Treatment for alcoholics in German speaking countries

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Abstract
In this specially commissioned BJA series experienced clinicians give their personal and frontline views as to how the practical business of treating people with substance problems is best handled. This article was triggered by suggestions given by the editors of the British Journal of Addiction (Edwards, 1989). The main question addressed teas: what do therapists really know and believe about how (alcoholic) patients are helped? In addition some more detailed issues were borne in mind, namely: the underlying philosophy of alcoholism (disease concept) and its treatment; patients’ socio‐cultural background and abuse practices; the special socio‐cultural factors which influence the therapists’ practice and patients’ expectations; treatment goals and outcome definitions; the therapists’ approaches to the patients’ assessments; the treatment modalities (attempts to strengthen motivation; the form of initial contact, duration, termination and intensity of treatment).