Benefits of Residential Alcohol Treatment

Residential alcohol treatment can help you focus on recovery.

Residential alcohol treatment is often the ideal choice for those suffering from alcohol addiction related problems. Although alcohol treatment is available in both residential and outpatient care levels, the benefits of choosing a treatment program that provides intense care in a controlled and heavily monitored environment often outweigh the benefits of a lesser controlled method of care. In fact, those who choose inpatient alcohol treatment over outpatient care are more likely to succeed in recovery, have a smaller chance of relapse and often recover more quickly than those in outpatient treatment.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration states that those who take advantage of residential alcohol treatment are likely to experience many benefits including improved focus on recovery, constant supervision, enhanced wellness programs and peer support. These are just a few of the benefits that are likely to be enjoyed by those who choose residential alcohol treatment versus outpatient alcohol abuse treatment and support.

Improved Focus on Recovery

Residential treatment for alcohol abuse removes the addict from the outside world allowing him or her to focus all of their time on recovery. This can eliminate the risk of relapse and significantly reduce the level of temptation or cravings that an individual has which is especially beneficial during the early days of addiction treatment and recovery. Removal from the interference of environmental factors that can lead to relapse allows the addict to focus heavily on recovery and this can also work to reduce the amount of time that it takes to heal.

Constant Supervision

Those who are addicted to alcohol are subject to extreme risk of relapse and the chances of relapse grow when there is limited monitoring and supervision involved. Residential alcohol treatment programs include around-the-clock monitoring that ensures that the patients in the program have no access to alcohol and that they are safe. 24/7 monitoring that is provided by a licensed team of medical staff and addiction treatment specialists ensures complete safety while in a residential treatment setting.

Enhanced Wellness Programs

Many outpatient alcohol treatment programs do provide wellness programs but not typically to the extent that a residential facility does. Residential alcohol treatment facilities use enhanced wellness programs to help the patient heal on a physical, spiritual and emotional level. Many programs include nutritional counseling and meditation, educational classes, art or music therapy and exercise programs that help to heal the recovering addict in more ways than just healing from the addiction itself.

Those who choose treatment in a residential alcohol treatment facility will benefit from the improved wellness programs that are offered in the facility and can use the techniques, education and skills that they gain in treatment to help prevent relapse and stay sober for many years to come. These programs can be as simple as providing educational tips to relieve stress or as diverse as providing equine therapy to teach trust.

Peer-to-Peer Support

Recovering alcoholics can receive peer support from groups such as AA or similar programs but this support is not always readily available at the exact moment when the individual needs it; unless he or she is in a residential alcohol treatment program. Peer-to-peer support is readily available, 24/7 when in residential care. Many recovering addicts feel more comfortable sharing their triumphs and tribulations with those who are also in recovery versus sharing with people who know little about addiction firsthand.

The peer support that is provided in residential treatment provides a nurturing environment to discuss addiction, recovery, past and present experiences, goals, and feelings. Much of the time spent in group therapy is about providing peer-to-peer support to one another for improved well-being during treatment. The relationships that are developed in a residential treatment setting often carry through to post treatment and provide a solid network years later in recovery.