One of the first things that people ask when they consider alcohol rehab is how long it will last. After all, nobody really wants to spend weeks at a time in a rehab center when they could be working, spending time with friends and family, and otherwise living their lives. It can seem disruptive, and it is often enough to scare people away from receiving the treatment they so desperately need.
It’s also a difficult question to answer since everyone has their own experiences and will be affected by alcohol addiction in different ways. The shortest and easiest answer to the question is that most alcohol treatment programs will last at least a month, but they can last for as long as 90 days depending on the intensity of the program. That’s not including residual treatment such as ongoing therapy sessions or time spent in a sober living house. Overall, it’s possible to be in some form of treatment for several months or even years.
Detox
If you want a better idea of how long an Ohio alcohol rehab program will last, it’s best to look at the stages of a typical program. The first stage is usually detox. This stage involves overcoming your physical dependency on alcohol, which is what most people probably picture when they imagine rehab. It can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks depending on how long you’ve been addicted to alcohol and how severe your withdrawal symptoms are. Detox is undergone under close medical supervision and may involve medications to handle the worst of your withdrawal symptoms.
Inpatient Treatment
The next stage of most recovery programs is inpatient treatment. With inpatient treatment, you are expected to live at the treatment facility, usually for about 30 days. During this time, you will undergo counseling both for your psychological dependency on alcohol and the underlying reasons why you began drinking in the first place. Some programs include the detox stage with the inpatient treatment, while others treat it as a separate part of the program. For some patients, detoxing and spending 30 days at a rehab center is the extent of their treatment, while others will have to undergo other residual treatments such as individual or group therapy. Again, it depends on how severe the patient’s alcohol dependency has become.
Outpatient Treatment
Some patients will be able to live at home during their treatment programs. This is called outpatient treatment. Outpatient treatment requires you to report to the treatment center for therapy sessions for at least a few hours a week. You’re still closely monitored for drug and alcohol use just like you are during an inpatient program, but the fact that you are in your own home most of the time usually makes the experience much more comfortable.
Sober Living Houses
Some programs require you to live in a sober living house for a period of time. A sober living house or halfway house is a group home where you live with other people in treatment. You are monitored and tested regularly for drug and alcohol use and you are responsible for things like chores or paying rent, but you still have more freedom than you would at a treatment facility. You can expect to spend between three months and a year in one of these homes if that’s what your treatment involves.
Residual Treatment
After your initial treatment program is over, you will likely undergo residual treatment. This usually involves therapy sessions either in an individual setting or with a group. This stage can last for several months or even years. It’s intended to address not just your alcohol addiction but the circumstances that may have led to it. As you can see, there is no easy answer to how long an alcohol rehab program will last. At the very least, you will spend 30 days in detox and treatment. After that, it will depend on you and your situation. It is possible that you will be finished after 30 days, or you might be in therapy for several months. In any case, we can help you find the rehab program that is best for you, so contact us today at 833-820-2922 if you or a loved one are in need of treatment.