Motivation in the Treatment of Alcoholism

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Abstract
The motive for taking treatment for alcoholism was analyzed in 1038 private patients. Few, if any, of these patients decided to stop drinking until some pressure was brought upon them, such as threatened loss of job, family, health, or security. These pressures may help an alcoholic to accept treatment before irreparable deterioration has taken place. Therapy may be successful even though considerable duress has been necessary to initiate treatment. The therapist should not be identified with this duress, however, and should reserve his talents for helping the patient after he has decided to do something about his problem. The well-meaning efforts of friends or relatives to protect an alcoholic from the natural consequences of his drinking may only postpone the seeking of help beyond the point of optimum therapeutic effectiveness.

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