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How Long Will I Be in Alcohol Rehabilitation? Understanding the Stages of Change



Most people begin experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms within 6 hours after taking their last drink, and they tend to worsen over the next 48 hours. Symptoms usually peak after 72 hours and last for approximately two weeks. However, some heavy drinkers will experience minor withdrawal symptoms for up to a month.[1]




How Long Will I Be in Alcohol Rehabilitation




People who attend residential rehab centers and participate in longer programs are associated with better treatment outcomes. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, these individuals are less likely to relapse and get involved in criminal behavior.[2] As a result, inpatient rehab is usually recommended for people struggling with alcohol use disorder.


Inpatient alcohol rehab, also known as residential treatment, requires patients to live at the treatment facility under constant supervision and monitoring. While living at the treatment facility, patients will attend several hours of intensive group and individual counseling. In addition to behavioral therapy, patients may participate in 12-step support groups, holistic therapy, and medication-assisted treatment. The lengths of these alcohol rehab programs vary greatly as most are tailored to meet your individual needs.


On the shorter side, inpatient programs will last 28-30 days. However, these are recommended for people with mild addictions who can access ongoing support and a sober living environment. Other inpatient alcohol programs in Fort Lauderdale will last between 60-90 days, while some residential facilities offer treatment programs that last six months or longer. These long-term programs are typically used for patients who suffer from co-occurring disorders and require dual diagnosis treatment. Alternatively, people who participate in shorter inpatient programs may choose outpatient treatment to make the transition back to the real world easier.


Alcohol treatment programs that approach substance abuse with a continuum of care are highly effective. A continuum of care refers to an approach where therapists constantly move the client toward their next level of care while helping them make a smooth transition from a higher to a lower level of care.[3] When people think about how long alcohol rehab lasts, they often forget to consider the length of outpatient programs because they are less intensive forms of rehabilitation.


Most sober living homes in South Florida allow patients to live at the facility indefinitely as long as they abide by the house rules and stay sober. However, once individuals reach a certain point in their recovery, they are bound to grow out of sober living and be ready to live independently. Still, many people who participate in 12-step programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA), will attend meetings and participate in the fellowship for years, if not for the rest of their sobriety. This is because the majority of people in recovery find extended care to be essential for long-term sobriety.


When considering your treatment options for an alcohol use disorder (AUD), you may come across a wide variety of programs and offerings. Various factors such as medical history, length of prior alcohol use, and frequency of drinking will play a role in what form of treatment you will seek. Inpatient alcohol rehab is widely considered to be the method of treatment that is most likely to help patients successfully overcome alcoholism and maintain long-term sobriety.


A person suffering from alcoholism and a co-occurring mental health condition may require a personalized treatment plan. Inpatient rehabs have specialists on site who will be able to treat both conditions separately. Counseling sessions will teach the individual how to cope in various real world situations and prevent falling victim to triggers.


Inpatient residential rehab facilities typically offer 30-, 60-, and 90-day programs. You will be required to stay on site during your treatment. As this is the most intensive form of treatment, it proves most successful in helping those with severe alcoholism. Your first week in an inpatient residential rehab will generally include detox, the first stage of the recovery process. This eliminates alcohol from your body entirely so you are no longer under the influence of its effects. Afterwards, you will continue on in the recovery process with a structured daily schedule of therapies that will teach you how to overcome alcoholism and maintain long-term sobriety.


Treatment may take longer for those who have suffered from years of alcoholism. This is due to the effects that alcohol has on the body. Heavy drinking begins to rewire and restructure how the brain works. It also gradually begins to affect other major organs such as your heart, lungs and liver. Once you quit drinking, it takes time for your body to get back to a normal state.


While discussing drug and alcohol recovery timeline, some of the questions that come to mind are how long does it take to get over an addiction, how long does rehab last, and what factors may affect rehab time?


