How Long Is Alcohol Rehab And What Can I Expect?

three potter plants on window, how long is alcohol rehab

When you realize you need help breaking destructive drinking habits, your mind may put up barriers to keep you from making healthy changes. This may sound like:

  • Don’t you think it’s better to just quit on your own?
  • You can’t go to rehab – you don’t have the time!
  • It’s not that bad, you can get sober on your own! 

However, these are lies. The truth is, if you are struggling with alcohol addiction, then you don’t have time to put off recovery any longer. Here we will help you answer the question of how long is alcohol rehab. If you or someone you love worries that they don’t have time to commit to alcohol recovery rehab, then getting help sooner rather than later will help. Start with our Addiction Treatment Guide to better understand how you or someone you love can heal from alcohol use disorder. We understand the complexities of pausing your life to get help, and we offer a range of solutions to meet each of our client’s needs.

What is Alcohol Use Disorder Rehab?

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) rehab is a comprehensive and personalized treatment designed to address the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of addiction. Our approach to this healing journey applies our commitment to clinical and program excellence, ensuring clients receive the best care.  Whether a client joins a residential program or uses outpatient treatment, our commitment to excellence remains the same: 

  • Trauma-Focused and Heart-Centered: We lead with compassion and kindness, ensuring our approach is rooted in understanding and empathy.
  • Balanced Execution: Our work is characterized by equal parts integrity and confidence, fostering a supportive and trustworthy environment for your recovery.
  • Respect for Choices: Throughout the alcohol addiction rehab journey, we value and respect your choices, empowering you to actively participate in your recovery process.
  • Tailored Levels of Care: We offer a range of care options, including rehabilitation and ongoing sobriety maintenance, ensuring that you can meet your specific needs at every stage of recovery.
  • Optimizing Outcomes: Our comprehensive approach provides the best possible outcome, promoting sustained recovery and a healthier, fulfilling life.

The length of an alcohol rehab program varies depending on the needs of the individual. During an initial assessment call, we’ll help you determine the best option for your circumstances. 

Weighing Outpatient vs. Residential Treatment: What are the Benefits?

Understanding the nuances of outpatient and residential treatment is crucial in tailoring a program that suits individual needs. Here are the key benefits of outpatient treatment and residential treatment for alcohol use disorder: 

Outpatient Treatment

  • Flexibility: Allows clients to continue their daily routines, such as work or school, as they attend scheduled treatment sessions.
  • Cost-Effective: Generally more affordable than residential treatment, making it accessible to a broader range of individuals.
  • Community Support: Offers the opportunity for individuals to receive support from their local community and maintain connections with family and friends.
  • Independence: Allows individuals to practice recovery skills in their everyday environment, enhancing the transferability of coping mechanisms to real-life situations.
  • Privacy: Offers privacy as individuals can attend sessions without needing an extended absence from their homes.

Residential Treatment

  • Intensive Support: Provides 24/7 supervision and support, creating a structured and controlled environment for individuals with severe addiction or those who need a break from daily triggers.
  • Immersive Focus: Offers a concentrated focus on recovery without the distractions of everyday life, allowing individuals to commit to the treatment process fully.
  • Therapeutic Community: Provides a supportive community of individuals going through similar challenges, fostering a sense of camaraderie and understanding.
  • Holistic Approach: Often includes therapeutic activities, counseling, and educational components to address various aspects of an individual’s life and contribute to comprehensive healing.
  • Medical Monitoring: Offers access to medical professionals who can monitor and manage withdrawal symptoms, addressing any potential health concerns during the early stages of recovery

The choice between these two options depends on the severity of the addiction and individual circumstances. 

How Does Rehab Work?

Rehabilitation is a multifaceted process encompassing various therapeutic approaches, counseling sessions, and experiential healing activities. We are a nationally recognized experiential healing and recovery leader, bringing the best teams, programs, and resources to each client’s healing journey. Our holistic approach addresses the mind, body, and spirit, ensuring a comprehensive and effective recovery. It is common for a person who enters rehab to use a progressive step-down approach, beginning with intensive rehab care for some time, then moving on to personal therapy sessions and other less intensive forms of care. Your treatment may include: 

When a person is struggling with how long alcohol rehab lasts, the root question is usually tied to how long am I going to need to be away from my family and my work. We work with each client to ensure that you have the tools needed to take time for recovery. 

How Long are Alcohol Rehab Programs?

Once you or a loved one has decided to get help, the next step is to unpack available alcohol rehab treatment options. You may wonder how long does rehab for alcohol take, or how long do you stay in rehab for alcohol. The length of that rehab program varies based on individual needs and the chosen treatment program.  Outpatient programs typically require several hours per week for a specified duration (weeks or months). This means our team assesses your needs and creates a treatment plan for any addictions. Often, alcohol addiction pairs with other addictions, and our dual diagnosis philosophy allows us to monitor simultaneous addictions. Our outpatient services and programming provide accountability and teach clients tools they can use every day to remain focused on their true priorities and resist destructive behavior. 

How Long Does Inpatient Alcohol Rehab Last? 

Residential programs range from 30 to 90 days or longer.  How long rehab takes for alcohol addiction depends on the severity of a client’s addiction. Clients typically average 50 days at residential treatment, while the minimum is 28 days. The key here is ensuring that the treatment duration aligns with the individual’s journey to recovery.

Ways to Manage Life While In Rehab

We’ve been fortunate to see people from all walks of life break their destructive addictive behaviors. Before entering our programs, nearly all of our past clients worried that they didn’t have time to heal. Over time and through alcohol rehab, clients realize that this is not true. There is always time to heal.  We understand that managing life while undergoing rehab is a crucial aspect of the recovery process. Our programs incorporate practical strategies to help individuals navigate this delicate balance, ensuring a smooth transition to everyday life post-rehab. As part of the admissions process, we help clients look at available tools that offer support during healing. These include The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and short-term disability insurance coverage. The FMLA provides some protections for those concerned about keeping your job while undergoing treatment, while short-term disability insurance often covers a portion of lost salary and may even cover the cost of treatment itself. 

Your Path Toward Freedom with Integrative Life Center in Nashville, TN 

When you feel trapped by addiction to alcohol, the path to recovery may seem steep. It’s normal to worry that you don’t have the time or resources to heal. However, we often see these fears as a cover for a deeper fear that you can’t break the chains of addiction. The truth is that it is possible to heal and to find recovery. We’ve seen thousands of success stories repeatedly saying that freedom is possible, no matter who the person is at the heart of the struggle.  We have earned a national reputation for our commitment to clinical excellence and holistic healing, and we continually refine our tools to meet our clients where they are. When we hear someone ask, “How long do you go to rehab for alcohol?”, we respond with tailored programs to meet each client’s unique needs. Embrace the possibilities of a brighter future, and enlist us to be your partners in healing by calling us now at (615) 640-1553 – we’re ready to listen.

Take the AUDIT Assessment Now

As you consider your next steps on your healing journey, we invite you to complete the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) assessment and understand the criteria for alcohol use disorder. These tools provide valuable insights into the severity of your struggle. You are not alone. We are here to walk this transformative path with you. 

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