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Show Speaker Relates Treating Of Aieholie Problem Drinking is just part of an alcoholics problem. According to Fenton Moss, patient coordinator of the University's Alcoholic Rehabilitation Center, there are usually underlying social, psychological or vocational problems which make the alcoholic turn to drink. Failure to remove these basic problems is, the reason many rehabilitated drinkers return to liquor. 1 . ... - . ,? . MR MOSS STATED that' there are two basic causes for alcoholism, physiological and psycologlcal. Some people have a poor tolerance to alcohol, but because of their puroblems they must have an anesthetic, so they become addicted to liquor. However, alcoholism is generally considered con-sidered a mental health problem. 'A I960 estimate placed Utah's alcoholic population at 13,800. This means that approximately 1 out of every 63 Utahns is seriously reliant upon liquor. Since about half of the state's inhabitant reside in the metropolitan area, this city has a probable alcoholic count of 7,000. The center has the names of 1,000 known problem drinkers on file, so in the Salt Lake area alone there may be 6,000 men and women who are successfully bidding their Illness. There appear to be no social, economic, educational or occupational classifications which are particlarly susceptible to alcoholism, although al-though some occupations, such as season and transient employment, tend to collect alcoholics. But this is due solely to the nature of the work which is suitable to the alcoholic and tends to attract him. FOR EVERY WOMAN who becomes an alcoholic there are 5.5 men who become problem drinkers. But Mr. Moss suggested that there is a double standard in alcoholism which makes is harder for a woman to return to a normal life aftercuring her problem. The public tends to associate alcoholism in women with a lowering of morals which makes reacceptance difficult. Men tend not to stay with a drinking spouse, which also increases a woman's difficulty in adjusting. The Rehabalitation Center evaluates and treats about 150 persons a year. Most come in voluntarily for help while others are brought in by family or, in a few cases, sent by the courts, - Treatment is given in three parts. First the patient and often his family are educated to what Is happening to the alcoholic as his drinking progresses. Many times this knowledge is sufficient motivation to stop the patients drinking. Mr. Moss said that the education program, conducted through an eight meeting orientation series is open to interested students stu-dents and professional workers. In the second phase, the patient is evaluated by members of five different professional disciplines, social work, psychology, vocational counseling, psychiatry, and internal medicine to locate the underlying problems and draw up a treatment plan. The third treatment phase is handled in individual or group therapy conducted by one of the five professionals. ALL TREATMENT is conducted on a out-patient basis, although Mr. Moss expressed hope that with the opening of the medical center, beds will be available. The Rehabilitation Center is a part of the University's Department of Preventive Medicine. Dr. Gordon Evans is the Medical Director of the center, which is sponsored and financed by the Utah State Board on Alcoholism. |