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Treatment for an alcohol use disorder is necessary to create a healthy life and a fulfilling future in recovery. There are different types of treatment interventions that experts use to help people achieve and maintain sobriety. These interventions are available at varying levels of care depending on how severe the addiction is and what intensity of treatment it responds to. For most people, however, the very first and most appropriate step is joining a residential rehab.
What is an Alcohol Residential Rehab?
Residential rehab for alcohol is an inpatient treatment program that best suits individuals for people who are experiencing a severe form of alcohol disorder. These rehabs play a crucial role in maintaining long-term sobriety and provide individuals with several continuing care options upon discharge to promote recovery in the long run.
An alcohol residential rehabilitation offers the following services:
- Round-the-clock care, seven days a week
- Medical care as needed
- Safe and secure housing
- Structured and scheduled therapeutic activities and sessions in a supervised environment
- Therapeutic interventions to help clients live an alcohol-free life
- Provision of additional services, such as therapy, case management, housing, and legal assistance upon discharge
The ultimate goal of a residential detox program is to help clients learn strategies to live a life without using alcohol and form a lifestyle free from crime. Such rehabs are highly structured and can help people focus on recovery in a controlled and safe environment without any triggers and distractions in everyday life.
Most alcohol residential treatment centers provide 24/7 focus and care that help addicts detox safely under expert supervision. They also learn to manage their addiction without temptation or distraction and create a toolbox that supports their skills once they leave rehab. However, keep in mind that not all clinics for alcoholism treatment meet these goals, and there are certain elements that individuals must keep in mind before choosing one.
Types of Alcohol Residential Treatment Centers
Residential alcohol rehabilitation programs are of different types. These types differ from each other based on the focus of treatment, length of time, and services offered. However, the ultimate goal of all these settings is to help clients maintain and sustain sobriety while pushing them to begin a successful life in recovery.
Mentioned below is a brief overview of each type of alcohol residential program:
Long-Term Residential Treatment
- This treatment focuses on resocialization, for example, learning how to behave, think, make decisions, and interact without using alcohol.
- The treatment focuses on alcohol use disorder and its social and psychological implications.
- Treatment approaches included in this program are confrontational and challenge faulty beliefs and destructive self-concepts.
- Treatment takes place in a highly-structured environment
- Clients learn new ways to interact and socialize with others
- The duration of treatment is between six to twelve months
- The staff team and other residents form an integral part of the treatment process
- Clients receive ancillary services, like employment and housing
Short-Term Residential Treatment
- The program is brief and much more intensive.
- It bases its foundation on the 12-step approach and other principles from the Alcoholics Anonymous support group.
- It lasts for three to six weeks, followed by additional services
- The program aims at relapse prevention in clients once they leave the facility
- It focuses on safer detoxification and provides intensive counseling side by side
Recovery Housing
- It provides a supervised living space for recovering alcoholics for a shorter period
- It focuses on helping people transition into an independent life
- It follows a long- or short-term residential treatment program
- It includes teaching clients various life skills, such as managing personal finances, making connections in the community, and finding a job
FAQs
What is the duration of a residential alcohol treatment program?
The stay in a residential alcohol rehab may last from a few weeks up to a year. The exact duration varies depending on different factors, such as the severity of alcohol addiction and insurance coverage. Moreover, a client’s needs, past substance abuse history, and treatment goals also factor in as an expert determines an appropriate length of treatment. Listening to your clinician’s recommendations is essential because they have more experience treating addictions while reducing the associated risk of relapses.
How much do residential alcohol programs cost?
The cost of residential treatment for alcohol use disorder varies depending on different factors. Some factors that may influence the cost of treatment include the program’s services, insurance coverage, and duration of stay. For many clients, the insurance coverage can waive a significant amount from the total cost. For the rest who are unable to afford treatment, an excellent residential rehab may offer discounted rates or a sliding scale fee to make the program accessible to most people.
How Effective is Residential Alcohol Treatment?
Research has indicated a direct link between the duration of stay at a residential alcohol rehab and the treatment outcomes. Most studies in this regard have concluded that people who stay in these facilities for at least six months or more showed higher treatment success rates than those receiving short-term care.
The effectiveness of an alcohol rehab also depends on the choice of the treatment center and the elements it includes. For instance, a rehab that includes evidence-based therapies and follows individualized treatment plans to cater to each client individually is more likely to help clients achieve sobriety. Similarly, residential rehabs providing aftercare programs to clients also have higher success rates.
How is an alcohol residential rehab different from an inpatient rehab?
Many people use the terms residential rehab and inpatient rehab interchangeably because both programs take place in a controlled, highly structured, and intensive treatment. However, there are differences between the both in terms of focus, length of treatment, and intensity of services. Residential alcohol treatment includes daily living in a community facility that focuses on helping residents learn how to live alcohol-free lives by managing their triggers. On the other hand, inpatient rehab is a medically-managed level of care where nurses and doctors treat various psychological and medical problems associated with alcohol use. Counseling services are also available in inpatient treatment, but the primary goal is to assess and medically stabilize alcohol abuse in patients.
How to choose the best alcohol residential rehabilitation center?
Raise the following questions with the representative of rehab to make sure that you are joining an appropriate treatment center for alcohol addiction:
- Is the program accredited or licensed?
- How long does it run for, and what can I expect from it?
- What is the success rate of a program within one and five years?
- Does the program include specialized therapy and activities that may interest or benefit me?
- Will the program help me transition into ongoing care and support programs?
- What type of medical specialists run these programs?
- Is there 24-hour care available to all clients?
- Will I be able to contact my loved ones during treatment?
- Does the facility accept my insurance coverage to cover the treatment cost?
