Alcohol Abuse Treatment Program Near Tampa

Anyone that suffers from alcohol use disorder (AUD)—the clinical term for alcohol addiction—can benefit from treatment.⁴

Alcohol addiction is diagnosed by a medical professional based on the diagnostic criteria for AUD set in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5^th edition (DSM-5). The more criteria someone meets, the more severe their AUD.⁴ However, it’s important to note that even a mild disorder can lead to significant problems, including being put in physically hazardous situations (e.g., driving while intoxicated), chronic health problems, and persistent social or interpersonal issues.^4,5

Patients often begin treatment with medical detox for the safe and supervised management of alcohol withdrawal, which can be intensely uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous. While detox is a necessary step for many patients struggling with alcohol addiction, many will need continued treatment—such as inpatient or outpatient rehab—to achieve long-term recovery.¹

AUD is very common, affecting an estimated 28.3 million Americans 12 years old or older in 2020.⁶ Take our confidential self-assessment quiz to see if you may suffer from alcohol use disorder.

How Alcohol Treatment Increases Your Chances of Lasting Recovery

Alcohol use disorder treatment enables patients to counteract the disruptive effects of addiction on their behavior and their health. Treatment can help patients regain control of their lives and build the skills to:^2,7

• Handle stressful situations with healthy coping mechanisms.
• Identify and properly deal with triggers that may lead to relapse.
• Improve family functioning.
• Cultivate social support in recovery.

Alcohol rehab programs at River Oaks also provide additional support after patients complete formal treatment to encourage long-term recovery. In addition to fostering entry into 12-step or community programs, River Oaks offers an alumni app to facilitate accountability and continued peer support. Through the app, alumni can:

• Participate in wellness challenges.
• Keep a gratitude journal.
• Track progress toward recovery goals.
• Access recovery-related content with articles and podcasts.
• Stay connected to a supportive and understanding community.

You can find the alumni app in the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store or by texting “AAC” to 30678.

Medication can be a helpful tool in managing the acute symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. However, not everyone requires the use of medication for alcohol detox.¹

Upon arrival at River Oaks, each patient is assessed by a clinical team to determine if medication is necessary. If a patient’s assessment calls for the use of medication, their use will be strictly monitored by a team of medical professionals that routinely evaluate the patient each time it is administered.

Patients suffering from alcohol withdrawal are often prescribed a long-acting benzodiazepine in tapering doses to reduce the risk of seizures during the acute withdrawal phase.¹

“Comfort medications” may also be administered during alcohol detox to make withdrawal less painful and unpleasant. These symptomatic medications may include:

• Anti-nausea and vomiting medications.
• Vitamins.
• Ache and pain relievers.

Some (but not all) patients may be prescribed medications specifically designed to treat their alcohol use disorder following medical detox. Medications that may be prescribed during and after alcohol rehab may include Vivitrol (naltrexone) which blocks the desirable subjective effects of alcohol, or other medications to reduce cravings or discourage drinking.⁸

How Long Do I Stay in Alcohol Detox at River Oaks?

The length of stay in River Oak’s alcohol detox program varies by patient but on average lasts 7 to 10 days. However, many patients remain at River Oaks after detox to attend an alcohol rehab program which lengthens their total time in treatment.

Many patients remain in treatment after to gain the skills needed to maintain their abstinence from alcohol. Similar to detox, the duration of rehab (i.e. 7+ Days, 30+ Days, and 60+ Days) depends on each patient’s unique situation and needs.

What Types of Therapy are Used in Alcohol Treatment at River Oaks?

Since no single treatment is appropriate for everyone,² River Oak’s clinical staff evaluates each patient to customize their treatment approach.  Evidence-based addiction therapies for addiction treatment at River Oaks include, but are not limited to:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT aims to teach patients how to recognize and change negative behavior and distorted thought patterns. CBT has a lot of scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness in producing real, positive change.⁹
• Contingency management (CM). CM involves providing rewards for patients that meet recovery goals, such as producing negative drug tests, passing recovery milestones, and more.⁷
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT): DBT works to promote abstinence and reduce the adverse impact of relapse by teaching patients opposing strategies of acceptance and change. Patients learn to envision, pursue, and sustain healthy goals.¹⁰
• Motivational interviewing (MI): MI aims to resolve a patient’s apathy toward recovery and strengthens their internal motivation to change and maintain a healthy lifestyle. MI has been found to improve readiness to change and other outcomes in patients with AUD.¹¹
• Family therapy: With family therapy, the patient’s family attends specialized therapy to improve family functioning and address family influences on drug use patterns.⁷

Many of the above therapies and additional approaches used by River Oaks are effective in treating common co-occurring mental disorders that may co-exist and contribute to a patient’s AUD.¹²

Recovery Oaks also offers additional supportive treatments including:

• Expressive arts and music therapy.
• Skills-building.
• 12-Step groups.
• Wellness groups.

How Often Do I See a Therapist or Doctor in Alcohol Rehab?

Each patient meets with a therapist during the detox intake process. Patients meet again with their therapist on the 4^th or 5^th day of treatment and then weekly, or more often if needed. Therapists also touch base with patients during therapy group sessions.

River Oak’s alcohol rehab program in the Tampa area is staffed by licensed psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians, therapists, social workers, nurses, and a supporting team dedicated to providing the best possible treatment.

The first step in getting admitted to River Oaks is to call an admissions navigator at . They will assist you through the admissions process by:

• Getting to know you and your situation.
• Answering your questions about alcohol addiction treatment.
• Helping you determine the best way to pay for care.
• Assisting in making travel arrangements to the facility.

How to Get a Loved One To Go To Alcohol Rehab

Approaching a loved one about their drug and alcohol addiction can cause a lot of anxiety for worried friends and family. Fortunately, there is an abundance of resources for helping a loved one with an addiction.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) provide the following tips on persuading a loved one to enter addiction treatment:^13,14

• Avoid confrontational interventions and ultimatums, which can backfire and do more harm than good.
• Choose the right time and place to talk privately without distractions.
• Tell them that you are worried about them and express your concerns directly.
• Avoid passing judgment and actively listen when they express their feelings and apprehensions.
• Offer to help them find treatment.
• Exercise patience. One conversation may not convince them, but they may eventually be persuaded over time.

Will Insurance Cover Alcohol Rehab in Florida?

Yes, most health insurance plans are required by law to cover addiction treatment services.¹⁵ However, the extent of your insurance coverage for rehab may vary based on the individual insurance plan.

Verify your insurance covers treatment at River Oaks with the confidential .

Coverage and cost may also vary depending on if your insurance is in-network or out-of-network with the treatment facility. River Oaks is in-network with the following insurance providers:

• Aetna
• Ambetter
• BCBS of Florida (New Directions)
• First Health
• Humana
• TRICARE

River Oaks also accepts coverage from several insurance companies like United Healthcare in an out-of-network capacity.

River Oaks admissions navigators are available 24/7 at to help you through the admissions process, explore other ways to pay for rehab if you don’t have insurance, and answer any other questions you may have about the inpatient alcohol rehab program in Hillsborough County, FL or outpatient program in Riverview.