How Does Alcohol Rehab Work?
In plain english, alcohol rehab is a place where medical professionals help those recovering from alcohol use through a step-by-step process that is designed to help you to stop drinking, navigate withdrawal, and learn skills that help your recovery continue after treatment.
What does the process of going through alcohol rehab look like?
The five steps of alcohol rehab include:
- Assessment and intake: The initial physical and mental health assessments, as well as paperwork, consents, and labs.
- Treatment planning: Determining which level of care and therapies are appropriate, as well as any medical interventions, such as medications, that might be helpful.
- Detox: It is dangerous to try to detox from alcohol on your own. A detox center staffed with medical professionals can provide the appropriate care to help prevent dangerous complications.
- Therapy: Various methods of evidence-based therapy, usually in group, individual, and family sessions.
- Aftercare and discharge planning: Discharge planning to determine your next steps and ongoing support.
Each stage plays a role in recovery. Combined, they form a care process used by many alcohol treatment centers.
What is the difference between rehab and detox?
While both detox and rehab programs can help you become sober, there are some key differences in their focus, intensity, and setting.
Sometimes these terms are used interchangeably, but here are the typical differences between the two.
Detox: Focuses primarily on the physical side of treatment. In detox, much of the treatment is focused on clearing alcohol from your body and managing withdrawal symptoms as safely as possible.
Rehab: Focuses more strongly on the mental, emotional, and behavioral health side. In rehab, you work to understand why you drink, as well as how to find healthier ways to cope with difficult circumstances in the long-term.
Starting with detox can help you get through withdrawal safely, but studies show that people experience better outcomes when detox is followed right away by rehab programs.
By “stepping down” into a rehab program, you have the chance to address the risk of relapse and understand the mental health causes they may have driven the addiction in the first place. This can help you break out of the cycle of stress and addiction by giving you a safe place to both learn and practice the skills you need to stay sober in the future.
Sandstone Care offers 24/7 medically supervised detox care in Colorado and Virginia, as well as several outpatient rehab options for young adults.
What Are My Options When Choosing a Type of Alcohol Rehab Program?
Several types of inpatient and outpatient treatment at different levels of care are available for addiction recovery, including day treatment, residential programs, and detox.
Not all addiction treatment centers look the same, and the right alcohol rehab program for you will depend on your needs, lifestyle, and medical history.
As you explore your options, it can help to understand what each level of care offers so you can find a program that fits your life, supports your recovery, and gives you the right kind of help at the right time.
Detox for alcohol addiction
If you have been drinking heavily or regularly, detox may be the best fit before you begin alcohol rehab.
Alcohol withdrawal can be uncomfortable, unpredictable, and sometimes dangerous, which is why detox has medical support to help keep you stable, manage symptoms, and prepare you for the next stage of treatment.
Depending on your needs, detox may take place in a residential setting where you have around-the-clock care and support during withdrawal.
This level of care is often best for people who are physically dependent on alcohol or have a history of severe withdrawal symptoms.
Inpatient alcohol treatment
In inpatient care, you live at a treatment center full-time with 24/7 support and a daily routine focused on recovery.
When most people refer to alcohol rehab, inpatient rehab for alcohol treatment is what comes to mind.
If you need more structure and support during recovery, inpatient alcohol treatment may be the best fit for you. This can be especially helpful if you need time away from the people, places, and patterns that have made drinking harder to stop.
Treatment works better when it is built around your age, your life, and your specific needs. For teens and young adults, that means care should match what you are dealing with developmentally, emotionally, and socially, while also checking your progress over time and adjusting the plan as your needs change.
Partial hospitalization program (PHP) and day treatment for alcohol use
If you need a high level of support but do not need 24/7 residential care, a partial hospitalization program may be the best fit for you.
In a PHP, you attend treatment for several hours a day, multiple days a week, while still living at home. This gives you more structure than standard outpatient care while still allowing flexibility in your daily life.
Day treatment can be especially helpful if you need consistent support for alcohol use and mental health, but are stable enough that you do not need overnight supervision. It can also be a good step-down option after detox or inpatient rehab.
Intensive Outpatient (IOP) for alcohol use
An intensive outpatient program, or IOP, can be a good option if you do not need round-the-clock care but still want regular treatment for alcohol use.
Instead of living at a treatment center, you go to therapy and recovery programming several times a week, then return home afterward.
Intensive outpatient programs can work well for people who are starting to rebuild daily life while still needing steady clinical care. It is often used after a higher level of treatment, like detox, inpatient rehab, or PHP, and can help you keep working on relapse prevention, coping skills, and mental health while easing back into school, work, or family responsibilities.
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Step One: What Happens When I First Reach Out for Help?
