What Can I Expect from an Alcohol Abuse Treatment Center?

Alcohol abuse treatment centers are there to deliver treatment therapy for those who feel or in fact have lost control of their dependency upon alcohol. There are different types of treatment center ranging from inpatient residential facilities to outpatient and outreach programs. Very often given the close association or dual diagnosis of drugs used with alcohol, you find alcohol abuse treatment centers co-existing with drug rehab facilities.

An alcohol abuse treatment center may focus on a particular age group, usually adolescents, to the exclusion of adults. Here they will deliver the specialized support and treatment necessary for such young adults and usually include a child or adolescent psychiatrist on their staff.

Inpatient Alcohol Abuse Treatment Center

Generally, inpatient care is required for those who present a lengthy history of alcohol abuse and of trying to maintain sobriety. Often patients will have a very long history of previous attempts to beat the dependency and overcome the addiction. Usually such an alcohol abuse treatment center will be located within the confines of a hospital however it is also common to find them located in fairly remote settings to remove environmental and social pressures that may have been contributing to the addictive cycle.

Treatment at an inpatient alcohol abuse treatment center tends to be rigid and highly formalized with the emphasis upon clinical diagnosis and delivery of treatment.

Residential Alcohol Abuse Treatment Centers

Treatment centers such this, though requiring the patient to live in, are not as structured as those in a hospital environment. Such an alcohol abuse treatment center is likely to cater for shorter term residential therapies depending on the severity and history of the alcohol addiction. Usually such a center offers a more relaxed and less formal regime for treating the patient as well which in some instances is more appropriate for recovery.

Outpatient Alcohol Abuse Treatment Center

Being treated as an outpatient may be far more appropriate for a patient if it means they can maintain their employment and family connections. Very often treatment at such an alcohol abuse treatment center is appropriate particularly if the level of dependency is mild or has so far not been long lived. Frequently such a facility is appropriate for young adults and adolescents who have not developed a severe alcohol dependency and the issue is a recent occurrence in their lives.

The level of success in such a treatment center does depend in large measure on the level of commitment to the treatment program and the level of support from the patients family and support network.

Alcohol Detox Centers

Detoxification is necessary prior to other forms of treatment to overcome the dependency. Choose a detox facility that is also licensed as a medical facility. Undergoing detoxification can and does cause severe complications for the patient, so medical supervision is highly recommended and needs to be taken into account when selecting an alcohol abuse treatment center.

12 Step Alcohol Rehab Centers

Alcoholics Anonymous developed the 12 Step model for breaking the cycle of addiction and overcoming dependency. Alcohol abuse treatment centers may adopt this methodology within their own treatment regime as many patients find it easier when making the transfer from being an inpatient to being discharged and receiving treatment as an outpatient, and finally into the community based 12 Step support program. The vast majority of alcohol abuse treatment center use the 12 Step model as the basis for delivering treatment.

Alternative Alcohol Abuse Treatment Center

About 90% of alcohol rehab centers use the 12 Step Model for delivering treatment to patients, however for a minority there are alternatives as the 12 Step Model does not work for everyone. Some of the alternative treatments available include largely therapy based methodologies such as matrix model therapy, supportive expressive therapy and individual addiction counseling.

Still others approach the issue of alcohol dependency not as a disease but as a faith based issue requiring religious and spiritual acceptance in the patients life.

Adolescent Alcohol Abuse Treatment Center

Children on the verge of becoming adults are faced with a perturbing time of life and alcohol being widely available, it is not surprising that many teenagers succumb to it. Teenagers require specialist care and do not generally respond well to treatment in an adult environment. To this end, it is common to find that an alcohol abuse treatment center will deal only with adolescents and provide the services to deliver care to them.

Dual Diagnosis – Drug Rehab and the Alcohol Abuse Treatment Center

It is frequently found that alcohol dependency is found to be only one addiction that a patient is suffering and usually drug dependency goes hand-in-hand with alcoholism. This is known as dual diagnosis. It is common to find that drug rehab facilities are offered by an alcohol abuse treatment center or closely co-exist with a drug rehab unit.

The treatment of a patient with additional conditions aside from alcohol dependency requires special care and attention, as well as the ability to coordinate therapies that may actually conflict within the patient. It is essential when looking at an alcohol abuse treatment center that you fully take into account the patients needs and treat them for all their conditions or risk replacing one dependency with another, or indeed increase the risk of relapse.

The decision to seek treatment is a brave step towards overcoming alcohol dependency. Alcoholism affects millions of lives leading to divorce, job loss, social and medical issues, suicide and criminal behavior. Alcohol dependency is a lifelong disease and treating it is a lifelong challenge. The vast weight of medical and professional opinion is that abstinence is the only successful methodology available and that one drink is one too many.

Deciding on your choice of alcohol abuse treatment center will mean equipping yourself with enough information to understand what is being offered and being able to ask appropriate questions in order to make an informed decision. No question is stupid, if you are not sure ask again and if you feel that you are not getting the answers you need do not hesitate to look elsewhere.