title: [A survey of alcoholics and their families on controlled drinking as a treatment goal: discussions on new treatment approaches].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To encourage persons with alcoholism to seek treatment or to overcome denial is an important issue to be addressed in the treatment of alcoholism. Recognizing one's own addiction might be the first step in overcoming alcohol abuse. Abstaining from alcohol consumption was found to be the only effective treatment in Japan. Efforts are in place to introduce abstinence therapy as a first step towards overcoming denial. Abstinence therapy is very popular worldwide: however, many people oppose its introduction in Japan. Concern about relapse is the main reason for this apprehension. Therefore, we conducted a survey to assess awareness of sobriety treatment among persons with alcoholism and their families.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were 109 patients with a diagnosis of alcohol dependence and their families who attended family therapy. To examine the consideration of alcoholics and their families for sobriety treatment, we administered a questionnaire that measured awareness of sobriety treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on the results of the survey, 24% of workshop participants and 25% of hospital patients were admitted for sobriety treatment. According to the sobriety treatment, 41% of patients and 53% of family members realized the need "not to drink too much" (patients who have control over their drinking limit), while 67% of patients and 53% of family members acknowledged "not to pull out the healthy problem." For sobriety treatment, the patients' families tended to focus on the "patient's attitude toward sobriety," "social status," and "extent of mental dependence." The results of "liver dysfunction," "history of alcohol abuse," "treatment history," and "extent of mental dependence" are considered important in the decision to initiate sobriety treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Attitude toward sobriety, abstinence of patients, and social stability were found to be important factors in the choice of treatment focus. Further investigation is needed for the successful introduction of new treatment methods.
authors: 1) Healthcare Corporation Ishibashi Hospital, 3-7-7 Nagahashi, Otaru, Hokkaido Prefecture 047-0036, Japan. i-ikyoku@alpha.ocn.ne.jp
authors: Naotomo
authors: N
authors: Kimura
authors: Tomohiro
authors: T
authors: Shirasaka
authors: Tomonobu
authors: T
authors: Shirasaka
authors: Yuuji
authors: Y
authors: Sasaki
authors: Chihiro
authors: C
authors: Kawazoe
authors: Toshikazu
authors: T
authors: Saito
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires