Over 50% of patients that joined rehabilitation programs dropped out within three months. Although it is not the sole factor, one of the reasons is a lack of familiarity with treatment programs.

When patients join rehab, they find a mismatch in their expectations and the program. This leads them to leave before completing the program.

The best rehabs tailor care to the individual. Because of that, liquor addiction treatment can differ from one person to another. There are still basic structures to addiction treatment programs. In this article, we discuss everything you have to expect in a liquor addiction treatment center.

Signs of Liquor Abuse

Addiction to liquor can cause plenty of damage to a person’s life and those around them. To receive proper care, one must first recognize the warning signs of alcohol abuse.

Unfortunately, there is no standard way to determine if a person is an alcoholic. Some people hide their addiction via private drinking and isolation from others. This makes it harder for friends and family to step in for support.

Regardless, there are still common symptoms of liquor abuse, they include;

  • High frequency of short term memory loss or temporary blackouts
  • Extreme mood swings and repeated exhibitions of irritability
  • Picking drinking over personal and professional responsibilities
  • Proclivity for secretive drinking
  • Finding any excuse to drink, such as using liquor for stress relief or to feel ‘normal.’
  • If you see these signs in yourself or someone close to you, they might be struggling with alcoholism.

What’s more, there are screening tools to determine if a person is dealing with liquor abuse. One of them is CAGE, a questionnaire that measures the seriousness of a drinking problem. Here are the four screening questions:

  • Do you ever feel bad or guilty about your drinking?
  • Do people annoy you by criticizing your drinking?
  • Did you ever feel you should cut down on your drinking?
  • Did you ever have a drink first thing in the morning just to steady your nerves or to reduce a hangover?

If the answer to two or more CAGE questions is yes, the respondent is likely dealing with alcohol abuse. If this is the case, they need a liquor addiction treatment center.

Things Expect in a Liquor Addiction Treatment Center

When patients understand the treatment program, they have higher motivation to finish them. The chances of success improve and, more assuredly, get your life back on track.

Before you begin your recovery, here are eight things to expect in a liquor addiction treatment center.

Prepare for intake assessment (Check-in)

The first thing you will encounter when you sign up for alcohol rehab is ‘Intake Assessment.’ It involves disclosing the nature of your alcohol abuse. Some of the questions are how often you drink and the last time you drank. This assessment can take place in the form of an oral interview or questionnaire.

The assessment involves a lot of personal questions. At this stage, your privacy will feel invaded by a total stranger who may not be the one to administer care.

But it is worth remembering that this feeling is not as important as the goal. Collecting relevant information helps treatment staff design a personalized treatment plan for your physical and psychological needs.

Asides from these questions, the check-in also involves physical exams and drug testing. They are part of essential recommendations by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

When you are going through this stage of the process, it is crucial to stay honest and hold nothing back. Your instinct might be to hold back and conceal the truth. But it only hinders your chances of getting the most out of your stay at the treatment center.

There might be a difficult period of detoxification

There might be a difficult period of detoxification

Once you are in, the first step of any treatment plan is withdrawal from alcohol. This is detoxing, a process of getting your body to adapt to the absence of alcohol in your bloodstream. It is the most challenging part of liquor addiction treatment.

The entire process is uncomfortable. There are also physical and psychological symptoms that could be mild or severe. In the worst cases, they are even dangerous. Some of the physical symptoms include:

  • Headache
  • Fever
  • Seizures
  • Shakiness
  • Sweating and clamminess
  • Nausea and rapid or irregular heartbeat

There are also psychological symptoms:

  • Depression
  • Agitation
  • Hallucinations
  • Mood swings
  • Insomnia and nightmares
  • Anxiety

Not everyone will experience every single symptom. Seizures, fever, and hallucinations are more likely in extreme cases of addiction withdrawal. They can also be life-threatening—all the more reason to be honest during the check-in stage. It will ensure you receive adequate medical attention during this process.

