Alcohol addiction is a challenging condition to resolve without professional assistance. But if you’re just starting to look up alcohol treatment in Irvine, it can be difficult to know what your options are and which type of care may be best for you.
That’s why we’ve created this guide. It covers everything you need to know about getting treated for alcohol addiction in Irvine – including the top treatment options, alternative forms of care, and more.
So let’s get started.
When is Alcohol Treatment Necessary?
The first step in finding the right care plan is determining whether professional alcohol support is truly for you. Alcohol is unique because it’s so widely consumed. Some people are able to do that without forming a dependency, while others become addicted and require treatment.
If you’ve been experiencing some of the following signs, then there’s a good chance that alcohol treatment may be necessary for you:
- You’ve consumed larger amounts of alcohol over time
- You’ve tried to quit drinking but haven’t succeeded
- You have strong cravings for alcohol
- You’re spending an increasing amount of time on activities that either involve drinking alcohol or are explicitly about recovering from drinking alcohol
- You’re failing to meet responsibilities at work, school, and home because of alcohol use
- You’re starting to need to drink more alcohol to achieve the same effects
Heavy consumers of alcohol may have even more significant physical symptoms when they go too long without drinking. These can include:
- An increased heart rate
- Hand tremors
- Persistent sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Anxiety and agitation
- Seizures
- Hallucinations
If you’re noticing any of these symptoms in yourself, then you should at least have a conversation about alcohol treatment with a professional. They can leverage their expertise to let you know whether alcohol treatment is necessary for your situation.
What Kinds of Alcohol Treatment are Available?
If you think you may need alcohol treatment, then the next step is figuring out which form of care is right for you. The answer will vary based on where you’re at in your healing journey and your preferences.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the main forms of alcohol treatment offered by facilities like Zoe Behavioral Health in Irvine.
Detox
Every healing journey begins with detox. This is the initial 24-72 hours after you stop drinking. It’s a time when your body needs to adjust to no longer receiving regular doses of alcohol.
Detox is a time of intense withdrawal symptoms and cravings. For those who have been abusing alcohol, some of those withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous. This is why it’s a smart idea to complete your detox in a professional setting.
Going to a detox center will ensure that you’re as comfortable and safe as possible while completing this critical step in the healing process. You’ll have access to 24/7 medical supervision if you need it and will have your daily living tasks taken care of for you so that you can focus entirely on your recovery.
Inpatient Rehab
After completing detox, you’ll move into the more intensive stage of the recovery journey. One of the most common forms of care at this point is inpatient rehab.
Inpatient rehab for alcohol addiction involves moving into a treatment center and living there full-time for around 30 days while you receive intensive care. The care that you receive will include working individually with a skilled therapist who can help you identify the root causes of your addictive tendencies.
You’ll also get to complete group rehab sessions. These give you the opportunity to learn from the experiences of others and benefit from the shared social support that arises in these settings.
Inpatient rehab is when you gain the skills, knowledge, and support that you need to lay the foundation for a life of healthy sobriety.
Outpatient Rehab
Outpatient rehab is another form of alcohol treatment in Irvine that you can complete after getting through detox. The main difference with this form of care is that you get to go home and sleep in your own bed at night instead of living in the treatment center full-time.
There are pros and cons to outpatient rehab.
On the plus side, you’ll get to go home and spend time with your family while still receiving the same kind of care you would get from an inpatient program. That’s a more comfortable form of treatment for many people.
However, outpatient treatment for alcohol addiction leaves the door open to relapse. You’ll have a level of freedom that you wouldn’t have if completing an inpatient program. It’s always possible to use this freedom to begin drinking again.
Many experts only recommend outpatient rehab for those with strong, supportive home environments. If other people are drinking in the home, this option probably isn’t right for you.
Aftercare (Including Sober Living)
Whether you choose outpatient or inpatient rehab, the next step in the process will be transitioning your healing into an aftercare plan. As the name implies, aftercare is the support you continue receiving after completing rehab.
Aftercare typically involves continuing to work with your therapist and going to group meetings. But it may also include spending some time living in a sober home.
Sober living homes are a nice middle ground between the rigor of inpatient rehab and the complete freedom of the normal world. They help people transition their healing journey more effectively by gradually providing more freedom over time instead of handing it all over at once.
You’ll sit down with your doctor towards the end of rehab to come up with your personalized aftercare plan. They’ll evaluate your situation and let you know which forms of care they recommend that you continue receiving.
Alternative Forms of Alcohol Treatment
The last section detailed the core forms of alcohol treatment in Irvine. But there are also alternative forms of care, offered by treatment facilities like Zoe, that may be a better fit for your needs.
We’ll cover three examples of those types of care in this section.
