Alcohol Rehab Centers: Which Rehab? How Long? What about My Job?

highway sign that reads "sobriety next exit"

Alcohol Rehab Centers: Which Rehab? How Long? What about My Job?

Alcohol rehab centers provide the most effective way to end alcohol addiction. The solution to alcohol dependence begins in a quality rehab center that includes alcohol detox and rehab in the same treatment center. Beyond detox, rehab programs will help you learn to live without alcohol while treating the physical, psychological and emotional effects of alcohol addiction. At Recovery Connection we only work with nationally accredited treatment centers that combine the elements of medically supervised detox, dual diagnosis treatment, and trained medical staff in addiction medicine. Let us explain FMLA so to keep your job while in rehab.

How Does Alcohol Addiction Progress?

Learn to live without alcohol at rehab
Learn to live without alcohol at rehab

There are different levels of alcohol addiction. Not every person who comes to alcohol rehab has the same drinking behavior. The question you must as yourself is, “At what point is my drinking affecting my life and the lives of the people around me in a negative or life-altering way?” Chances are that if you are reading this page then you are already at the level where you need alcohol addiction treatment. Recovery Connection advises anyone who drinks to take the alcoholism self-test. The answers may surprise you but knowing you have a problem and admitting it is the first step to living a life free from the negative aspects of addiction.

Negative Consequences of Alcoholic Drinking

The definition of alcohol addiction is when you drink alcohol compulsively and are unable to stop drinking despite negative consequences. These negative consequences are not universal for everyone addicted to alcohol. For a serious alcoholic, it may be cirrhosis of the liver, kidney failure or other serious health issues. For a light drinker, a DUI is a negative consequence that will make you think seriously about your drinking.  You don’t have to be physically addicted to alcohol to seek alcohol rehab. In fact, the best time to go to alcohol rehab is when your life has not yet been affected drastically enough. Going to alcohol rehab before you are completely dependent on alcohol will save you years of those negative consequences that will happen if you don’t stop drinking.

Negative Consequences of Alcoholism and Alcohol Addiction:

  • DUI
  • Spending money on alcohol
  • Not paying bills
  • Lost friendships
  • Divorce or Relationship Breakups
  • Permanent Liver and Kidney Damage
  • Hypertension
  • Seizures
  • Serious Legal Problems (DUI Manslaughter)
  • Depression

These are just a few. There are many more types of consequences of drinking alcohol, binge drinking, and full-blown alcoholism. You don’t need to have something bad happen in your life as a result of your drinking to finally decide to get help in an alcohol rehab center.

Alcohol Tolerance and Symptoms of Addiction

When the body develops a tolerance for alcohol, larger amounts of alcohol must be consumed to achieve the same desired effects. When you go too long without drinking, withdrawal symptoms begin. The need to drink to keep these symptoms away, known as a craving, is a sign of alcohol addiction. In this case, you are no longer drinking for pleasure, but to ward off the discomfort.

Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction and alcoholic type behavior:

  • Morning Shakes
  • Blackouts
  • Having to drink in all social situations
  • Drinking at all times of the day
  • Drinking fast to get a buzz
  • Rarely drinking just one
  • Making excuses to drink every night

These are just a few of the types of behaviors that are common to the behaviors of those who are addicted to alcohol. There are many more and if you don’t see anything that relates to your drinking the call us. Recovery Connection’s intake specialists all have personal experience with addiction and alcoholism.  You can take a quick assessment over the phone to qualify you for treatment. Make the call and see how easy it is to get into alcohol rehab and keep your job. Don’t wait until you lose everything.

Keep Your Job While in Rehab!

The video below depicts the downward spiral of out of control alcohol addiction. If you have a job you will know that it is only a matter of time until you get fired for being late, hung-over or for poor performance.

Did you know that you can go to Alcohol rehab and not lose your Job? Click the link or call Recovery Connection and let us Explain how your work will never Know where you went while taking 4-6 weeks for alcohol detox and rehab.

