Alcohol addiction can have devastating consequences for friends, family, and the individual.
Getting the right type of treatment is essential, but how long should you stay in treatment? How long should an alcoholic stay in rehab if they can’t take care of themselves or if they have a stable home environment and they just need a little extra support after a relapse?
The Right Care Plan
There are several levels of care that can provide a treatment solution for someone who is struggling with alcohol addiction, but finding the right level is based on many factors, primarily your personal circumstances, needs, risks, and schedule.
Someone who is unable to take care of themselves and is at risk of self-harm or harm to others will need full supervision at a live-in center, whereas someone who has a stable home environment and can get themselves to and from meetings might start with something like outpatient care.
When you first reach out for help, our team will discuss several things with you, reviewing your history of substance abuse, any co-occurring mental health disorders, previous attempts at recovery programs and what level they were, and more. This information will help determine the right care plan for you.
How Long Should an Alcoholic Stay in Rehab?
The length of time that someone who is struggling with alcoholism should remain in rehab is contingent on several factors.
Detox
How long should an alcoholic stay in rehab when they first start? The initial phase of alcohol recovery is detox.
This is something that should be done at a qualified treatment center offering detox services, given the risk of complications, health problems, and even death associated with severe alcohol withdrawal.
The typical timeline for detox for alcohol is around one week, but this might be a few days longer or shorter, depending on your symptoms. During that time, you will remain under supervision where your vitals can be monitored, and any adjustments can be made to further support your comfort and well-being during the initial withdrawal process.
Inpatient
If, during the course of detox, you are using what is called medication-assisted treatment or MAT, you will be provided with FDA-approved medication to help ease the withdrawals and the Cravings both during your detox process and the rest of your treatment.
Those who participate in MAT programs are required to continue with ongoing therapy in an inpatient or outpatient program.
How long should an alcoholic stay in rehab if they are in an inpatient program?
These programs are typically 30 day increments so you can choose to stay for 30 days, 60 days, even 90 days depending on your needs.
If you are struggling with alcoholism, you can start with something like a 30-day plan after your initial detox and work with your team from there to assess your progress, extending your stay as necessary.
Outpatient
Either after an inpatient program or after detox, some people choose to participate in outpatient programs.
So, how long should an alcoholic stay in rehab for outpatient care?
The outpatient programs are generally much longer, with initial alcohol rehab programs lasting several months but from there tapering to weekly support group sessions that you can continue to use for as long as you need.
If at any point you are struggling with a relapse and you need additional supervision or care, even those in an outpatient program can switch to a more supervised inpatient program where they live at a treatment center.
Getting Customized Care with Sequoia Recovery
At Sequoia Recovery, our teams provide every level of care so you can start with detox and transition through inpatient or flexible outpatient programs, depending on your needs and your schedule.
With our treatment team, you get supervision and medication as part of your MAT program for detox and an easy transition into the remainder of your treatment plan at our facility. We work hard to offer customized care with continual support so that you don’t have to guess ahead of time how long you should stay in treatment but instead can start your treatment plan and, from there, make adjustments if you need a higher or lower level of supervision or a longer stay.
Don’t wait to get help. Call our team today to discuss how long you might need care for alcohol addiction.