Psychologists
who are trained and experienced in treating alcohol problems
can be helpful in many ways. Before the drinker seeks assistance,
a psychologist can guide the family or others in helping to
increase the drinker's motivation to change.
A psychologist
can begin with the drinker by assessing the types and degrees
of problems the drinker has experienced. The results of the
assessment can offer initial guidance to the drinker about
what treatment to seek and help motivate the problem drinker
to get treatment. Individuals with drinking problems definitely
improve their chances of recovery by seeking help early.
Using one or more of several types
of psychological therapies, psychologists can help people address
psychological issues involved in their problem drinking. A number
of these therapies, including cognitive-behavioral coping skills
treatment and motivational enhancement therapy, have been developed
by psychologists. Additional therapies include 12-Step facilitation
approaches that assist those with drinking problems in using
self-help programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). All three
of these therapies--cognitive-behavioral coping skills treatment,
motivational enhancement therapy, and 12-Step facilitation approaches--have
demonstrated their effectiveness through well-designed, large-scale
treatment trials. These therapies can help people boost their
motivation to stop drinking, identify circumstances that trigger
drinking, learn new methods to cope with high-risk drinking
situations, and develop social support systems within their
own communities.
