Alcohol addiction is a growing concern for many. Most victims admit the problem started as a coping mechanism for other underlying issues. However, alcohol addiction can quickly spiral and take over its victim’s life, finances, career, and relationship.
In dealing with alcohol addiction, victims are strongly advised to seek help from trusted rehabilitation facilities like Pacific Ridge in Portland. Help through such channels is presented in various forms. Find below the types of alcohol treatment programs and how each option may suit your treatment needs.
Types of Alcohol Treatments
People often view alcohol addiction treatment from a narrow standpoint. In most cases, people see treatment as available in two options; Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and residential rehabilitation programs. While these two are the most common programs, other less-known but equally results-driven programs exist to explore.
Before exploring the types of alcohol addiction treatment, you should know the levels of care available to patients. This information could help you choose the perfect treatment plan for your needs. They include;
Outpatient treatment: Involves regular office visits for medication support, counseling, or both. This does not require the patient to remain in a rehab facility.
Intensive outpatient or partial hospitalization: This treatment includes part hospitalization and subsequent outpatient visits to the rehabilitation center. It is often best for complex addiction treatment needs.
Residential treatment: Involves residing in a rehabilitation facility under the watch of addiction treatment professionals. This is a 24-hour treatment setting.
Intensive inpatient treatment: This is a medically directed 24-hour service, suitable for detox and managing withdrawal symptoms.
Determining the right level of care for each victim often depends on a medical evaluation from a qualified rehab specialist. These professionals can help decide what’s best for each level of addiction.
Medical Detox
Medical detox is an alcohol treatment program focusing on ridding the body of harmful and abused substances. This treatment is often the first step in the recovery process. Detox programs could be medically assisted, which means the patient is medicated to help manage withdrawal symptoms which could sometimes be life-threatening.
Getting the patient stable and their bodies purged from the abused substance creates a clean slate upon which addiction treatment can build.
Residential Inpatient Alcohol Treatment
This is an inpatient or residential alcohol treatment program that offers 24-hour rehabilitation services to victims in a controlled space. With this service, patients will have access to on-call medical and psychiatric services to monitor and evaluate their treatment progress.
This type of treatment focuses on recalibrating the brain away from substance abuse and dependence while also building new habits. A residential rehabilitation program will often incorporate a range of treatments and can last between 30 to 90 days. The intensive treatment allows patients to focus more on recovery while picking valuable life skills and new coping mechanisms.
Partial Hospitalization Program
This is also known as day programming and focuses on delivering intensive care to patients but with slight flexibility when compared to residential inpatient programs. This treatment allows patients to show up for treatment during the day and return home at the end.
The program is usually flexible and designed around 5 days a week with 4 minimum contact hours. This treatment program is most appropriate for people with supporting families, networks, and communities participating in the treatment plan.
An addiction victim may qualify for this treatment program based on an assessment from a qualified treatment specialist. Learn about what to expect in a drug rehab program
Intensive Outpatient Program
Intensive Outpatient programs focus mainly on addiction treatment and co-dependencies. This type of treatment offers intensive supervision to the addiction victim to ensure they stay true to the program.
Patients in this treatment program are allowed to continue their normal life outside of the treatment facility but will be required to show up for treatment regularly.
Unlike the partial hospitalization program, this treatment requires fewer contact hours but could start off with medical detoxification and the necessary routines surrounding it. With Intensive Outpatient Programs, patients will learn the important and healthy coping strategies needed to beat addiction and remain sober. They will also get an established support system with a relapse management structure.
Outpatient Alcohol Treatment
This type of rehabilitation program may operate from a variety of settings, including counseling clinics, hospitals, clinics, counselors’ offices, inpatient or outpatient rehab centers, or mental health clinics. The goal of the treatment is to keep the victim in shape and to help them continuously make the right decisions each day.
The outpatient rehabilitation program requires fewer contact sessions and can range from anything between one and three contact times weekly. Some treatment plans may require daily contact, depending on the goal and the timeline for it.
In an outpatient treatment program, patients are able to live at home, hold a job, and attend other social events due to the level of flexibility the treatment program offers.