How Counsellors Perform An Alcohol Assessment

By Rosella Campbell


The cases of drinking problems have actually gone up in Minneapolis, MN which means that drinking counsellors have to be more vigilant when it comes to handling their patients. Now in order to evaluate whether one has a problem or not, the counsellors would usually have them undergo alcohol assessment. This would determine how bad their problem is.

Now there are three very common ways a counsellor will be able to determine if a patient has a problem or not. These three methods will also determine what level of alcoholism one has already attained. These methods are known as the MAST, CAGE, and TWEAK.

Now the first one was the pioneering screening test as it was created sometime during the early seventies. Now this one would consist on a few questions that would try to make the patient realize himself that he has a problems. Usually, the questions would be more on how drinking plays a factor in person problems like marital problems, work problems, or other personal issues.

The second test that could be used, which is the CAGE test, would follow a process to know how the patient feels about his problem. Now the first question would relate to whether people has asked him to cut down already. The next one would be about whether he has ever been annoyed at the concern people show to him. The next one would be about whether the patient has ever felt guilty after drinking too much. The last one would ask whether one has had eye openers or early morning drinks.

After that, there is also the TWEAK method which was built after the CAGE method so it is a bit more updated. Now the TWEAK method, just like the CAGE method, are a series of questions that would try to see as to how much the patient is suffering from his problem. Now this method would consist of just five questions that would give a proper assessment.

The T would determine the tolerance of the alcoholic or how much he can drink. The W would determine who in his family members are worried about him. The E would determine whether one would have morning drinks in order to calm down his hangovers. The A would determine whether one would start to forget a lot of important things in his life. The K would determine whether the patient has ever thought of cutting down.

Now after he has gone through the assessment, he will also need to go through a physical examination. Most likely, he would need one because there are probably some organs in his body that has been damaged because of the problem. After he has gone through a medical examination, then he has to seek some medical treatment.

Now as for the alcoholism treatment, the first step is of course detoxification or flushing of the alcohol from the body. The next thing that would be done would be to prescribe antidepressants to the patients just in case of withdrawal effects. Of course when that is done, one would have to go through regular psychotherapy to make sure that the problem does not come back.




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