Holistic Healing
Holistic healing treatments can help people align the mind, body, and spirit behind their recovery plan. These forms of care involve:
- Meditation and yoga classes
- Outdoor therapy
- Nature walks
- Equine therapy
- Working with a nutritionist
- Going to the gym
- And other kinds of support
The main idea behind holistic healing for alcohol treatment is that the better you feel, the easier it will be to remain sober. These types of treatments help you feel better – both physically and mentally – to give you the best chance of achieving your long-term goals.
Not every facility offers holistic treatment for alcohol addiction. But those that do often fold the treatments into other care plans, such as inpatient and outpatient rehab. However, if holistic care is important to you, make sure that you ask for it during your initial consultation.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Another alternative form of treatment for alcohol addiction is dual diagnosis care. This type of support stresses the connection between mental health issues and alcohol abuse to provide more targeted support to those who experience both.
For example, if you’ve been abusing alcohol and also experience clinical depression or intense anxiety, dual diagnosis care could be an excellent fit.
In these treatment plans, a therapist helps the patient explore how their alcohol abuse feeds their mental health disorders and vice versa. The result is that you get more clarity about your total well-being and are able to address both your mental health challenges and alcohol abuse at the same time.
Regular treatment plans provide support for mental health as well. But they aren’t quite as focused on the overlap between mental health and substance abuse as dual diagnosis care plans. Be sure to ask an addiction specialist about this form of support if you think it may be right for you.
Pet-friendly and Couples Rehab
There are also options for pet-friendly and couples rehab. These forms of care allow you to go through the rehab process either with a pet or with a partner.
Pet-friendly rehab is a great fit for people who are concerned about leaving their animals behind while getting the care they need. It can also be helpful to have your pet with you so that they can provide support during the toughest parts of treatment.
Couples rehab can be an excellent option when both partners have been abusing alcohol. You’ll be able to receive treatment with your loved one and will gain insight into how your relationship has contributed to alcohol abuse in the past.
Your therapist will help you and your partner lay the foundation for a healthier relationship moving forward – one that supports your sobriety instead of detracting from it.
How to Choose the Best Form of Alcohol Treatment in Irvine For Your Needs
Now that you know the common signs of alcohol abuse and the major kinds of treatment that are available for it, you’re ready to start thinking about which form of care is right for you.
The answer to that question can depend on a variety of factors, some of which we discuss below.
Consider your home environment
One of the most important decisions you’ll need to make about alcohol treatment is whether you want to complete it in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Both options are viable, but one may be a better fit for you than the other.
When it comes to choosing between inpatient and outpatient care, your home environment is typically what matters most. If you live in a supportive place with people who don’t drink alcohol, outpatient care can be a more comfortable form of treatment.
But if you live somewhere, that’s full of alcohol or people who make you feel like you want to drink, inpatient care will likely be the better option.
At the end of the day, you want to give yourself the best chance of healing from alcohol abuse. Even if outpatient care feels like it would be more comfortable or convenient, you should only choose it if you’re confident that you’ll be able to avoid relapse during your time at home.
Consider your unique needs and preferences
It’s also worth considering any unique needs or preferences that you may have related to alcohol treatment. This mostly comes into play when considering alternative forms of care, such as holistic healing, pet-friendly rehab, and dual diagnosis treatment.
If you’re not sure whether one of these forms of care is right for you – ask an expert. Zoe Behavioral Health has addiction specialists standing by to answer all of your questions for free so that you can receive the guidance you need with no strings attached.
It’s also important to keep in mind that you may not know what form of treatment is truly the best fit for your situation. You’re likely coming into this process without much experience in the finer points of addiction treatment.
That’s why it’s good to reach out to people who are experts in the field. They can help you evaluate the pros and cons of each potential treatment path based on your unique needs and preferences. The guidance you receive could end up showing you that a plan you weren’t initially considering is actually the best fit for your situation.
Verify your insurance coverage
Finally, make sure that you verify your insurance coverage with a provider that you’re interested in using. Addiction treatment can be expensive, but as long as you have insurance coverage, you’ll only pay a fraction of the costs out of pocket.
The challenge is that most insurance plans have networks, and not every alcohol treatment facility in Irvine is going to be in your network. That’s why it’s important to call ahead and verify that you have coverage before signing any contracts or making any commitments.
Get the Personalized Care You Need Through Zoe Behavioral Health
Alcohol treatment in Irvine can save your life. But you need to find the right plan for your needs and preferences in order to get as much out of it as possible.
Zoe can help you do that. We offer a wide variety of personalized treatment plans to choose from, so you can get started with your own ideal care plan regardless of what that looks like.
We also offer treatment at every stage of care – from medical detox in a comfortable facility, to inpatient rehab and sober living – we can help you take the next step toward your recovery goals no matter where you’re currently at in the healing process.
But don’t take our word for it. Get in touch with one of our addiction specialists today for a free consultation and to learn more about how we can help.
We hope to hear from you soon!