During that first conversation, you can usually ask questions, share a little about what is going on, and learn about possible treatment options.
Many rehab centers will also help you review insurance coverage or talk through payment options early on, so you have a clearer picture of what comes next.
If the program seems like a good fit, the next step is often scheduling an assessment or intake appointment. This helps the treatment team better understand your needs and recommend the level of care that makes the most sense for you.
At Sandstone, we understand insurance is often one of the most confusing parts. We offer an instant insurance verification tool to help you understand your coverage.
Questions you may be asked when calling a treatment center
When you first call a treatment center, the person you speak with may ask a mix of practical and clinical questions.
Some questions are logistical, such as your insurance coverage, where you live, and whether you are calling for yourself or someone else.
Other questions are meant to help the team understand your drinking, any withdrawal symptoms, your mental health history, and whether there are any immediate safety concerns.
These early questions help the center understand your situation and guide you toward the safest next step.
In many cases, the first call is not a full assessment. Instead, it is an initial screening that helps determine whether the program may be a good fit and whether you may need detox, a full evaluation, or another level of support first.
Insurance and other information to have ready to go
It is also important to verify insurance coverage and understand your estimated out-of-pocket costs.
Information to have ready, includes:
- Insurance information
- Current medications
- Medical history, including any previous rehab stays
- Emergency contact information
How clinicians find the right program for your needs
To determine the right level of care, programs assess:
- Risk of withdrawal symptoms and need for medically supervised detox
- Other mental health conditions
- If you need an inpatient stay or outpatient care
Assessing these areas ensure you are placed in the appropriate level of care, whether it is in an inpatient alcohol treatment program such as rehab or detox, or outpatient level of care.
Step Two: What Happens During Intake at an Alcohol Addiction Rehab?
Once you arrive at a rehab center, the intake process begins. If you haven’t signed consent forms already, signing paperwork is likely the first thing you will do.
Each center operates a little differently. However, the general admissions process is similar across most centers.
Evaluating your physical and mental health
Once the consents for care are signed, if they weren’t already, a treatment facility often assesses your physical and mental health, and does any necessary lab work.
- Medical assessments: At most centers, a medical assessment is done within the first 24 hours.
- Mental health assessments: Centers do additional mental health assessments to help understand any underlying mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression. Most places will also ask you to complete additional mental health screenings and other important assessments to evaluate withdrawal symptoms and your risk of self-harm.
- Labs: Many centers do basic lab work, such as a urine drug screen, a pregnancy test if pregnancy is a possibility, or a breathalyzer test.
Accounting for any co-occurring conditions
It is common for individuals entering rehab for alcoholism to also experience other mental health conditions, such as:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Trauma-related conditions
Data from a 2023 National Survey showed that approximately 35% of adults, age 18 and older with a mental health disorder, also have a substance use disorder. The rates of dual diagnoses are especially high for teens and adolescents with substance use disorders.
Many centers, such as Sandstone Care, provide dual-diagnosis care. This means we care for your substance use disorder and any other additional mental health conditions. It is a core part of effective treatment.
Step Three: What Happens If I Need to Detox from Alcohol?
Sometimes you need to detox from alcohol first before entering a rehab program. It is dangerous to try to detox from alcohol on your own.
Dangers of detoxing on your own
Alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous, and in some cases, life-threatening.
Symptoms can include:
- Tremors
- Anxiety
- Seizures
- Delirium tremens (DTs)
DTs are a medical emergency and can be fatal. Symptoms include seizures, hallucinations, respiratory failure, and cardiac complications.
Medically supervised detox centers help reduce the risk of severe complications from withdrawal.
How clinicians determine if detox is the right program for you
Clinicians or medical professionals will often recommend detox first, before rehab, if you:
- Drink heavily or daily
- You experience withdrawal symptoms when you try to cut back
- You have underlying medical conditions that make withdrawing from alcohol riskier, such as a seizure disorder, even if you don’t drink daily
What to expect when going through alcohol withdrawals at detox
(focus a lot on the support they get from the medical team)
When you go through alcohol withdrawal at a detox center, medications and treatment are available to help.
For example, you may receive a type of medication called benzodiazepines for a short period of time to help prevent seizures and reduce anxiety.
Other parts of care include:
- 24/7 medical monitoring and care
- Medications to help ease withdrawal symptoms and prevent complications
- Emotional support from trained staff
Detox typically lasts up to seven days, and sometimes longer. Once you’ve completed detox, it is common to step into rehab.
Step 4: What Will I Actually Do in Treatment at an Alcohol Rehab?
What happens in an alcohol rehab center can vary based on the facility, but typically includes a combination of individual, group, and sometimes family therapies.
