Alcohol Abuse Treatment Types & Therapy Programs

Causes & Risk Factors for Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction can develop due to a complex interplay of various causes and risk factors. Some of the key contributors include:

• A family history of alcohol abuse can increase the likelihood of developing an alcohol addiction.
• Beginning to use alcohol at a young age can set the stage for future addiction.
• Easy access to alcohol, particularly during formative years, can contribute to alcohol abuse.
• Frequent exposure to heavy advertising of substances, like alcohol, can normalize and encourage their use.
• Existing mental health diagnoses can make individuals more vulnerable to addiction.
• Low levels of parental supervision and involvement can increase the risk.
• High levels of family conflict and a history of abuse or neglect are significant risk factors.
• Exposure to family violence can also play a role in the development of addiction.

Through therapy, counseling, rehab, and other treatment approaches, the underlying reasons for alcohol addiction can be explored and addressed. Coping mechanisms and healing strategies are developed to help individuals recover. Because addiction affects everyone differently, the path to recovery is unique for each person. Fortunately, various specialized rehab types and treatment programs are available to cater to individual needs.

Types & Levels of Rehab Treatment

Depending on the severity of the addiction, you or a loved one may need one or multiple levels of care to achieve long-term recovery. Here are the types of rehab programs available:

Detox

A medically supervised detox program is essential for stabilizing patients and helping them manage withdrawal symptoms from drugs or alcohol. Detox programs can last from a few days to several weeks. After stabilization, patients are often recommended to continue their treatment in an inpatient program.

Inpatient Rehab/Residential Rehab

Inpatient rehab and residential rehab programs provide a live-in environment where patients receive around-the-clock supervision and structured care plans to address their addiction. Inpatient rehab and residential rehab programs can range from a few weeks to several months. Patients benefit from constant support and monitoring by licensed professionals, which is crucial for severe addiction cases. This level of care often precedes outpatient rehab.

Outpatient Rehab & Intensive Outpatient Programs

Outpatient programs offer flexibility, allowing individuals to attend therapy and receive treatment without residing at the facility. Treatment sessions are scheduled at substance-use treatment centers, community health clinics, hospital-affiliated clinics, or other facilities. Outpatient rehab programs are ideal for those who have personal, family, or professional responsibilities that prevent them from attending an inpatient program. Some outpatient programs even offer night and weekend sessions, making them a popular choice for those needing a more adaptable treatment schedule.

Each level of rehab treatment provides tailored care to meet the specific needs of the individual, ensuring a comprehensive approach to overcoming addiction.

Types of Therapies for Substance Abuse

Each year, as many as 21 million people in the United States require help for substance use disorders, but only about 3 million people actually get help, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Alcohol addiction therapy helps clients get to the root causes of substance use disorder. Various types of treatment can make a difference for people battling alcohol abuse.

Substance abuse treatment facilities offer several different options to help treat addiction, withdrawal symptoms, and mental health conditions.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

This is one of the most common behavioral therapies that substance abuse treatment providers turn to. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on how certain thought patterns can lead to negative actions. Using CBT, therapists strive to help someone with an addiction learn how to identify and modify those negative thoughts.

Strategies that CBT relies on include:

• Learning to distinguish distorted thinking
• Learning to modify distorted thinking
• Learning to recognize the motivations of others
• Developing greater confidence in your abilities
• Learning to calm your mind
• Facing your fears

Unlike many other forms of mental health treatment, CBT helps you manage your current experiences without digging into your past.

You and a mental health professional will find what works best for your own situation. CBT also focuses on helping you become your own therapist by offering all of the tools and skills you need as you continue the treatment program.

Contingency Management

Another option for people seeking treatment for alcohol addiction is contingency management (CM). CM is particularly helpful in treating certain substance use disorders, including opioid addiction, alcohol use disorder, and stimulant addiction, and it can also reinforce existing sobriety mechanisms.

CM focuses on rewarding you for positive behaviors, such as attending support groups. By providing small rewards immediately after you complete a positive action or meet a goal, this therapy encourages you to repeat your desired results. Some forms of CM also enforce consequences for not meeting the goal.

