There are two types of people dealing with alcohol issues: those who are dependent on alcohol, and those who are not yet. For those who are not yet alcohol dependent, it may be sufficient for the individual to cut down on alcohol consumption, or quit altogether. For those who are dependent, however, the process of achieving stable sobriety is a bit more involved.

Alcohol withdrawal. The immediate need for an alcoholic seeking to quit his or her drinking habit is treatment for alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

While around 95 percent of those who undergo withdrawal experience only mild symptoms such as trembling and lack of appetite, which do not necessitate treatment, there are those who experience moderate symptoms such as brief seizures and hallucinations. These people may need to be treated as outpatients, through medications.

For those who experience severe symptoms such as full-blown seizures of delirium tremens, there may be a need for inpatient treatment in a hospital or alcohol treatment center, where they given medication, and where their condition is monitored.

Cognitive behavioral therapy. Through this type of psychotherapy, alcoholics are able to, among other things, change the way they think about the use of alcohol, and identify and avoid the triggers that lead to drinking.

Support groups. Groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous give alcoholics the opportunity to share their experiences with others, gain support from others who are going through – or have gone through – what they are going through, and learn from them.

Medications. Doctors may prescribe medications that may treat alcoholism in the long term. They are used in conjunction with other treatments, and help maintain abstinence. These medications are Disulfiram (Antabuse), Naltrexone (ReVia), and Acamprosate (Campral).