What Are the Main Treatments Available in Alcohol Rehab?

Accepting that you or someone you love needs treatment for alcohol addiction can be extremely difficult. The stigmas that surround addiction are severe and cause many individuals to suffer in silence rather than ask for the help they need. If you have decided to seek treatment at an alcohol detox or alcohol rehab center in Florida, we know that being able to anticipate what your treatment will be like is extremely important to making the transition.

At Summer House Detox Center, we offer alcohol detox in Florida where you can safely begin your journey of recovery. Once you finish our detox program, we offer certain rehab treatment options, though not all those mentioned below are part of our services. We are also happy to help you make the transition from detox to rehab with the help of our trained staff. If you are looking for a particular treatment option, please call our 24-hour hotline at 800-719-1090 and we will be happy to help you find the best option for alcohol rehab in Florida to suit your needs.

What Is Alcohol Rehab?

Alcohol rehab is a type of treatment program that provides people with new ways of viewing their addiction to alcohol as well as ways to avoid a return to alcohol abuse in the future. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, many people think of alcohol rehab simply as a 30-day treatment program where patients do not leave the facility. The truth is, however, there are many other forms of alcohol rehab, such as

• Long-term inpatient programs.
• Short-term inpatient programs.
• Partial hospitalization programs.
• Intensive outpatient programs.
• Regular outpatient programs.

The type of rehab program you choose may depend on the decisions you make with your doctors and other members of treatment staff during your detox program. Different types of facilities offer different types of treatment and individual programs may offer more options than others. Some are more intensive while others may be more expensive; all of these variables can change their available treatment options.

Main Treatments Available in Alcohol Rehab

Most alcohol rehab centers offer at least two types of alcohol addiction treatment options. These are medications and behavioral therapies.

Medications

• Several medications have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat alcohol use disorders, according to the National Library of Medicine.
• Medications can be helpful during alcohol rehab because they make it easier to avoid abusing alcohol and to deal with the issues that come from alcohol abuse and addiction-like withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
• Different options may be better for different individuals, but most rehab centers will offer you at least one if not more of the following options, depending on which suits your needs.

• • Disulfiram is the first of three medicines used to treat alcoholism. It causes the onslaught of unpleasant effects whenever someone drinks alcohol. These can include flushing of the skin, nausea, and stomachaches. Disulfiram is usually best used during some form of outpatient treatment where the individual has a potential for alcohol use they will need to avoid.
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  • Naltrexone is a drug that blocks the opioid receptors in your brain so that you cannot feel the pleasant effects of alcohol. The drug also works for opioid abuse. It can help reduce cravings for alcohol, too, which makes people much less likely to drink. It is usually most effective for those in outpatient treatment, although it can be helpful during inpatient care as well.
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  • Acamprosate is the final medication used to treat alcohol addiction. Those who have stopped drinking and have gone through alcohol withdrawal can use this medication. It helps to minimize feelings of cravings for alcohol.
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Behavioral therapies

• Behavioral therapies are the most commonly used treatment option when it comes to addiction recovery (National Institute on Drug Abuse or NIDA).
• This type of treatment is so effective because it helps people understand why they started drinking in the first place as well as how to avoid drinking in the future. Behavioral therapies help people redefine and change their behavior for the better.
• In addition, behavioral therapies help people work on their co-occurring disorders. According to NIDA, mental disorders like anxiety, schizophrenia, depression, and others often occur in tandem with addiction, leading to more intensified effects of both illnesses. Behavioral therapy can treat both at the same time.
• Some of the most commonly used behavioral therapies in alcohol rehab include those listed below.

• • Cognitive-behavioral therapy (also known as CBT) is a therapy program that helps people learn to better identify their feelings and control their behaviors. It utilizes the learning process to allow patients to build better coping skills.
    
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• • Motivational enhancement therapy works on helping patients become more motivated toward their treatment. The program helps patients see the benefits of recovery and begin to focus on the ways in which their lives can change for the better.
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  • Brief interventions are just as they sound. Patients briefly meet with a therapist one to four times, and their therapist gives them exercises that will better help them cope in a life without substance abuse.
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  • Twelve-step facilitation therapy is a therapeutic program that is based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. It helps the patient work through these steps before or during their transition into Alcoholics Anonymous.
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  • Couples and family counseling are also very common treatments in alcohol rehab. Families and couples can sit down with a therapist and work through the problems addiction has caused in all of their lives. This can help to rebuild trust and mend fences.
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One, some, or all of these treatments may be effective for you at some point during your alcoholism recovery. Rehab centers usually offer a combination of at least one type of medication and behavioral therapy so you can build the strongest recovery possible.

Other Available Treatment Options in Alcohol Rehab

Alcohol rehab centers usually offer other treatment options as well, but these can differ based on the type of center, its cost, and other variables, as stated above. Here are some of the other treatment options certain alcohol rehab centers may offer:

• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA): Most rehab centers offer at least the option to attend AA meetings, either onsite or at a different location. Sometimes, these meetings are mandatory.
• Al-Anon: Al-Anon is an offshoot of AA for people whose loved ones struggle with addiction. It can be a helpful choice for you if you have other people in your life who struggle with addiction. Or, your family members, spouse, or friends may want to attend one of these meetings as a way for them to begin healing.
• Medical treatment: Many rehab centers have 24-hour access to medical treatment, nurses, and doctors in case you start to experience side effects of your alcohol abuse or another, co-occurring disorder. Alternatively, you may not require 24-hour access to medical treatment, so some rehab centers provide weekly sessions with a doctor just to ensure a healthy recovery. At Summer House Detox Center, we offer 24-hour medical care.
• Fitness services: At Summer House Detox Center, we offer a number of fitness services because exercise has been proven to be an effective supplemental treatment for addiction. We offer yoga and Tai Chi classes as well as gym equipment. Many rehab centers offer these types of services.
• Holistic treatments: Certain treatments go beyond treating the symptoms associated with addiction and treat the whole individual. These are called holistic treatments.

• • We offer a number of them at Summer House Detox Center, including

• • • Yoga.
    • Massage.
    • Tai Chi.
    • Hydrotherapy.
    • Arts & crafts.

• • Other holistic treatments offered as part of alcohol rehab might include

• • • Acupuncture.
    • Brainwave biofeedback therapy.
    • Aromatherapy.
    • Herbal therapy.
    • Coloring therapy.
    • Animal therapy.
    • Music or performance therapy.
    • Journaling.
    • Meditation.
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Many rehab facilities offer other options to facilitate a comfortable recovery, such as full and nutritious meals, private rooms in hotel-like accommodations, and entertainment. At Summer House Detox Center, we offer all these and more, as well as the main treatments necessary for a safe alcohol recovery program.

If you or someone you know is in need of alcohol detox in Fort Lauderdale, give Summer House Detox Center a call at 800-719-1090 to schedule a FREE consultation. You can also visit us at 13550 Memorial Highway Miami, FL 33161. We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.