CM for alcohol addiction treatment also works in a cumulative way, with more sober time, meaning better rewards. It is an excellent treatment option that helps prevent people from dropping out of treatment and relapsing.

Motivational Enhancement Therapy

Motivational enhancement therapy (MET) offers a patient-centered approach to behavioral therapy. It focuses on increasing your motivation to change your behaviors. People with an alcohol addiction may not start addiction treatment with enough motivation to finish it successfully. Unfortunately, starting treatment and dropping out can result in relapse.

MET helps people overcome any resistance or ambivalence they have toward changing their behavioral patterns. It can help them become aware of the problem and learn to overcome self-defeating thoughts. Instead of telling clients what the problem is and how to change it, a therapist who offers MET as part of alcohol addiction therapy encourages self-motivation.

In order to do this, a therapist first creates a welcoming environment where clients can express themselves. The therapist also helps clients see the difference between the state of being they desire and the one they are currently in. Identifying the disconnect allows them to see what may be leading them to engage in alcohol abuse.

MET does not require the therapist to confront resistance or argue. Instead, therapists who provide MET are trained to listen to avoid defensiveness on the client’s part. This is crucial for addiction treatment because defensiveness can lead clients to close themselves off to outside assistance.

MET also supports self-efficiency in ongoing treatment. By helping you see that you can help yourself, you can gain confidence in your skills as you battle alcohol addiction.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a method therapists use to treat substance use disorder in people who have trouble living in the present moment. It can help you develop healthier coping skills, learn how to regulate your emotions and improve relationships.

DBT can work in group therapy as well as individual therapy sessions for anyone undergoing mental health or addiction treatment. It is also an excellent option for people who have co-occurring conditions.

The development of core mindfulness is an important part of DBT for alcohol abuse. This is what allows you to learn to live in the moment and not dwell on past experiences.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

For people battling mental disorders like PTSD as well as alcohol addiction, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) can be crucial.

Sometimes, alcohol addiction arises as a way to cope with unresolved trauma. The right alcohol addiction treatment program will offer EMDR to help clients understand and process that trauma in healthy ways.

EMDR allows you to briefly focus on the trauma while experiencing bilateral stimulation, or stimulation in both sides of your brain. Bilateral stimulation can be accomplished by moving your eyes back and forth, listening to beeps in each ear, tapping your body with your hands, or holding devices that gently buzz in an alternating pattern.

Bilateral stimulation has been shown to help reduce the vividness and emotional distress connected to trauma memories.

Trauma-Focused Therapy

Trauma-focused therapy focuses on emphasizing coping skills, offering education on mental health, and teaching grounding techniques to help clients deal with anxiety triggers and PTSD.

Holistic Therapy Options

For people who want more holistic alcohol addiction treatment options, there are a number of different types that substance abuse treatment facilities offer.

Many inpatient treatment centers offer yoga therapy, art therapy, exercise therapy, dance and music therapy, and even experiential therapy, which often includes animals in the therapy sessions. Most of the time, holistic therapy options are part of a wider selection of treatments.

How Can I Find Therapy & Treatment Options Near Me?

To find effective therapy and treatment options near you or for a second opinion on whether you or a loved one might need addiction treatment, contact our rehab advisors. We can quickly help you understand your treatment options based on your budget, location, and needs at no cost to you. We can also provide free resources and guide you in determining the best next steps for your situation.

Begin Your Path to Recovery

Recovery requires ongoing alcohol addiction and mental health treatment to ensure that you build up your confidence and get the tools you need to help yourself. If you battle alcohol abuse, we can help you find a treatment program tailored to your unique needs and put you on the path to success. You can also browse the top 10 alcohol rehabs here.

If you want to find substance abuse treatment providers to help you manage withdrawal symptoms and learn coping strategies, you can turn to us at Quit Alcohol. We can help you choose the right inpatient or outpatient treatment programs and support groups. Contact us today to get started.