Alcohol Dependence: Therapy

General measures

  • Strive to maintain normal weight! Determination of BMI (body mass index, body mass index) or body composition by means of electrical impedance analysis and, if necessary, participation in a medically supervised program for underweight people.
  • Avoidance of psychosocial stress:
    • Current conflicts
    • Unemployment
    • Social isolation
    • Stress

Conventional non-surgical therapy methods

  • Qualified withdrawal: qualified withdrawal is a specific therapy accompanying physical withdrawal, in which the patient and his relatives are taught further measures. Afterwards, the patient should also integrate into self-help groups or other counseling centers. Up to 50% of those affected remain abstinent after this measure.
  • The concept of controlled drinking (KT) begins to establish itself more strongly alongside the goal of abstinence (treatment with: opioid antagonists).

Regular control examinations

  • Regular medical checkups

Nutritional medicine

  • Nutritional counseling based on nutritional analysis
  • Nutritional recommendations according to a mixed diet taking into account the disease at hand. This means, among other things:
    • Daily total of 5 servings of fresh vegetables and fruits (≥ 400 g; 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits).
    • Once or twice a week fresh sea fish, i.e. fatty marine fish (omega-3 fatty acids) such as salmon, herring, mackerel.
    • High-fiber diet (whole grains, vegetables).
  • Observance of the following special dietary recommendations:
  • Selection of appropriate food based on the nutritional analysis
  • See also under “Therapy with micronutrients (vital substances)”.
  • Detailed information on nutritional medicine you will receive from us.

Sports Medicine

Psychotherapy

  • After the detoxification phase, which is inpatient, recommended post-acute treatments are (recommendation grade A):
    • Motivational (“motivational”) forms of intervention.
    • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
    • Contingency management
    • Neurocognitive training (NKT)
    • Psychodynamic short-term therapy
    • Behavioral therapy
    • Work with relatives
    • Couple and family therapy
  • Psychosocial procedures/measures according to S3 guideline: psychosocial therapies for severe mental illness.
    • Self-management as part of coping with the disease; in this context also references to self-help contact points.
    • Individual interventions
      • Psychoeducational intervention to increase knowledge of the disease.
      • Training of everyday and social skills
      • Artistic therapies
      • Occupational therapy – work or occupational therapy.
      • Movement and sports therapies
      • Health promotion interventions
    • Ambulatory psychiatric care (APP) as an aid in times of crisis to establish self and disease history and to promote individual as well as recovery processes.
  • Detailed information on psychosomatics (including stress management) can be obtained from us.