Many centers also have healthcare providers who might prescribe medication to help reduce cravings or other symptoms. You will also work towards relapse prevention.
Individual Therapy
Individual therapy sessions may include work such as:
- Exploring the causes of your alcohol use
- Identifying triggers
- Building coping strategies unique to your situation
Group therapy
Group therapy is a core component of what happens in alcohol rehab.
Group therapy can provide:
- Peer support
- Shared experiences
- Accountability
Family involvement
Whether you choose to participate in family therapy is dependent on your personalized treatment plan.
For teens and young adults who may still live at home or depend on a parent or family member, family therapy is often crucial to recovery.
For an independent adult, however, it might be something you choose to do, or not do.
For those who choose to participate in family therapy, it can help repair relationships and build a supportive home environment.
Medications for Alcohol Use Disorder
Some individuals receive medications to reduce cravings, such as naltrexone, to help prevent relapse.
Relapse prevention
In rehab, things you may learn to help with relapse prevention include how to:
- Recognize high-risk situations and manage them
- Cope with cravings
- Build healthy routines and focus on your well-being
Step 5: What Does Aftercare Look Like When I Go Home from Treatment?
Building your aftercare plan
Before discharge, your team will help you create an ongoing treatment plan.
The treatment plan will likely include things like:
- Ongoing therapy
- Support groups
- Medication management
Step-down care
Many people transition through levels of care.
However, it is essential to remember that recovery is not linear. So, if you step down a level and then need to step back up to a higher level, that is perfectly ok.
If you started at an inpatient level of care, you may step down to a partial hospitalization program (PHP), followed by an intensive outpatient program (IOP), and then individual therapy and peer groups.
However, you may be a part of a peer group through every step, be able to go to IOP right after inpatient treatment or get to individual therapy and realize you need more support and move back into IOP or PHP.
What’s important is that you are stepping down or up into the level of care that you need.
One of the many benefits to care with Sandstone is that we offer all levels of care: from detox, to residential treatment, and several different levels of outpatient care. We have locations across the country, and even if we aren’t local to you, we accept clients from across the country at our residential treatment centers.
How to Choose an Alcohol Rehab Program
Choosing an alcohol rehab program can feel overwhelming, especially when you are already dealing with the stress of alcohol use and the decision to get help. But finding the right fit is one of the most important parts of the recovery process.
The right program should do more than help you stop drinking. It should offer evidence-based care, support your mental health, and help you build a plan for lasting recovery after treatment.
As you compare treatment options, it can help to look closely at the quality of care a program offers.
Important factors to consider include whether the center uses evidence-based therapies, has licensed and experienced clinicians, offers support for co-occurring mental health conditions, includes family support when appropriate, and provides a clear aftercare plan.
Evidence-based care & licensed clinicians
A strong alcohol rehab program should use evidence-based therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).
These approaches are backed by research and are commonly used to help people better understand their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors while building healthier coping skills.
It is also important to look at who is providing care. Licensed, experienced clinicians play a key role in creating safe, effective treatment plans and leading therapy in a way that is clinically sound and personalized to each person’s needs.
Dual diagnosis support
Many people living with alcohol use disorder also have co-occurring mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, trauma-related disorders, or bipolar disorder.
When both issues are present, it is important to choose a program that can treat them together rather than addressing substance use alone.
Programs with dual diagnosis support are better equipped to understand how mental health symptoms and alcohol use can affect each other. Treating both at the same time can support more stable, lasting recovery.
Many facilities, including Sandstone Care, offer dual-diagnosis treatment programs because they recognize how much mental health impacts substance use and vice versa.
Family support
When family involvement is safe and helpful, it is proven to strengthen the recovery process.
A supportive environment can improve communication, rebuild trust, and help create the kind of stability that makes treatment more effective.
Alcohol addiction can affect the whole family, not just the person struggling with alcohol use. It can put stress on relationships, change family dynamics, and make it harder for everyone involved to feel stable and supported. That is why the role of family and loved ones can be so important in treatment.
Insurance, location, and fit
It is important to choose a program that works for your budget, is in a setting that supports your recovery, and feels like the right match for your needs.
When a rehab program fits both your practical needs and your personal goals, it can be easier to stay engaged in treatment and get better results out of the time you spend in a rehab program.
Aftercare planning
Recovery does not end when rehab does. A strong program should help you prepare for what comes next by building an aftercare plan before treatment ends.
Aftercare planning may include ongoing therapy, outpatient treatment, support groups, medication management, relapse prevention strategies, or help finding community resources. Having a plan in place can make the transition out of rehab feel more manageable and help you stay connected to support.
