U.S. adults with AUD annually
FDA-approved medications for AUD
Brain healing timeline in recovery
Alcohol use disorder is one of the most prevalent and medically complex substance use disorders, affecting 29.5 million U.S. adults each year according to SAMHSA. Appropriate care addresses every dimension of this chronic condition — the neurobiology, the medical complications, and the psychological and social patterns that sustain it — through integrated, evidence-based treatment.
You don't have to hit rock bottom to qualify for help. If two or more of these apply, an honest conversation costs nothing.
Drinking more than intended or unable to stop once you start
Tolerance, morning drinking, or cravings between drinks
Withdrawal symptoms — tremors, sweating, anxiety, insomnia
Repeated failed attempts to cut back or quit
Continuing to drink despite consequences to health, work, or family
Liver, cardiovascular, GI, or cognitive issues tied to drinking
Chronic alcohol consumption alters brain chemistry through multiple neurotransmitter systems. Alcohol enhances GABA — the brain’s primary inhibitory signal — while suppressing glutamate, the principal excitatory one. With repeated exposure, the brain compensates by downregulating GABA receptor sensitivity and upregulating glutamate activity to maintain equilibrium. When drinking stops abruptly, that compensation creates dangerous hyperexcitability — the source of tremors, anxiety, seizures, and delirium tremens — which is exactly why alcohol withdrawal requires medical supervision unlike many other substances.
Alcohol also drives dopamine release in reward circuits. Chronic exposure blunts the dopamine response to natural rewards while sensitizing pathways to alcohol-related cues, producing cravings, compulsive use, and loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities. Imaging shows these patterns persist for months into abstinence — and explains why durable recovery typically requires extended support as the brain heals over 12 to 18 months.
Progression follows a predictable arc — fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, then cirrhosis with portal hypertension, hepatic encephalopathy, and elevated hepatocellular carcinoma risk. Abstinence is the single intervention that halts the progression.
Hypertension, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias, and elevated stroke risk. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy can progress to heart failure without cessation — but cardiovascular function recovers remarkably with sustained sobriety.
Wernicke's encephalopathy (acute thiamine deficiency presenting with confusion, ataxia, and eye-muscle weakness) requires immediate thiamine to prevent irreversible Korsakoff syndrome. Long-term use causes brain volume loss and cognitive deficits — much improves with abstinence; some persists.
Gastritis, peptic ulcers, malabsorption, and acute or chronic pancreatitis — which can produce severe pain, digestive dysfunction, and alcohol-related diabetes through pancreatic endocrine cell destruction.
Vitamin deficiencies, electrolyte imbalances, and protein-calorie malnutrition are common in severe AUD and require structured nutritional rehabilitation.
Alcohol addiction treatment occurs across intensity levels matched to clinical need, medical complexity, and home stability.
5–7 days of 24-hour monitoring for moderate to severe physical dependence — benzodiazepines to mitigate dangerous withdrawal, thiamine to prevent neurological emergencies, and nutritional support. Protracted symptoms may continue for weeks.
20–30 hours per week of structured programming while living at home — appropriate after detox or for severe presentations needing significant daily clinical contact.
9–15 hours per week of group therapy, individual counseling, psychoeducation, and relapse prevention while you remain anchored to work and family.
Weekly individual therapy plus support-group participation — appropriate for milder AUD or as step-down from higher levels of care.
No one-size-fits-all protocols. Your treatment plan blends the modalities below based on what's actually driving your symptoms.
Alcohol withdrawal can produce seizures and delirium tremens. We assess severity and coordinate medically supervised detox with benzodiazepines, thiamine, and nutritional support before IOP begins.
FDA-approved naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram — matched to the clinical picture, including extended-release injectable naltrexone for adherence.
Functional analysis of triggers, drink-refusal skills, urge management, and lifestyle reconstruction that builds natural rewards to replace alcohol's reinforcing pull.
Empathetic, collaborative work that resolves ambivalence and strengthens intrinsic motivation — far more effective than confrontation.
Behavioral couples therapy produces outcomes superior to individual treatment alone. Family sessions rebuild communication, trust, and recovery-supportive routines.
