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Canada has long fought an invisible war against alcoholism. It has been rampant in Canada due to several factors chilling winters ,local traditions, culture to name a few of the reasons . The Canadian government and private organizations has brought out several initiatives to prevent and treat alcoholism and alcohol related disorder. One of such initiatives is the alcohol treatment centers. One of the main functions of the sites is to provide expert counseling to all alcohol related issues like addiction, adult children alcoholics, family issues and codependency. The main idea behind these institutes is to bring hope, healing, renewal and spiritual growth. Most of these institutes act as home away from home kind of retreats by providing home like private accommodations which act as an affordable alternative to other traditional facilities.
Alcohol treatment is the work of provincial and local governments however there has been an increasing amount of influence of the federal government on these issues. Alcohol treatment in Canada has gone a drastic change during the last fifty years. In the forties alcohol treatment was more of a moralistic Endeavour than anything else. There were hardly any treatment agencies except a few private asylums that came up during the time. Also treatment was provided in prisons too however it still remained far away from the reach of a normal person.
1960 saw a characteristic a change in attitudes to alcoholism and, to a lesser extent, changes in attitudes to problems involving other drugs. A major influence during this period was the growth of Alcoholics Anonymous.
This organization was formed in 1965 by bill Wilson and doctor bob smith who both had past problems with alcohol and were still struggling with it. Both from there previous experiences with alcohol knew much about alcoholism and how its process work .so they formed a support community where alcoholics would sit and talk among themselves and support each other in staying sober
Alcohol anonymous believes in the treatment of alcoholism through spiritual awakening. So it can also be termed a religious cult in its own sense. They had formulated a twelve step theory for alcohol treatment. The Steps are designed to help the alcoholic achieve a spiritual, emotional and mental state conducive to lasting sobriety.
Most states now have departments on alcohol, commissions or foundations to provide or coordinate addiction treatment services, also many new services are been established. Initially, these agencies were principally concerned with alcohol-related problems but later, as problems with other drugs began to increase; their mandates were expanded to encompass problems involving other drugs.
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