The 90-day drug and alcohol recovery timeline may seem exceptionally long and tedious. However, the longer the time spent receiving physical and mental health care, the higher the chances of maintaining sobriety during the recovery process. A patient will undergo detox, individual and group therapy, evaluation, and aftercare plan during this period. A 90-day treatment is usually recommended for long-term and severe addictions. An insurance plan is valuable for this program as it can be very costly. With a great insurance plan and a flexible payment plan, one can achieve good health and long-term sobriety through this program.


Addiction Resource team has compiled an extensive list of the top drug rehabilitation facilities around the country. Click on the state you are interested in, and you'll get a list of the best centers in the area, along with their levels of care, working hours, and contact information. Haven't found the rehab you need? Call the toll-free helpline below for professional assistance.


Alcohol withdrawal will begin once the levels of alcohol in the bloodstream drop below what is normal for the person. Mild symptoms may begin as early as six hours after the last drink for some people. The time it takes withdrawal to start depends on factors like age, gender, genetics, overall health and alcohol use history.


The length of alcohol withdrawal will be different for everyone, and it mainly depends on how heavily and frequently alcohol was used. Physical alcohol withdrawal symptoms will normally peak around 48 to 72 hours after the last drink and last seven to 10 days, but they can last as long as two weeks. Symptoms that occur after two weeks are usually more psychological in nature and can last for several months in some cases.


The long-term outlook for alcohol addiction treatment depends on the extent of organ damage and whether the person continues to drink after rehab. In the months after treatment, patients may still experience sleep disturbances, mood swings and low energy levels.


Keep reading to learn more about how long it takes to detox from alcohol. We also discuss signs of addiction, some withdrawal symptoms that a person can expect when detoxing, and how to treat these symptoms.


Finally, it is important to note that, in certain cases, a person could experience life threatening symptoms due to alcohol withdrawal. According to Recovery Worldwide, alcohol withdrawal occurs when a person stops drinking following heavy and prolonged use.


According to a 2015 article, an estimated 50 percent of people with an alcohol use disorder go through withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking. Doctors estimate that 3 to 5 percent of people will have severe symptoms.


The maintaining abstinence stage of rehab will begin at about three months into your rehabilitation program and last until you reach approximately five years clean and sober, at which time the follow-up counseling will usually terminate.


Trying to quit alcohol when you have a legitimate addiction will bring on one of the most difficult forms of withdrawal that you could experience when quitting any substance. And even when you make it a few months into alcohol detox and recovery, alcohol is hard to put completely out of sight and out of mind. The cravings will reprise periodically, and alcohol is virtually everywhere once you step outside of your house.


For most alcoholics, the acute withdrawal phase lasts between five and seven days. (This is roughly the duration of most detox programs, as well.) If you are more heavily dependent on alcohol, expect a longer acute withdrawal period.


Delirium tremens is basically the nervous system trying to adjust to no alcohol in the body. DTs can be life threatening because its most severe symptoms are body tremors and seizures. Other discomforting symptoms include hallucinations, fatigue and long periods of deep sleep. All of these are reasons why no one should try to beat alcohol addiction without medical supervision during the detox stage.


The symptoms of PAWS can last for several months to as long as two years, depending on the severity of the alcohol addiction. The symptoms will come and go without warning during this period, but they typically are less intense than they were during acute withdrawal.


While you may have moved on mentally from consuming alcohol, the taste of the substance and the desire for its effects may reprise from time to time. You have just read that post-acute alcohol withdrawal lasts up to two years, so is that when the cravings will stop? Not necessarily.


Body or hand shakes will usually set in two or more days after alcohol consumption stops. For some alcoholics in detox, these shakes are barely noticeable. For others, however, they can be quite a bit more dramatic and even interfere with daily living. So, just how long should you expect your particular symptoms to last?


The duration of your shakes and tremors can be dependant on a few different factors. Everyone will experience recovery and withdrawal a little bit differently, depending on the circumstances and severity of their addiction. Sometimes, recovering alcoholics experience no shakes at all throughout the detox period. In some cases, body shakes last until the withdrawal process is complete, which can be anywhere from 1-2 weeks, on average. 2ff7e9595c


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