Alcohol Rehab Program: Where the Real Treatment Begins

Alcohol detox is the necessary first step in alcoholism treatment. All our patients are referred to alcohol detox centers that are located within the larger alcohol rehab facility. Detox is where medications for the treatment of alcohol addiction and withdrawal are administered. After you are completely free from alcohol and stabilized with medication you will transition into the alcohol rehab program or treatment program that has been individualized for you based on your initial assessment as well as your doctor, psychiatrist and counseling sessions you may have received while in detox.

Treatment for alcohol addiction begins in your personalized alcohol rehab program. Detox by itself is not treatment.  We have all stopped drinking and vowed to never drink again but how long did that last? You will learn in alcohol treatment how to live life without using alcohol. There are many reasons why you may have started drinking.  The best alcohol rehab programs are dual diagnosis treatment centers that will find out the true reasons why you used alcohol to the point of addiction.

The best alcohol rehab programs all have these qualities:

  • Alcohol detox on site
  • Board certified physicians and psychiatrists
  • 24-hour nursing and medical supervision
  • Physical and psychological evaluations
  • Dual diagnosis treatment
  • Individual and group therapy
  • Low patient to staff ratio
  • 12-Step program meetings
  • Life skills training
  • Medication management for substance abuse
  • Relapse prevention and aftercare planning
  • Nutrition and exercise counseling
  • Family programs

Typical Day in Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Treatment after detox usually lasts from 4-6 weeks.  This is just an average and the time in the treatment phase depends on your individual rehab plan’s set goals.  You will work with a certified addictions counselor for the remainder of your stay in treatment. You will work closely with you counselor daily to see how you are progressing in treatment.

A typical day in the alcohol rehab program phase of treatment looks something like this:

  • Wake Up and Breakfast at 7-8am
  • Focus Group or Orientation depending on how long you have been in treatment
  • Primary Process Group: Usually 5-8 peers plus a counselor, 2 ½ hours with breaks or your one on one with your therapist.
  • Lunch 12-1pm
  • Community Meeting 1-2pm
  • Various groups from 2:30 to 3:30 such as Yoga, meditation, Music therapy etc.
  • Free time from 3:30 to 4 pm and snack
  • Lecture to learn about addiction and effects on the body etc.4-4:45
  • Recreation 4:45 to 5:30
  • Dinner 5:30 to 6:30
  • Free time, mail, walk til 7 pm
  • NA/AA Meeting 7-8pm
  • Homework time or meditation and snack 8-9:30
  • Personal time until lights out at 11 pm

This is just an example of inpatient alcohol rehab treatment and can vary from the rehab center to rehab center. If you have more questions call Recovery Connection and ask one of our intake specialists. They all have experience with treatment center operations and the different levels of care and treatment modalities.

Finishing up Alcohol Rehab and Preparing to go Home

Alcoholism treatment includes four primary stages – alcohol detox, alcohol rehabilitation, relapse prevention, and aftercare. When your goals for treatment are being met and you are about to graduate from the rehab program, your counselor will help you prepare for your return home. This is called aftercare planning and all the alcohol rehab programs that Recovery Connection works with include this feature. Life in the rehab center by this time is relaxing, comfortable and most of our clients are enjoying their time in rehab. Preparing to leave and return to real life can be very intimidating if not done correctly. In alcohol rehab, you are safe from all of the triggers that made you drink. None of your friends or your familiar places are around you. Aftercare planning will prepare you to deal with these situations so that you do not use alcohol to cope. By this time in your treatment, you will have learned many different types of coping mechanisms. Aftercare planning brings all of what you learned and applies it to your specific situation. The rehabs that we work with all place a major importance on helping their clients return to life with the highest chance of staying sober.

When you complete alcohol rehab you will already have your support group in place as well as a simple schedule of what you will be doing once home.  You will have information for all of the nearest AA/NA meetings ready and planned out.  Aftercare counseling in your hometown will also be set up for you to continue therapy. Depending on your specific situation you may continue group therapy sessions in your hometown weekly if available.  Aftercare planning is extremely important because this is the time where you are most likely to relapse. All of the alcohol rehab centers we work with have a strong emphasis on their aftercare planning programs as well as alumni programs.