GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY AND PSYCHODRAMA FOR ALCOHOLIC PATIENTS IN A STATE HOSPITAL REHABILITATION PROGRAM

Abstract

In recent years there have been many developments in tbe field of alcoholism, including the active role of state institutions in the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation program for the alcoholics. Those persons who have been interested in the program for alcoholism have become gradually aware that in many states most of the alcoholics have been hospitalized in state institutions for treatment of their acute conditions and for help in their rehabilitation. While the first-treatment of the acute condition is generally well practiced, the latter-rehabilitation-has been almost absent. The alcoholic patient will remain on an admission service for a period of
from 5 days to 2 weeks and, after recovering from the acute phase, many ask to be discharged. Discharge is generally granted with the result that the alcoholic will continue to use the state facilities at state expense as drying- out places, and physically fit will leave the hospital to drink again. Others may be sent to various areas of the state hospital to participate in industrial therapy activities for the benefit of the hospital before their release, having no special activities oriented toward the alcoholic patient nor an introduction to the different therapies of how they can achieve sobriety. In fact, many of these are discharged outright without any referral to a clinic, perhaps because of the lack of these clinics, or because ,available clinics do not like to work with the alcoholic patient, or because there is a lack of follow-up program by the state hospital.