Alcohol Rehab

What is Alcohol Rehab?

The term alcohol rehab encompasses a range of programs that are designed to help people quit drinking and live healthier lives in recovery. 

Depending on several personal factors, someone who has become addicted to alcohol may be best served by spending time in one, several, or all of the following alcohol rehab programs:

• Detoxification (detox): Short-term care to get through alcohol withdrawal
• Inpatient/residential treatment: Comprehensive care for patients who live at the center while they are receiving treatment
• Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs): Treatment in the morning and afternoon, usually five days per week, without a residential component
• Intensive outpatient programs (IOPs): Partial days of treatment, typically three hours per day, two to five days per week
• Outpatient treatment: Individual or group sessions scheduled at the frequency that’s best for each participant

About Alcoholism

Alcohol use disorder, which is the clinical term for alcoholism, is one of the most common forms of addiction in the United States.

According to information gathered during the 2024 edition of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH): 

• 27.9 million adults in the U.S. (about 10.3%, or more than one of every 10 people ages 18 and above) met the criteria for alcohol use disorder in the previous 12 months.
• Alcoholism affects about 16.4 million adult men (12.9% of that demographic group) and 10.7 million adult women (8% of that group).
• Among adolescents ages 12-17 in the U.S., 775,000 were addicted to alcohol in the last year. That equates to about 3% of all adolescents in the nation.
• Alcoholism occurs more frequently among adolescent girls (4.1%) than among adolescent boys (1.9%).

How Do I Know I Need Alcohol Rehab?

One of the best ways to determine if you need alcohol rehab is to be evaluated by a trained addiction treatment professional. Many alcohol rehab centers in Arkansas, such as Time Wellness Detox, offer free assessments for people who think they may need professional help.

If you’re on the fence about scheduling an evaluation, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Once you start drinking, do you find it difficult to stop?
2. Do you feel the need to drink almost every day?
3. Have you ever lied to or deceived friends and family about the amount and frequency of your drinking?
4. Have you failed to pay bills, complete assignments, or meet other responsibilities at home, in school, or at work as a result of your alcohol use?
5. Has your drinking caused you to end or reduce your participation in activities that used to be important to you?
6. Do you need alcohol to cope with stress or setbacks, or to feel happiness?
7. Have you continued to drink even after incurring some type of physical, psychological, or social damage that was caused or worsened by your prior alcohol use?
8. Do you need to drink more than you used to in order to feel the effects of alcohol?
9. Do you frequently drink in circumstances that you know can be particularly hazardous, such as by combining alcohol with other drugs, or driving while under the influence of alcohol?
10. When you try to quit drinking, or when you’re prevented from doing so for a day or two, do you develop unpleasant physical or psychological symptoms?

If you can answer “yes” to any of these questions, it may be time to make an appointment at a trusted alcohol rehab center near you. 

Remember: Completing an evaluation doesn’t mean you’re committed to entering a treatment program. It is simply a way for you to understand the nature and scope of the problem you’re facing, so that you can make the most informed decisions about your health.

How Addictive Is Alcohol?

There’s no way to definitively rank substances in terms of their addictiveness. But lists of the most addictive drugs commonly include alcohol in the top five or top 10. 

Alcohol’s addictiveness is partially related to the way that the drug interacts with the human body. But there are also other influences at play. For example, alcohol is integrated into many facets of American life. If you are attending a wedding reception, wake, tailgate party, holiday celebration, or casual get-together, there’s a good chance that alcohol will be present. 

Widespread cultural acceptance of this substance means that the vast majority of Americans will consume alcohol at least once in their life – and increased exposure to the drug can contribute to higher rates of addiction.

Other factors that can raise a person’s risk of becoming addicted to alcohol include:

• Family history of alcohol abuse and addiction
• Personal history of childhood trauma
• Early exposure to alcohol
• Anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns
• Certain genetic variations
• Personality traits such as impulsivity

What to Expect At Our Alcohol Rehab in Arkansas?

When you’re evaluating alcohol rehab centers, don’t ever be afraid to ask questions about each facility’s services, environment, and overall approach to treatment. It’s important to find a place that fits your needs and aligns with your preferences.

If you receive care at Time Wellness Detox, here’s a look at what you can expect:

• A safe, closely supervised environment where you won’t have access to alcohol or other addictive drugs
• Round-the-clock care provided by a team of experienced professionals
• Personalized treatment that reflects your specific needs, goals, and preferences
• Prescription medication to alleviate withdrawal symptoms if appropriate
• Therapeutic support to help you manage symptoms and begin to develop effective relapse-prevention skills
• Education about the disease of addiction and the process of recovery
• Referrals to follow-on programming to help you build on the progress you made in detox
• The confidence that comes from accomplishing more than you may have initially believed you were capable of
• Renewed hope for a healthier and more satisfying future

How Long Does Alcohol Rehab Last?

The amount of time that people spend in alcohol rehab centers in Arkansas can vary depending on the scope of their unique needs. General length-of-stay estimates include:

• Detox: Patients usually complete alcohol detox in about seven to 10 days.
• Residential treatment: Many residential programs are designed around a 28-day treatment schedule.
• Partial hospitalization program (PHP): At the PHP level, patients may remain in treatment for 30-90 days.
• Intensive outpatient program (IOP): As with PHPs, IOP patients may continue receive care at this level for 30-90 days.
• Outpatient treatment: Individual sessions with a therapist or counselor can be a valuable source of long-term support. It’s not uncommon for people to attend weekly, biweekly, or monthly sessions for several months or even years.

Long-Term Effects of Alcohol Use Disorder

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has reported that the long-term physical effects of compulsive drinking can include:

• Heart-related problems including ischemic heart disease, cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heart rate), and hypertension (high blood pressure) 
• Liver damage including steatosis (fatty liver), fibrosis, hepatitis, and cirrhosis
• Ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke
• Lung concerns such as pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome
• Acute and chronic pancreatitis
• Weakening of the immune system
• Reduced bone density and diminished capacity for fracture repair
• Increased risk of cancer in the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, breast, colon, rectum, and liver.

Heavy drinking has also been linked with an array of cognitive, psychological, and social problems, such as:

• Onset or worsening of anxiety, depression, and several other mental health disorders
• Memory problems
• Neurocognitive impairments
• Alcohol-related dementia (ARD)
• Diminished performance in school or at work
• Academic failure, job loss, and long-term unemployment
• Reduced earning power and other financial difficulties
• Relationship violence
• Divorce, separation, and loss of child custody
• Crime and incarceration
• Social withdrawal and isolation
• Homelessness
• Suicide

Our Addiction Treatment Modalities

Depending on your needs and goals, as well as the parameters of the program that you’re enrolled in, your care at an alcohol rehab center in Arkansas may include elements such as:

• Individual psychotherapy
• Group therapy 
• Family programming
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
• EMDR
• Trauma therapies
• Red light therapy
• Biofeedback therapy
• Biosound therapy
• Yoga, mindfulness, and meditation
• Art therapy
• Music therapy
• Relapse prevention education
• Skills development sessions

More on Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

• How To Spot an Alcoholic Face