In 2006, more than 23 million Americans over the age of 12 needed treatment for alcohol or substance abuse, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Only 2.5 million--nearly 11 percent--received the help they needed at a substance treatment facility. Approximately 40 percent of the admissions to treatment centers in that year were for alcohol abuse and dependence, reports SAMHSA.
Evaluation
Everyone who checks into an inpatient treatment facility is evaluated by an addiction specialist. To establish the level of care you need, your counselor will ask you how much you drink and how long you've been drinking. Information that will determine whether you need to begin treatment in detox includes how long after abstaining any symptoms of withdrawal appear, and the severity of your symptoms.
Detox
In detox your body rids itself of the toxins accumulated while drinking. You will experience physical and psychological symptoms during this period, according to American Family Physician. You may be given medication to reduce and prevent symptoms like anxiety, convulsions and nausea, either on a schedule every few hours or as symptoms appear. Some patients may only require their vital signs to be monitored. Withdrawing from alcohol dependence can cause rapid heartbeat and low blood pressure. Detox lasts about seven days.
Rehabilitation
Inpatient rehabilitation can last anywhere from two weeks to 90 days or longer. The amount of time you spend in rehab is based on a number of factors, including your insurance coverage, your ability to pay, your work and home obligations and even whether your treatment is court-ordered. During rehabilitation, you receive one-on-one counseling, group therapy with other recovering alcohol and drug abusers, addiction education and information on relapse prevention.
Medication
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, medications for treating drug addiction help reestablish normal brain function, prevent relapse and reduce craving. Naltrexone is often prescribed to people who have stopped drinking and is used along with counseling, according to the National Institutes of Health. Naltrexone is an opiate antagonist that decreases craving by blocking the effects of alcohol in the brain. Acamprosate, approved by the FDA in 2005 for treating recovering alcoholics, helps normalize brain function that has been disturbed by heavy drinking.
The Benefits of Inpatient Treatment
Getting treatment at an inpatient substance abuse facility has a variety of benefits. Being part of a support group with other recovering people can help minimize depression and forge relationships with people who've had similar experiences. Also, as you are prescribed medications to help manage anxiety, craving and normalize cognition you are monitored by addiction specialists so that your medications can be adjusted if needed.
