Treatment Options
• One-on-one addiction counseling with a trained specialist or psychiatrist
• A free-standing or hospital-based outpatient, partial hospitalization or inpatient rehabilitation program
• A 12-Step program or fellowship, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA)

Note: Treatment programs and facilities can be non-profit or for-profit (private), and vary significantly in price. Also, an individual's level of addiction, as well as their mental and physical state should always be taken into consideration when choosing a treatment facility — are they a danger to themselves or the people around them?

How to Prevent It
Education. Teaching people, particularly those who are at a genetic risk for the disease, about alcoholism and drug addiction at a young age.

How It May End
• Clean and Sober — Unfortunately, only a small percentage of alcoholics and addicts ever get help, and if they do manage to get clean and sober, they can never drink or use again.
• Relapse — Relapsing after recovery is very common, but not always the end of the story. Some people have been known to relapse several times before coming to terms with a sober lifestyle.
• Death — Like all diseases, alcoholism and drug addiction kills.