Customer Reviews

Alcohol Withdrawal Treatment Manual (Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment series)

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Finally A comprehensive well written approach to the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome! After several years working in the alcoholism treatment field, and having read many works aimed at increasing awareness, the Alcohol Withdrawal Treatment Manual is a breath of fresh air! Most publications to date have proven to be retreads of out-dated treatment stratagies. This work however has taken a bold new approach. Their AWS Typology has clearly defined how to treat the distinctly different symptoms related to alcohol withdrawal. They also have developed a tool to assess and monitor symptoms that seems to be incredibly accurate and easy to use. This is a major change from the tools that have previously been used. This was one of the most enlightning works i've read on the subject in many years. It is a MUST read for medical students, nurses, and counselors. If you work in the field of addiction this will be a welcome addition to your library.

The book shows that the authors have had experience in dealing with alcoholism and withdrawl symptoms, and managed to compress a lot of information in a relatively small volume. However, although the book is presumably written for the lay person, there is a lot of jargon used in the manual that most people do not understand, and there should be at least an appendix in the book, where terms are introduced and explained. For example Central Nervous System, Autonomous Nervous System, Peripheral Nervous System, Sympathetic Nervous System, Parasympathetic Nervous System,neurons, action potential,resting potential, disinhibition,ataxia,depolarization,hyperpolarization, synapses,postsynapses,etc. An explanation of how positive allosteric modulators (such as diazepines)of the neurotransmitter receptor GABA(A)when bound to diazepine receptors cause inhibitory effects by increasing the conductance of this channel.