Except in severe cases, you only need a supportive environment during detoxification. A liquor rehab will likely provide that in the form of;

  • Room with soft lighting
  • Healthy food and lots of fluids
  • A quiet place
  • Limited contact with people

The symptom timeline varies depending on the severity of the alcohol use disorder. But, it usually lasts a week, and the worst of it happens within the first 72 hours. Once a person has completed detox, the therapy will start.

There are early mornings and healthy breakfasts

If you opt for outpatient treatment, i.e., going to rehab from home, you may not have to worry about this. Outpatient recovery programs need 10-12 hours in a treatment center per week. But these meetings do not have to be in the morning.

Inpatient therapy involves staying at a treatment center. The treatment programs are structured and organized with strict schedules. And it starts with having early mornings.

Patients are expected to wake up early to enjoy a healthy breakfast. Sleeping in is out of the question, and nurses will often go around to make sure everyone is awake.

Asides from enjoying a healthy meal, you will take your medications. In some cases, you have to take care of some chores. Some liquor addiction treatment centers also offer morning exercises, like yoga. Some also offer meditation classes to help you start your day in a relaxed state of mind.

Additionally, mornings at a rehab also involve meetings with a therapist or counselor. It could be an individual or group meeting. The exact form depends on the specifics of your treatment plan.

You might face a period of resistance and acclimatization. But you should remember that it is entirely normal and part of the recovery process. The goal is to help you develop new and healthy habits that remain part of your daily life post-treatment.

Individual therapy involves a lot of sharing

In liquor addiction treatment centers, individual therapy applies to inpatient and outpatient treatments. Treatment does not apply to physical symptoms alone. Rehab also involves treating the psychological root of the addiction. Together, they provide a holistic approach to addiction therapy.

People struggling with alcoholism often deal with mental disorders like anxiety and depression. As a result, cognitive therapy is necessary, and this involves sharing personal matters.

For most people, this aspect of the recovery program is daunting. It requires trusting personal matters with a stranger, even when they are well-qualified. It also requires confronting repressed emotions and truths.

These meetings usually happen in the therapist’s office or any other private location. The exact duration and frequency also vary and can range between one hour per day or per week.

As difficult as sharing is, doing so helps you take an honest look at yourself and the impact of your addiction. What’s more, the therapist will help you identify addiction triggers and teach you how to deal with them.

After some time, sharing becomes easier and almost routine. It will provide further insight into who you are, why you are the way you are, and help you heal.

Asides from cognitive therapy, individual therapy can take other forms.

Drug and alcohol rehabs also have supplemental therapies. They could recommend them for you, or you can sign up for one voluntarily. They include:

  • Dance therapy
  • Exercise programs
  • Art or music therapy
  • Biofeedback
  • Equine therapy

There is family or relationship therapy

Most liquor addiction treatment centers include family therapy alongside individual therapy. There are two primary reasons for this;

  • Family support is a crucial treatment element.
  • Family or relationship dynamics contribute to a person’s addiction and recovery.

Family support provides an endless source of strength for the person in treatment. It can boost the individual’s self-esteem, serving as a reminder that the patient is well-loved. Furthermore, it says their family believes in their ability to overcome the addiction.

That is why many rehab facilities bring in family members or partners. To remind patients of what they stand to gain or lose by putting in the required work for their recovery.

Next, negative emotions involving family members may be contributing to the addiction. It could also include partners in the case of the unmarried.

For this reason, treatment centers organize family therapy to provide a safe space for all parties to express their honest feelings. Also, they can learn how past and present actions may be contributing to the disorder.

Family counseling is necessary for recovery because it acknowledges mistakes and issues. It also paves the way for healing and continued growth.

Additionally, these sessions teach members about the dynamics of addiction. They teach ideal ways to support the patient to ensure the program’s long-term success.

Finally, the implementation of family therapy differs between programs. Some involve family members in the program from the get-go till the end. Others only request meetings when family members visit during treatment.

12-Step Meetings (Group therapy)

Asides from individual therapy, group sessions are intricate parts of addiction recovery programs. They are safe, respectful, and anonymous environments for participants to share their stories.

