Alcohol Treatment Tools

Detox

Rehab

Talk Programs

 MAT

GO SOBER

Description

Overnight facility where people go to temporarily stop drinking and get through acute, physical withdrawal symptoms

Controlled environment facility where individuals go for multiple weeks to stop drinking and attempt to learn news ways to cope with alcoholism.

Programs where individuals talk with contemporaries or professionals and attempt to work on identifying changes they can make in their lives to help stop drinking. Examples of talk programs are: AA, Counseling , Intensive Outpatient, Group therapy and Self-Help including prayer, meditation, reading books, podcasts, etc.

Medication Assisted Treatment programs (MAT) are programs where medications are dispensed to try to help an individual not drink. They are generally not stand alone but are typically offered in combination with other types of programs

Evidence based program using medications and behavior science to treat the underlying cause for repetitive, unwanted drinking. Program also helps develop new routines for improving overall quality of life

Length of Program

Length of stay is generally overnight but may be up to one week. Humans metabolize alcohol completely within 72-78 hours after the last intake. Physical withdrawal symptoms may occur as soon as 1 hour after consumption and may include vomiting, anxiety, profuse sweating, heart palpitations, and even seizures. Seizures typically occur 2-3 days after last consumption.

Stays range from one week to 90 days. Typically stays last 28 days

May be short-term or long term depending upon need, type and philosophy

May be short-term or long term depending upon specific medication and prescribed use

Detox medications are taken for less than one week. Treatment medications are taken for about 60 days. The total program duration is about 75 days

Method/Treatments Involved

Detox typically includes supervised care, hydration, medications and nutrients to manage acute withdrawal symptoms. Medications frequently include benzodiazepines to reduce anxiety and prevent seizures. Detox does NOT treat the underlying condition causing repeat, unwanted drinking

May dispense medications but typically, only for detox to manage withdrawal symptoms. Activities are group-based, rather than personalized and generally include discussion, counseling, nutritional education, physical activities, massage, role playing and participation in 12-step or AA meetings. Rehabs generally endorse conceptual practices such as harm reduction and relapse prevention.

Individual or group counseling, CBT, motivational interviewing, DBT, EMDR, tapping, stress management including breathing exercises, meditation, yoga etc.

Medications are often prescribed to treat symptoms of drinking like: anxiety, difficulty sleeping, depression and high blood pressure. They do little or nothing to treat the downregulated reward response causing unwanted thinking about drinking

FDA approved medications and supplements to restore and maintain the brain reward response coupled with behavior changes to improve life skills and capacity for enjoyment through counseling, health & wellness coaching and life coaching

Discharge Recommendations

Many detox facilities require a release to an "approved" treatment facility or sober living environment for ongoing, supervised behavior.

Recommend ongoing participation in active "recovery" such as AA or 12-step based programs

Recommend ongoing participation in active "recovery" including having a relapse prevention plan. Outlook is typically one day at a time

Take all medications as prescribed. Recommend ongoing participation in active "recovery" program

Continue to implement recommendations from 3-year plan for healthy lifestyle as developed in conjunction with Go Sober professional Coaches & Counselors

Limitations

Detox is limited to managing withdrawal symptoms and does not restore the brain reward response. Therefore, the likelihood of returning to drinking remains very high.

Requires individuals to take up to several weeks off from work and be away from their families. Often cater to individuals with other substance issues besides alcohol which can make it difficult for individuals to relate to each other. Most activity is group based not individualized. Many have trouble participating in groups. Rehab does NOT restore the brain reward response. Therefore, the likelihood of returning to drinking remains very high.

Talking does NOT restore the brain reward response. Therefore, the likelihood of returning to drinking remains high. Also, may be difficult to incorporate recommended changes while distracted with thoughts about drinking. Support may come from "sponsors" whose long-term sobriety may be similarly tenuous. May require acceptance of spirituality or "higher power"

Must be prescribed by a licensed medical professional. In many cases, medications are prescribed without blood tests to determine physical health risk as in the case of low liver or kidney function or pregnancy. Most medications prescribed to treat alcohol are relatively ineffective at restoring the brain reward response and therefore, the likelihood of returning to drinking remains high

One of the medications used in the Go Sober protocol is administered locally via injection and therefore, currently, clients must travel to a Go Sober location for treatment (1 hour on 3 consecutive days). However, because Go Sober DOES restore the brain reward response, thoughts about alcohol and anxiety suddenly diminish and the likelihood of returning to drinking is low.