Types of Alcohol Rehab

Alcohol rehabilitation is the educational, therapeutic process of initiating recovery from alcohol addiction.  The first step in the alcohol rehabilitation process is detoxification of the body physically and emotionally stabilizing the individual.  Once a person is detoxified, they are ready to begin a treatment rehabilitation treatment.

Alcohol rehabilitation treatment is tailored to the individual needs of the patient.  Patients will learn to control their condition and eventually lead a normal, productive life.  Throughout the rehabilitation process, patients will be educated about their disease and will learn a variety of behavioral changes that will help them adjust to leading a happier, healthier life.

The long-term goal of alcohol rehabilitation is to enable the patient to achieve lasting abstinence from alcohol and rehabilitation of alcoholism.  The immediate goal of alcohol rehabilitation is to eliminate the use of alcohol and improve the patient’s ability to function while minimizing the medical and social complications of alcohol use.

Alcohol rehabilitation can be done at a variety of intensity levels including:

1. Inpatient detoxification
2. Residential treatment
3. Partial Hospitalization Programs
4. Intensive Outpatient
5. Outpatient

Inpatient detoxification

In-patient detoxification involves a stay in a residential treatment facility or a hospital/medical setting.  In-patient detoxification has a very high success rate and is usually used by those individuals who have not had success with other types of treatment options.  In-patient addiction treatment is also useful for those individuals who do not have a healthy support system in place or who may have a negative lifestyle, which is not supportive or conducive to treatment and recovery.

Most in-patient alcohol treatment centers require a complete lifestyle change.  In-patient alcohol treatment offers a holistic approach to dealing with alcohol addiction by addressing the physical aspects of the addiction as well as the psychological.  Therapy will generally involve an intensive detoxification (ridding the body of the toxic substance) as well as a total lifestyle change including exercise, nutritional support and vitamin supplements (“getting rid of the bad and replacing with the good”).  In addition, a wide variety of therapeutic outlets will be provided for the alcoholic’s psychological needs including individual, group and family counseling.

Residential Treatment

Residential treatment is alcohol rehabilitation that is offered in a residential setting where the patient will be surrounded by other alcoholics suffering from the disease of alcoholism.  This type of setting provides an in-house support network of a wide variety of people all of whom are united in their desire to be rid of the negative effects that alcohol has on their lives. A residential treatment center allows the patient to see the impact that the disease has had on others, as well as how they can relate these experiences to their own lives.

Partial-Hospitalization Programs

Partial-Hospitalization Programs are short-term rehab, comprehensive treatment programs that provide support and treatment for alcoholism.  PHP is more intensive than traditional outpatient care.  PHP provides medical monitoring, therapeutic groups and activities.  PHP’s typically last 1-3 weeks and allow the patients to return home to their families/support systems each evening.

Intensive Outpatient/Outpatient Rehabilitation

Outpatient alcohol rehab center is generally less intensive and is designed for the individual who can generally abstain from alcohol on their own, but may need educational support, guidance and counseling on their road to recovery.  Outpatient treatment allows the individual to continue to live a “normal” life by going about their daily routine such as work, school, etc.  Outpatient treatment usually has a variety of day/time options for the individual and will include everything from education on the specific addiction to group, individual and family counseling for the addict and his/her family. 

Intensive outpatient rehabilitation provides the individual with intensive treatment while allowing them to maintain a “normal” life via work, school, home, etc.  This type of program is usually offered in the evenings in order to accommodate most work schedules.

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