Treatments for alcoholism include detoxification programs run by medical institutions. These may involve stays for a number of weeks in specialized hospital wards where drugs may be used to avoid withdrawal symptoms, which in severe cases may lead to death.

After detoxification, various forms of group therapy or psychotherapy can be used to deal with underlying psychological issues leading to alcohol dependence. Aversion therapies may be supported by drugs like Disulfiram, which causes a strong and prompt hangover whenever alcohol is consumed. Naltrexone may improve compliance with abstinence planning. The standard pharmocopeia of anti-depressants, anxiolytics and other psychotropic drugs treat underlying mood disorders, neuroses and psychoses associated with alcoholic symptoms.

Another treatment program is based on nutritional therapy. Many alcoholics have insulin resistance syndrome, a metabolic disorder where the body's difficulty in processing sugars causes an unsteady supply to the blood stream. While the disorder can be treated by a hypoglycemic diet, this can affect behaviour and emotions, side-effects often seen among alcoholics in treatment. The metabolic aspects of alcoholism are often overlooked, resulting in poor treatment outcomes.

In the 1900s the mutual-help group-counselling approach to treatment became increasingly widespread and remains so today. Alcoholics Anonymous is possibly the best-known example of this movement.

Some programs attempt to help problem drinkers before they become serious alcoholics. These programs focus on harm-reduction and reducing alcohol intake as opposed to cold-turkey approaches. One such program is called Moderation Management.

Alcoholism Social impact

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