Highlights From Your Consultation

What I Observe About Myself

- I drink too much, usually at night
- I sleep poorly, while my body & liver detoxify alcohol
- I wake up the next day feeling hungover
- I decide not to drink that day and at the time, I’m fully committed
- As the day wears on, my anxiety goes up and I start feeling irritable
- I have unwanted thoughts about alcohol and my anticipation builds
- Eventually, I give up and decide it’s okay to have a little bit
- I drink and feel immediate relief, briefly
- I continue drinking to chase the fleeting relief
- Then, I drink too much, again!

You can quit drinking and Go Sober can help

The Underlying Problem

Alcohol produces a lot of dopamine; that’s why we like it. Dopamine is a reward response chemical necessary to ensure survival by allowing us to feel pleasure when we engage in activities that come from certain activities, such as eating, exercising, and enjoyable pursuits. Becoming dependent on alcohol occurs because alcohol produces this reward response (dopamine) all by itself, and we don’t have to do any work to get it.

When someone consumes alcohol regularly, over time, the reward response becomes lazy. Eventually, the individual needs alcohol to produce enough dopamine to feel OK. When they don’t drink, the levels of dopamine drop, triggering an autonomic cueing to replenish. This cueing creates anxiety and thoughts about alcohol in hopes of feeling better.

Changes Over Time

Eventually, it takes more alcohol just to feel OK. That’s known as tolerance. Also, even enjoyable things aren’t that much fun any more. That’s the down-regulated reward response. It’s also called reward deficiency syndrome (RDS)

The Good News

This is not a will power problem
It’s not a character defect
It’s not a disease in the typical sense
No one intends for it to happen

AND, it’s absolutely TREATABLE!

The Solution

Any effective alcohol treatment program must restore and initiate the reward response. The medications Go Sober uses help restore the brain’s ability to produce rewards. That stops the anxiety and unwanted thinking about drinking almost immediately. The behavioral health aspects trigger the reward response to maintain adequate levels. Working one-on-one with professionals helps develop lasting routines and accountability, which favor successful, long-term outcomes.

That’s the solution!

Alcohol Treatments: A Comparison

	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.

Medications Are Not All Equal

Many alcohol programs offer medication-assisted treatment (MAT) as an adjunct or even a mainstay of their curriculum. However, we feel an essential distinction requires clarification regarding the medications themselves. Namely, do the medications “treat” the underlying condition (down-regulated dopamine response) causing repeat, unwanted drinking? No. Typically MAT medications either treat the symptoms of alcohol use (depression and anxiety) and withdrawal or attempt to reduce the number of “heavy drinking days.” This strategy of using medications to treat symptoms or reduce the number of drinking days is flawed.

At Go Sober, we don’t try to do either. Instead, we’ve designed our treatment protocol to treat the underlying condition causing the unwanted drinking in the first place. Go Sober prescribes medications to restore the dopamine response that alcohol has down-regulated over time. The difference is fundamental – suddenly, our clients stop thinking about alcohol throughout the day. Their anxiety decreases, and they become available to get on with their lives.

Go Sober Program Steps

Here are the major process steps in the Go Sober protocol:

First, complete the online intake process forms so we can start to get to know you and make your payment.
Meet with your Intake Specialist (remote)to review logistics and clarify any remaining questions.
Have your blood drawn at your nearest Quest Lab so the doctor can determine how to help you best and safely.
Meet with Go Sober’s Medical Doctor for your physical exam (telemedicine)
Begin taking your detoxification medications
Come into Go Sober for your in-house infusions
Begin taking your oral medications and supplements provided by Go Sober
Meet one-on-one each week (remote) with your Life Coach, your Counselor, and your Health & Wellness Coach
Attend remote Check-Ins with your Care Coordinator
Attend your final transition and review session (in-person or remote)

While it seems like a lot, it goes by quickly. Most people find the process enjoyable because they feel so much better, and they have hope again for the first time in a long time!

Time Commitment

For your planning purposes, Go Sober usually takes about ten weeks to complete from start to finish. Each week you’ll have three to four hours of remote sessions. In addition, there is generally one to two hours of outside-of-the-session work to accomplish each week.

