One of the best methods of treating alcoholism is with drug rehab or a visit to a short term residential treatment center. There are several reasons for this. One is that it allows for a controlled environment in which the alcoholic can actually sober up for a moment and be able to start thinking clearly again. In some cases this is an impossibility for an alcoholic to achieve on the outside, and so the protected environment of a rehab is very important.

Another reason that drug rehab is useful for treating alcoholism is because they have medical staff there that can monitor the withdrawal. This is really important because the withdrawal is actually quite dangerous and in some cases can be fatal. Therefore it is important to have a medically supervised detox for any alcoholic who is looking to get well.

Rehab goes beyond just detoxing a person and can start to educate them about how to live a sober life. This generally happens in residential treatment and of course they will also expose the alcoholic to some twelve step meetings in most cases. These are helpful both as an educational tool, but also as the foundation of a support system for some people.

Finally, rehab will often help the recovering alcoholic by advising them on an aftercare plan. This sets up the alcoholic with a plan for after they leave treatment so that they can increase their chances of staying clean and sober. Without good follow up care and an aftercare plan, many alcoholics will simply end up relapsing.