Alcoholism

Treatment

The chronic alcoholic first of all must make a firm resolve to stop drinking. He should abstain from alcohol all at once for the habit cannot be got rid of in gradual stages. The most effective way to treat alcoholism is to build the body’s nutritional integrity soaps to prevent craving for stimulants like drinks. The patients should be put on a cleansing juice fast for at least ten days in the beginning. During this period, he should have juice of an orange every two hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The juice may be diluted with warm water, if desired. If orange juice does not agree, vegetable juices may be taken. Each day while fasting, bowels should be cleansed of effete and poisonous matter thrown off by the self-cleansing process set up by the body. This can be achieved by warm water enema.

During the juice fast, the patient will usually feel no craving for alcohol. This will give a good 10 day start towards breaking the drinking habit and would help remove not only the physical dependence but also the psychological factors. After the initial fast on juices, the optimum diet of vital nutrients is essential. Such a diet should consist of whole grains, cereals, nuts, seeds and sprouts, fresh fruits and vegetables.

It is advisable that in the beginning of the treatment, the patient is given a suitable substitute to relieve the craving if and when such a craving occurs. The best substitute drink for alcohol is a glass of fresh fruit juice, sweetened with honey, if desired. In the alternative, wholesome candy may be taken. The patient should always have easily available juices, candy, or other snacks to be taken between meals if he feels a craving for a stimulant.

All refined foods such as sugar, white rice, macaroni products and white flour and meat should be avoided. The patient should eat several small meals a day in preference to two or three large ones and avoid strong condiments such as pepper, mustard, and chili. He should not smoke as this will only increase his desire for alcohol.

Apples are considered valuable in the treatment of alcoholism as their use removes intoxication and reduces the craving for wine and other intoxicating liquors. The raw celery juice is also considered helpful. It has a sobering effect and is an antidote to alcohol.

In addition to proper nutrition, plenty of rest and outdoor exercises are necessary. The healthy condition of the appetite centre, which controls the craving for alcohol is improved by exercise. Yogic asans for general health such as padmasan, vajrasan, vakrasan, paschimotanasan, yogamudra, bhuajangasan, halasan and shalabhasana and yogic kriyas like jalneti, kunjal and simple Pranayamas like kapalbhati , anuloma-viloma, shitali and sitkari will be beneficial. Copious drinking of water, hot fomentations on the stomach and abdomen with a wet girdle pack between applications are also effective water treatment for alcoholism.

And finally, it will be advisable to follow the ten commandments to prevent alcoholism, offered by psychiatrist Dr. William B. Terhune. These are :

never drink when you ‘ need one’;
sip slowly ;
space your drinks, taking a second drink 30 minutes after the first and a third an hour after the second ;
dilute your alcohol;
keep an accurate and truthful record of the amount and number of drinks you take ;
never conceal the amount of alcohol you drink ;
do not drink on an empty stomach ;
stop drinking on ‘signal ‘ ( signals are lunch, dinner, fatigue, sex stimulation, boredom, frustration and bedtime);
make it a rule never to take a drink to escape discomfort - either physical or mental ; and never, never take a drink in the morning thinking it will cure a hangover.