Alcohol addiction, also called alcoholism, is often a genetic predisposition to abuse the substance. There are ways to battle it, but it will probably take more than the just the sufferer's desire to overcome the disease to tackle it.

Intervention

Alcohol addiction treatments depend on the severity of the case. People who still retain control over their use, but fail to see it as a problem, are usually paired with an alcoholism specialist who prescribes a plan to phase out drinking and offers helpful materials.

Counseling

Alcoholism counselors may try to change a person's perception on events that led to their alcohol abuse, such as trauma, to give them confidence in dealing with those emotions without alcohol.

Important Fact

About 90 percent of alcoholics become sober for at least one year when they go through some sort of treatment plan, attend a support group and seek further help after that, according to AlcoholismTreatment.org.

Residential Treatment Centers

When alcohol use becomes uncontrollable, residential treatment centers (sometimes called "rehab") are used. Rehab clinics are inpatient facilities that include several forms of treatment, such as abstinence, treatment for an medical conditions--like liver disease--and psychological support, such as Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

Tips

According to the Mayo Clinic, treatment for alcoholism cannot begin until the afflicted person accepts that they have a problem and need help.

Source:

AlcoholismTreatment.org

Mayo Clinic: Treatments and Drugs