This therapy may be used with supportive counseling or alone, and effectiveness varies. Alcoholics Anonymous is a self-help group of recovering alcoholics that offers emotional support and an effective model of abstinence for people recovering from alcohol dependence. Al-Anon is a support group for spouses and others who are affected by someone else's alcoholism. Alateen provides support for teenage children of alcoholics. See alcoholism - support group .
Alcoholism is a major social, economic, and public health problem.
Alcohol is involved in more than half of all accidental deaths and almost half of all traffic fatalities. A high percentage of suicides involve the use of alcohol in combination with other substances. Additional deaths are related to the long-term medical complications associated with the disease. Treatment programs have varying success rates, but many people with alcohol dependency have a full recovery. Until the primary causes of alcoholism are understood, the disease cannot be prevented.