The remarkable thing is that our clients generally stop thinking about alcohol by the second or third day of medications. The medications are prescribed and dispensed right after the physical exam at the beginning of the process

Medications + 3-4 hours per week in one-on-one counseling and coaching sessions + a couple of hours of homework each week = Freedom from alcohol

Pricing

The price for the Go Sober treatment program is $11,900. It includes everything we believe you need to Reset Your Life and Go Sober permanently*.

*Laboratory fees, physical exam, detox medications, oral & infusion treatment medications, supplements, remote monitoring system, and one-on-one sessions with Go Sober’s licensed and certified professional staff.

Payment Options

Payment can be made in one of several ways including self-pay, sponsorship or short-term loans. Full payment is due at time of intake.

Self Pay
We accept ACH payments or credit cards. Clients may also use non-taxable income from their frequently overlooked Health Saving (HSA) Account. Go Sober meets HSA qualifications for “medical procedure.”

Sponsorship
Often, clients find that someone is willing to sponsor the cost of their treatment. Yet, frequently, individuals are reluctant to ask for help because of the shame and guilt they feel over their past behavior or the unrealistic expectation that they can stop drinking on their own. We encourage clients to take advantage of the sponsorship option when possible. Friends, family members, and even sometimes employers recognize the cost of treatment as a small price to pay for long-term health and wellness benefits derived from those individuals who are important to them or their organizations.

Short-Term Loans
Alcohol treatment represents an investment in the individual’s future, as with other significant investments, many clients choose to take out a loan or borrow money from a friend or family member. Short-term loans can be a very helpful and beneficial way to pay for treatment. Not only do they have the obvious benefit on cash flow via manageable monthly payments they also provide accountability via ownership or having “skin in the game.” Because Go Sober qualifies as a medical procedure, some lenders will make unsecured health care loans to cover the cost of treatment, and brokers can often save the client time searching for lenders*. One brokerage firm that has helped many of our clients’ secure financing is listed here: Optimum eFinancing

Additionally, clients should consider talking with their bank or credit union for an unsecured loan if they have good credit ratings.

Go Sober does not have reciprocal, financial agreements with any financial institutions.

Insurance

Go Sober cannot receive sufficient insurance payments to cover costs associated with providing all services determined necessary for effective alcohol treatment. Therefore, rather than compromise on quality and long-term outcomes, Go Sober doesn’t accept client insurance as payment.

In some cases, insurance coverage may be available for some of the services Go Sober provides. However, that varies on a case-by-case basis and depends on the insurance carrier, type of policy and client’s ability to negotiate with the insurance company.

We will assist our clients by providing statements of services for those clients who request them. We do not, however, interface directly with client’s insurance companies.

Helpful Reminders

You can’t make someone who is not ready stop drinking
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a condition that develops slowly over time by consuming alcohol regularly
It helps to think of Alcoholism as a Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS). RDS causes anxiety and diminishes enjoyment in individuals when they try not to drink
Alcohol dependency is not a willpower problem, character defect, or disease. Nobody intends to develop this condition!
Just because a person has a genetic predisposition towards alcoholism, does not guarantee they will develop it
AUD affects men & women almost equally, but the effects are typically harder on women
Generally, men drink for pleasure, or the high, while women drink to avoid or manage stress and emotional pain. Both men and women will drink to alleviate social anxiety.

Will Go Sober Work For Me

Absolutely! We’re confident that the medications prescribed by Go Sober will stop the persistent thinking about drinking. That alone is different from any other “treatment” program you’ve tried. Getting through today, tomorrow, and the next several days without thinking about drinking is a tremendous relief! Ending this vicious cycle creates a real opportunity for permanent change.

We’re also confident that the behavior health & wellness education provided throughout the program favors your ability to produce rewards when good, pleasant, or pleasurable things happen to you. That’s what’s been missing. You become like you used to be before alcohol interfered. You’ll be able to enjoy things again and be present and in the moment.

The only thing that’s unknown to us and is entirely up to you is your readiness. For example, suppose you’re motivated to be done with alcohol, elect our medical treatment, and participate in the program’s recommended behavioral health aspects. We’re confident this program will work for you, and you’ll wonder why you didn’t Go Sober sooner!