Treatment Options for Alcohol Use Disorders

Alcohol use disorders can be difficult to manage on your own, but with the proper support and treatment, overcoming them is possible. This article will discuss the alcohol use disorders, their symptoms, and the different treatment options available today.

Managing alcohol use disorders starts with a medical detox, but detox alone should not be considered treatment. Choosing a detox facility that facilitates care from other providers ensures you or your loved one gets support in selecting a suitable treatment option as the next step. As Chief Clinical Officer at Restored Path Detox, Dr. John Dyben, DHSc, MCAP, CMHP, says, “The best way to make sure that you never have to go to detox more than once is to have solid care following detox.”

Restored Path Detox provides full service to people with alcohol use disorders throughout Dallas-Fort Worth. Restored Path Detox will help you identify if a residential program, Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), or another option is right for you after detox.

What is an Alcohol Use Disorder?

An alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a diagnosable condition in which a person experiences problems with their drinking. Some AUD problems may look like drinking more than you intended or planned for, continuing to drink despite experiencing negative consequences from alcohol use, and having an intense craving for alcohol even when not drinking.

Why Does Someone Need a Treatment Program?

Alcohol use disorder is a chronic medical condition that affects the brain. It’s not a moral failing or a sign of personal weakness, and it can be treated like any other disease. In addition to the physical symptoms of withdrawal, alcohol use disorder can cause people to lose control over their drinking habits and experience negative consequences in their lives, such as financial problems, legal trouble, and even domestic violence. These effects may lead them to seek treatment for help quitting alcohol or reducing their drinking habits so they don’t harm themselves or others any more than they already have been doing due to their addiction.

Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment

Various treatment options are available to help you or your loved one recover from an alcohol use disorder. These include both structured and unstructured treatments, as well as inpatient or outpatient programs. Depending on your preferences and needs, treatment options can also be individual or group therapy. The most common forms of structured treatment for alcohol use disorders include residential care and Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs).

Inpatient Detox Programs

These facilities offer supervised withdrawal management services under medical supervision until withdrawal symptoms subside. During detox, physicians and nurses will monitor your vital signs, such as heart rate and blood pressure, and check how well their patients tolerate the process and ensure they are comfortable. A detox program shouldn’t be seen as a form of treatment but rather as the first of several steps to becoming sober and staying in recovery long-term. The severity of your addiction and whether or not you have other health issues that need to be addressed during detoxification can affect how long you need to stay in an inpatient detox program. Restored Path is DFW’s premier location for sophisticated alcohol detox in Dallas.

Residential Care

This type of program involves living at the facility where you receive treatment services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for 30 days up to several months. You’ll have access to medical professionals specializing in substance use issues and round-the-clock support from other recovering addicts who understand what it means to live with this condition daily. Group meetings led by therapists specializing in treating people with addiction problems are a core element of residential care. Here you would also receive an individualized treatment plan based on your needs. One of the main benefits of residential care is staying in a safe environment where you can focus on getting better without distractions or temptations from your everyday life.

Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs)

IOP is usually offered in the evenings or on weekends and can occur either on an outpatient basis or in a residential setting. In an IOP, you would attend group counseling sessions three times per week but return home between sessions to maintain your daily routines without missing too much time away from work, school, and family commitments. This program allows you to practice new skills to replace old behaviors that led to or involved drinking. For example, an IOP can be suitable for someone who is not ready for the commitment of residential treatment or someone who has finished residential treatment and wants a more involved transition back to their work and home environments. Education on the disease of addiction, relapse prevention skills training, and other types of therapy are other components of an IOP.

Sober Living Homes and Halfway Houses

Sober living homes and halfway houses are a type of residential treatment program that typically provides residents with a safe and supportive environment in which they can live while learning how to live sober. These programs are intended for people who have been recently discharged from an inpatient treatment center or who may not need the intensity of an inpatient program while still needing support as they transition back into their community.

Help for Alcohol Use Disorders at Restored Path Detox

If you or someone you love is struggling with an alcohol use disorder, Restored Path Detox is ready to help. Our medically-monitored detox program for the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is equipped and staffed to support young adults, the middle-aged, and seniors to end alcohol use and prepare for a treatment program. Also, Restored Path Detox works with most insurance companies to reduce the financial costs associated with getting sober.

Restored Path Detox is DFW’s premier location for sophisticated medical detox. Conveniently located in Frisco, we provide a safe sanctuary for healing that is also a state-of-the-art detoxification facility for a wide range of substances. Our compassionate physicians and therapists want you to get well and are committed to removing any existing barriers to your care. Restored Path’s board-certified medical professionals and highly qualified nursing team have extensive critical care experience and are available to monitor your detox program 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you or a loved one are struggling with drug or alcohol use, contact us today and take your first step towards recovery: 469-827-0000.