Alcohol Detox

If you’re seeking alcohol addiction treatment for yourself or a loved one, it can be valuable to take the time to fully research your options. There is no single path to recovery that is ideal for every person. Instead, what’s most important is finding the provider whose services and approach to alcohol addiction treatment seem to align most closely with your needs and preferences (or those of your loved one).

When you are evaluating treatment providers, one of the first features to consider is which levels of care they provide. Depending on how you have been impacted by alcohol addiction, you may need to receive treatment at one or more of the following levels:

1. Detoxification: Commonly referred to as detox, detoxification is a short-term program that can help people progress through the alcohol withdrawal timeline as safely and comfortably as possible. Detox can be especially important for people who are at risk for developing delirium tremens.
2. Residential treatment: At the residential level, you will live at the facility where you’re receiving treatment. Features of residential care include full days of treatment, multiple forms of therapy, nutritious meals, and round-the-clock supervision.
3. Partial hospitalization program (PHP): Treatment in a PHP usually includes full days of care without a residential requirement. When the treatment day is done, you can return to your home or to a supported sober living environment.
4. Intensive outpatient program (IOP): IOPs typically offer partial days of treatment, three to five days per week. When the IOP is not in session, you may work part-time, attend classes, participate in volunteer activities, or otherwise engage in a healthy independent life. 
5. Outpatient rehab: Traditional outpatient services offer the greatest degree of flexibility. You may participate in treatment once or twice a week, or at a different frequency if that’s best for you.

Some people step down to PHPs, IOPs, or traditional outpatient rehabs for additional support after they have completed detox and/or residential programming. Others enter treatment directly at one of the outpatient levels.

Depending on which level of care you are in, your treatment may include elements such as the following:

1. Medication: Both during and after your time in detox, you may benefit from having certain prescription medications incorporated into your alcohol addiction treatment plan. 
2. Individual therapy: One-on-one conversations with an experienced professional can be ideal opportunities to process your experiences and discuss personal matters that you may be hesitant to bring up in a group setting.
3. Group therapy: During group sessions, you can gain vital insights into addiction and recovery, practice relapse-prevention skills, and share support with others who have had similar challenges and who are working toward a common goal.
4. Family therapy: Family therapy sessions can help your loved ones address how they have been impacted by your struggles with addiction. During family therapy, you and your loved ones can begin to mend your relationships and learn how to better support each other.
5. Trauma treatment: Many people who become addicted to alcohol have a history of untreated trauma. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and other appropriate trauma services can be an essential component of treatment for alcoholism.