An overview of outpatient and inpatient detoxification.

Alcohol Health & Research World lcohol detoxification can be defined as a period of medical treatment, usually including counseling, during which a person is helped to overcome physical and psychological dependence on alcohol (Chang and Kosten 1997). The immediate objectives of alcohol detoxification are to help the patient achieve a substancefree state, relieve the immediate symptoms of withdrawal, and treat any comorbid medical or psychiatric conditions. These objectives help prepare the patient for entry into long-term treatment or rehabilitation, the ultimate goal of detoxification (Swift 1997). The objectives of longterm treatment or rehabilitation include the long-term maintenance of the alcohol-free state and the incorporation of psychological, family, and social interventions to help ensure its persistence (Swift 1997). Alcohol detoxification can be completed safely and effectively in both inpatient and outpatient treatment settings. This article describes the advantages and disadvantages of inpatient and outpatient detoxification programs and considers the influence that the detoxification setting may have on long-term treatment outcomes.