times superficially innocent, symptoms. With time and slowly, coping with the addiction becomes increasingly more difficult. Help can often be found, however, at addiction treatment centres and with support groups such as the Anonymous Alcoholics (AA).

Treating addictions effectively requires two components: the understanding of the underlying addiction issue and the addict’s willingness to enter therapy. With regard to the latter, an addicted person may not understand their predicament or feel helpless. A person that has decided to battle their addiction on their own often times finds themselves in a difficult position – this person needs particular support in order to remain sober. A lonely struggle against oneself is emotionally draining. It is of great significance for the strength for that struggle to come within. We will show you how to discover it for yourself.

Also, when battling alcoholism, understanding the mechanism of addiction is vital. Our patients are taught about the following concepts of addiction:

1. Alcohol addiction as a disease
2. Addiction treatment
3. Alcoholism as a disease of emotions – The Addictive Emotion Regulation Mechanism
4. Alcoholism as a disease of self-deception – The Illusion and Denial Mechanism
5. Alcohol dependency vs. Personality – The Diffused-Self Mechanism
6. The loss of control in alcohol consumption
7. The dysfunctional patterns in an Alcoholic’s daily life
8. Alcoholism as a spirtual disease
9. Shame
10. Fear of change
11. Coping with grief after a loss
12. The Alcoholics Anonymous Program
13. Sobriety vs. abstinence
14. Przeszkody na drodze do zdrowia
15. Sposoby dbania o zdrowie
16. Wpływ alkoholu na zdrowie
17. Alkoholizm chorobą całej rodziny
18. Proces trzeźwienia a nawrót choroby

Understanding the addiction mechanisms and their consequences for physical, mental and emotional health brings about the change in previous behavioural patterns. This, in consequence, allows for the longlasting life improvement.

The principles of alcohol abuse treatment

The alcohol abuse treatment is based on the following principles:

• alcoholism is a covert, chronic and deadly disease that over time spirals out of control,
• alcohol addiction is not the addicted person’s fault – instead, it is a result of various factors,
• the patient is offered the due respect, understanding and compassion at every stage of the treatment,
• the recovery takes time irrespective of how motivated the patient initially is. It is the role of a psychotherapist to help the patient acknowledge their addiction and enable them to reevaluate their attitude towards alcohol,
• the therapy involves a systemic approach towards this disease – the recovery should actively involve the addicted person’s family members, life partners and their children,
• the acknowledgment of the fact that denial is a key symptom of the alcoholism disease (alcoholism is understood as a disease of denial and relapses). Denial is an inherent characteristic of an alcoholic family,
• the long-term objective of addiction treatment is to maintain lifelong sobriety (understood as complete abstinence of psychoactive substances),
• a team of addiction counsellors should consist of qualified specialists – it is recommended that those therapists themselves are recovering alcoholics who have worked the Alcoholics Anonymous Twelve Step program. Every person employed at our centre is committed to living their life in complete sobriety,
• our therapy groups are kept small so that every patient can be treated individually since each of us has their own way of recovery. With our support, every patient discovers their unique way of battling the addiction and remaining sober,
• alcohol abuse treatment relies on the Anonymous Alcoholics Twelve Step program and involves attending Anonymous Alcoholics meetings regularly,

The fundamental principles of our Alcoholics Anonymous recovery group

The primiary alcohol abuse recovery at our Centre relies on the first three Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Steps:

Step One of AA
We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.

Step Two of AA
Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Step Three of AA
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.

Why you should trust us

Over the course of the last several decades, various scientific studies have examined the effectiveness of the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program – the major focus of these studies was to identify those AA principles that contribute most to recovery. Even though that the AA program relies heavily on spirituality, the principles of AA are proven to result in positve life changes. The addiction therapy is a chance to change your life – often times it is the only solution to winning against alcoholism.

The alcoholism treatment program at “The Road Back Home”

• shortly after arrival, every newcomer is examined by a medical practitioner (Physician)
• the patients remain under constant medical supervision during their stay at our centre
• the complete alcohol treatment lasts between 21 and 28 days (longer stays at our centre are possible should such a need arise)
• you shall recover in less than a month – the therapy will bring about a new, sober way of thinking which in turn will allow you to shape your life anew
• you will learn new personal skills enabling you to lead more conscious life