Liver function monitoring, cardiovascular assessment, GI evaluation, and specialist referrals so the medical consequences of AUD are treated alongside the addiction.
Reaching out is the hardest step. Once you do, we take it from there.
Confidential clinical assessment and medical evaluation within 24 hours
Detox coordination when medically indicated, then warm handoff to IOP/PHP
Structured weekly group, individual therapy, family work, and MAT when appropriate
Long-term aftercare, alumni community, and relapse prevention planning
Blocks mu-opioid receptors so alcohol stops producing the same reward. RCTs show fewer heavy-drinking days, lower total consumption, and reduced relapse. Daily oral and monthly extended-release injectable forms — the injection improves adherence dramatically.
Modulates glutamatergic neurotransmission disrupted by chronic drinking, reducing the protracted withdrawal symptoms — anxiety, insomnia, dysphoria — that linger for months. Increases abstinence rates, especially for clients committed to full sobriety.
Inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase, causing a severely unpleasant reaction to any alcohol consumed. Highly effective for motivated individuals, especially when paired with supervised dosing or contingency management.
Most clients with AUD have a history of trauma. Care is delivered in a trauma-informed frame so treatment supports — rather than retraumatizes — recovery.
Safe, supervised withdrawal management for anyone physically dependent on alcohol.
Full-day clinical programming that bridges the gap between detox and lower-intensity outpatient care.
Active treatment phase combining MAT, CBT, MI, family work, and relapse prevention — typically the core of recovery.
Ongoing individual therapy and peer support that sustain recovery through the 12–18 month brain-healing window and beyond.
AA, SMART Recovery, and similar communities provide indefinite fellowship, accountability, and hope from people who have lived it.
We deliver comprehensive, evidence-based alcohol addiction treatment through IOP and PHP — integrating MAT, CBT, motivational enhancement, family therapy, and coordinated medical care for liver, cardiovascular, and neurological complications. Our trauma-informed approach accounts for the frequent overlap between AUD and traumatic experience. If you’re struggling with alcohol, reach out today by calling (866) 366-6178 or completing our confidential contact form.
No. Labels are personal. The clinical question is whether your drinking is causing harm and how to address it — we'll meet you wherever you are without requiring a particular identity.
Only if you're physically dependent on alcohol — and that determination is medical, not optional. Stopping abruptly with significant dependence can be dangerous (seizures, DTs), so we assess on your intake call and coordinate detox when needed.
Naltrexone blocks alcohol's reward, acamprosate calms the post-detox brain, and disulfiram makes drinking physically unpleasant. They aren't 'replacement addictions' — they're FDA-approved tools that reduce relapse when matched to the right person.
Yes — most major commercial PPO plans. Verification is free, confidential, and takes minutes.
For some clients with mild AUD, moderation is a clinically viable goal. For most — particularly those with physical dependence or medical complications — sustained abstinence produces the best outcomes. We'll talk through what fits your situation honestly.
Share a few details and our admissions team will call you back with your benefits, coverage, and a no-obligation recommendation for next steps.
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Comprehensive alcohol addiction treatment through a secure online platform — clinical-grade care that fits your schedule.
Discreet, flexible treatment built around demanding careers — structured care that fits a working week without disrupting your life.
Mood stabilization through medication, therapy, and structured support — helping individuals manage symptoms and maintain long-term stability.
Trauma-informed therapies help the brain process traumatic memories, regulate stress responses, and restore a sense of safety and emotional stability.
Multiple weekly therapy sessions through secure telehealth — evidence-based treatment while you live at home and stay connected.
Evidence-based care for dependence and withdrawal — helping people safely discontinue use and build lasting recovery.
Specialized clinical care for stabilization and long-term healing, with therapies proven to support recovery from methamphetamine use.
Integrated, evidence-based treatment for alcohol use disorder — addressing medical complications and supporting sustained recovery.
Specialized clinical approaches addressing synthetic opioid dependence — built for the realities of today’s overdose crisis.
Comprehensive addiction and mental health treatment via secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth — no geographic barriers, full clinical depth.
Flexible weekly therapy sessions to support long-term recovery while living at home.
Comprehensive addiction and mental health treatment via secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth — no geographic barriers, full clinical depth.
