Alcohol Treatment Programs

Detoxification is the beginning of nearly every alcohol treatment program. This is basically the process of allowing the body to adjust to not having alcohol in it's system. It is usually done under close medical supervision, since the withdrawal symptoms can be quite severe. Typically, alcohol withdrawals are more dangerous than drug withdrawals. These symptoms will usually last for several days before the body gets used to not having the alcohol.

Behavior Modification

This first group of alcohol treatment programs can be classified as behavioral treatments. The first is Alcoholics Anonymous, which has been a popular treatment method for many years. It's basically a support system that is based on a twelve-step program. The support comes from attending meetings with other recovering addicts.

Another type of alcohol treatment program is Motivational Enhancement Therapy. This program will address the specific causes of the addiction and formulate a series of reasons to motivate the addict to quit. This is different than guiding a person through a series of steps designed for recovery. This program is designed to cause the patient to come up with reasons to change their behavior.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy is another type of alcohol treatment program that is designed to recognize the risk factors and situations in which a relapse may occur. This is done by role-playing and practicing the possible responses to those situations.

In many cases, alcohol treatment programs include the use of various medications to assist in the recovery process. These medications can be used to combat withdrawal symptoms, as well as fight cravings. Other medications used for the treatment of alcohol abuse are called aversive medications. These medications will cause unpleasant reaction when alcohol is introduced into the system. Other medications are used to treat the depression and anxiety symptoms that often accompany alcohol addiction.

There are as many different types of alcohol treatment programs and centers as there are alcoholics. Some are done on an outpatient basis, and some require a stay in a treatment center. All of them provide some type of counseling for the patient, and some even offer counseling for their loved ones as well. Many times, a person's alcohol addiction affects their family members as much as themselves. If it's time for you to get serious about living a clean and sober life, talk to your family health care provider to help you determine what kind of alcohol treatment program is best for you.

In recent times, nearly 14 million Americans are suffering from alcohol related problems. As supported by American Psychological Association, it is hypothesized that these individuals are suffering from a disease, referred to as alcohol dependence disorder. There are a multitude of alcohol treatment centers distributed around the nation. These centers offer help in treating the patients with alcohol dependence problem.

Types of Centers

Alcohol treatment centers facilitate a wide range of approaches in order to offer help to the victims by recognizing and evaluating the complications. The most common types of alcohol treatment centers include outpatient, inpatient, short-term and residential alcohol treatment approaches. Many patients prefer residential alcohol treatment approach since the patients are allowed to continue in a favorable environment with continuous assistance and supervision from staff.

Duration

The duration of residential alcohol treatment program generally varies in length, ranging from 30 days to a couple of months. In some cases, it may even extend up to a year or so. Generally the average length of stay comprises of six to eight months. In the residential alcohol treatment, the treatment plan is usually designed on basis of client's individualized needs.

General Structure

Generally, the residential alcohol treatment programs facilitate their patients sober living residences in order to assist them in overcoming their addiction problem in a structured and supportive environment. Similar to the conventional mode of treatment, these programs also include psychotherapeutic intervention, pharmacological intervention, counseling accompanied by throughout-the-day supervision.

Typically, the program is structured to include a whole host of components such as assessment, individualized treatment strategies, weekly goal setting, life skills education, anger management, spiritual life enhancement, family support groups, recreation therapy, relapse prevention and recovery skills, and aftercare.

Availability

The availability of residential alcohol treatment program is quite abundant in the United States. Alice's Wonderland Residential Treatment Center for Women (AWRTCW) is a center offering residential alcohol treatment facilities exclusively to women. It is located in Arizona. Apart from that, New Found Life Residential Treatment Center, Spencer Recovery Center, Choices Residential Treatment are just to name a few.

Other Relevant Information

Not all but many residential alcohol treatment centers also facilitate special programs for patients with different critical disorders such as HIV/AIDS, seniors or older adults, or criminal justice clients. The payment, in most of the cases, can be made by either self payment or through private health insurance. The range of payment may vary between $800 and $3000 per month.