Alcoholics often feel hopeless, but they can achieve lasting sobriety through alcohol addiction treatment. However, most people still don’t understand what goes on at alcohol addiction treatment centers. Here is a brief overview of the process of rehab for alcoholism.
Detoxification
When people seek first-time help with alcoholism, they typically suffer from extreme dependencies on toxic substances. Before they can effectively engage their therapies, they must detox to wean themselves off of alcohol and remove their constant compulsions to drink. This process takes one to two weeks and almost always entails a painful withdrawal. However, it is a crucial step in the longer process of recovery.
Inpatient Treatment
Most inpatients live at their treatment facilities for one month, but these programs can last as long as ninety days. This level of isolation and intensive therapy is typically necessary for inexperienced addicts to make the rapid lifestyle changes and mental adjustments necessary for sober living. However, inpatient treatment is only the beginning for some alcoholics.
Partial Hospitalization
Many people who attend alcohol addiction treatment need transitionary therapy before they can fully reintegrate into society. Partial hospitalization gives patients the chance to receive several hours of intensive therapies during the daytime but return to their homes at night under the supervision of clinic staff. This type of program can also work well for people with families or other personal obligations they can’t entirely ignore during rehab.
Outpatient Rehab
Finally, many addicts will make a final transition with outpatient treatment. Outpatients receive only a few hours of therapy per day, and they can spend the rest of their time as they need. This type of treatment works well for relapsed addicts, as well, though such a high level of freedom and responsibility is too much for severely addicted people.
Community Support
Many people who complete alcohol addiction treatment require addiction support for months or even years. Most communities in the United States contain support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous which allow people to congregate, share their daily struggles, and teach each other tips and techniques for staying sober. The accountability partnerships alcoholics form at these meetings can often mean the difference between relapse and lifelong sobriety.
Life After Relapse
Relapse is a likely event for most addicts, and good alcohol addiction treatment clinics will provide additional support for people who return to drugs or alcohol. For short-term relapse and one-time slip-ups, outpatient treatment can help alcoholics get back on the right track. When people return to heavy drinking for years on end, inpatient programs can help them address the reasons why they relapsed and develop better coping strategies than they had before.