Individual therapies are more about unpacking lasting psychological challenges. They are also about providing practical tools to deal with them. But group therapy focuses on forging a bond with people fighting similar battles. It is about creating a network of recovering alcoholics that a person can rely on, after the program.

This happens in the form of 12-step meetings. They are mutual aid treatment programs that have been in existence since the 1930s. They are overseen by different organizations; the most popular being Alcoholics Anonymous.

In these meetings, participants must go through a process that involves;

  • Admitting they cannot control their compulsion to liquor
  • Believing in a higher power that can give strength
  • Analyzing previous errors with the help of an experienced member (sponsor)
  • Amending past errors
  • Turning around your life with new habits
  • Helping others who suffer from similar struggles

At treatment centers, these meetings are part of the evening schedule. They often happen in short durations, usually for an hour.

The session signifies the end of each day, and residents head to bed at a reasonable hour to cultivate healthy habits.

Nurses and other staff members check on individuals to provide necessary medications. They also check to ensure every person is in bed for the night.

The purpose of this routine is to improve the alertness of clients and boost their energy levels. It leads to efficient participation in daily treatment by getting enough sleep.

Free time to engage in any activity

It is not all gloomy activities during the rehab program, though. You can also expect to have some fun during your recovery journey. Alcohol addiction treatment centers also offer a few hours of free time. It is in the afternoon, and residents can spend it according to their wish.

Options depend entirely on the center’s quality. They include infrastructure-intensive activities like soccer, swimming, or volleyball. Smaller-scale options like ping-pong and card or board games are also standard options.

Those who prefer laidback activities can read, write, or journal. Some also use this period for prayer or meditation. Another common and productive way to use this period is getting to know fellow residents. During free time, patients learn more about each other outside of a therapy session.

It is a great way to improve camaraderie with fellow residents. To build trust, compassion, and understanding for each other’s struggles. An extra benefit is as trust grows, patients are more likely to share personal stories with one other. This serves the program’s goal of emotional and psychological healing.

Post-treatment preparation

Post-treatment preparation

The transition from addiction treatment centers to life can be scary and rough. That is why programs spend ample time preparing patients for the return to the real world.

It starts by encoding healthy activities into daily schedules. Residents also learn about the post-treatment resources available to them in their community.

Some of these resources include :

  • References to local Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) groups,
  • Practical tools for avoiding alcohol triggers
  • Strategies for creating and developing social networks that aid sobriety

They also help you develop plans for life in the real world, especially when the real world means returning to environments with alcohol triggers. Centers can offer transitional housing, medical evaluations, and temporary employment opportunities.

What’s more, some liquor addiction treatment centers invite speakers to share their stories. These speakers cover different practical issues like rebuilding careers and personal relationships. They also offer motivational spirits to inspire and lift souls.

Some programs also collect post-treatment information to maintain connections with ex-residents. This can happen via alumni support programs and follow-up therapy and counseling sessions.

Liquor Addiction Treatment: Rehabs Of Armerica is Here to Help You

Outpatient treatment programs might be a middle ground between inaction and inpatient programs. But the chances of relapse are higher. It is better to invest in inpatient liquor addiction treatment. It is more effective and has better chances of long-term success.

Also, you now know what to expect from addiction treatment centers. You have all you need to prepare for your stay and stick with the program until the end. Remember, it is never too late to get help until it is too late.

Here at Rehabs Of Armerica, we are here to give you all the help you need to navigate this challenging phase. We have a national database of liquor addiction treatment centers. These centers have the requisite expertise and experience to provide holistic care. They provide diagnosis treatment for substance abuse and mental health disorders.

There is no reason to wait any longer. The journey to recovery is within your grasp, and it starts today. Let our team use them to find the perfect center for alcohol detox and treatment for you. We can help you take the most important first step in getting your life back on track for you and those you love.

Reach out via our contact channels for more information about our services and other resources about addiction treatment.