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How Counsellors Perform An Alcohol Assessment

By Rosella Campbell


The cases of alcoholism in Minneapolis, MN has been increasing a little bit since the last year. Now since the numbers have gone up, alcoholic counsellors have been more diligent when it comes to trying to treat the patients. Of course in order to do this, they have to give the patients an alcohol assessment.

Now in order to assess whether one would have a drinking problem or not, there are actually three ways to do this. The three ways will first determine whether the patient does have a condition or not. Now these three methods of determining would be the MAST, the CAGE, and the TWEAK methods.

The first one is known as the Michigan Alcohol Screen Test and was made popular during the year 1971. Basically, the counsellor will be asking questions about how alcoholism is the result of such personal problems like work problems, family problems, and other kinds. This method will allow the patient to be able to realize himself that he actually does have a problem when it comes to drinking.

Another method that can be used for evaluation would be the CAGE method which would stand for cut down, annoyance, guilt, and eye openers. The question would be about whether others have asked him to lessen drinking. The next one would ask whether one has been irritated when others would critic on his alcoholism. The next question would determine whether one is guilty when he drinks too much.

Of course the last one, which is the TWEAK method, is usually used in order to really confirm the problem of a patient. Now as stated above, the term TWEAK stands for the words tolerance, worried, eye openers, amnesia, and cut down. The counsellor will be asking the patient about these five parts and try to see what the answer of the patient is.

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.

Of course once the counsellor has already determined that the patient does have a problem, the counsellor will first refer him to a medical doctor to get a physical examination. It is best to find out first if there are any urgent health issue. That way, treatment can be given right away.

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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