If you or a loved one is battling alcohol addiction, you are not alone during this challenging time. As a matter of fact, there are many reputable alcohol treatment facilities in Chicago that were established to help manage alcohol use disorder and get people on the road to sobriety, health, and peacefulness.
For many people, it is hard to determine whether or not there is a problem with one’s alcohol use. It is important to first understand how alcohol impacts the body:
Alcohol is considered a sedative-hypnotic drug that targets the central nervous system as a depressant at high doses. When consumed at lower doses, it acts more like a stimulant. Stimulants create feelings of euphoria, acting as forms of dopamine. These feelings can create an alcohol dependency and may lead to alcohol abuse and addiction.
Searching for and finding an appropriate alcohol treatment Chicago center for you or your loved one can be an extremely stressful process. Fortunately, there are a variety of alcohol rehab centers in Chicago, and professional treatment is readily available. The key is to research, know your needs, and find the alcohol treatment center in Illinois that is right for you. But, first, it is helpful to have an understanding of the signs of alcohol misuse and the health concerns related to those who are struggling with addiction.
What Are the Signs of Alcohol Addiction?
For many people, it is challenging to tell the difference between being a recreational drinker and having an alcohol use disorder and, thus, it is often hard to know if you need help from an alcohol treatment facility in Chicago. However, there are some common signs that you can look for when trying to determine whether or not you need professional support in relation to your alcohol use. Some of these indicators include:
- Being unable to control when or how much you drink
- Having uncontrollable cravings to drink
- Coping with emotions by drinking
- Engaging in “binge drinking”
- Needing to consume increasingly larger amounts of alcohol to experience the same effects
- Feelings of irritability if you cannot drink when you want to
- Experiencing blackouts or periods of time when you cannot remember what you did
- Being dishonest to others or hiding your drinking habits
- Preferring to drink over engaging in other activities
- Experiencing symptoms when you are unable to drink such as nausea, sweating, shaking, hallucinations, vomiting, convulsions, anxiety, depression, insomnia, hand tremors
If you are experiencing some of the above reactions to your alcohol use, then an alcohol rehab center in Chicago may be right for you.
How Do Alcohol Rehab Centers in Chicago Work?
While there are many different options for alcohol treatment in Chicago, there are two main types of alcohol rehab programs and detox programs:
Inpatient Treatment:
Inpatient programs require you to live at the alcohol rehab center, hospital, or detox clinic while you have access to support and care around the clock. For people who are recovering from alcohol use disorder, this more intensive program utilizes various therapeutic treatments for each person’s unique needs. One’s day-to-day life is disrupted so that the focus and energy are only on healing and sobriety.
Outpatient Treatment:
Outpatient programs enable you to remain at home and receive support while still maintaining many aspects of your normal daily routine, as well. Outpatient treatment for alcohol abuse and addiction involves meeting with therapists, participating in group, individual and/or family therapy, looking at your whole self in terms of alcohol abuse, and healing your mind and body along the way. You do not stay overnight, but rather you come for a determined amount of time, based on your specific needs. This option may be the best option for people who are unable to join an inpatient alcohol treatment program because of work, family, or other commitments. While participating in outpatient alcohol rehab, individuals and families can receive the clinical support they need to heal and address issues that are often exacerbated by the need to self-medicate.
Learn About CRC — Chicago’s Newest Outpatient Alcohol Treatment Center
CRC Institute is a luxury outpatient rehab center in Chicago, Illinois that offers gender-specific therapies and treatments for those with an alcohol use disorder. CRC is an integrated center for healing that focuses on optimizing health rather than just focusing on the addiction or health concern at hand. With a team of expert doctors and clinicians, CRC is here to support you every step of the way.
The primary objective of CRC Institute is to create long-lasting change, one step at a time. By looking at the way in which everything is connected, CRC’s team hopes they can help you to break your unhealthy patterns and fill your day with healing. Alcohol treatment Chicago at CRC is designed to understand the core roots behind your alcohol misuse. In addition, the aim is to help repair existing relationships, create accountability, and instill new principles to live by in the future.
Forms of Alcohol Treatment at CRC in Chicago
At CRC, alcohol treatment is offered as an outpatient service. As stated above, that means that you can still live at home while maintaining your job, classes, or other obligations while you are receiving treatment for your alcohol use. Your overall program is designed as a collaborative process between you and your medical team at CRC.
There are many different forms of outpatient alcohol treatment available at CRC. The team of experts at CRC is here to help determine the most effective form of treatment for you. After a detailed assessment process at our integrated center for healing in Chicago, we will create a plan for treatment that is right for you. Here are the main three types of treatment options that are available at CRC:
- Outpatient Program (OP) — meets one to two days a week for a couple of hours each day
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) — meets three days a week for a few hours each day
- Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) — runs five days a week for most of each day
Whichever option is determined to be best for you, know that it is aimed to treat all of you — not just the issues with alcohol use. We focus on treating the whole person and on meeting you where you are at.
In addition to traditional forms of treatment, we also offer a variety of holistic practices, such as mediation, mindfulness, and acupuncture. The alcohol treatment program that you choose is going to include a variety of activities (both traditional and modern) that help optimize your overall health and well-being and help to ensure your road to success.
How Do I Know Which Alcohol Treatment Program is Best For Me?
If your alcohol use is causing negative effects in your life, it makes sense to delve into your unhealthy relationship with alcohol and explore the possibility that you may have developed an addiction. Once you determine that a problem exists, the path to recovery can begin. Many individuals forego treatment because they do not believe they have a problem with alcohol use or because they haven’t hit “rock bottom.” However, if you are questioning whether you need help with your substance use, you likely do.
The right treatment program for you will be determined based on an understanding of the substance use is mild, moderate, or severe. The severity is determined by how many criteria you meet. Addiction is measured on a spectrum, and it is important to remember that addiction is a progressive disease.
The severity of your alcohol use disorder helps to determine the clinically appropriate level of care. At Chicago Rehab Center, our skilled team of clinicians and medical professionals will ensure that we gather all necessary information to provide you with the best treatment options and recommendations. You will be involved in every step of the process, collaborating with our treatment team while we make sure we are setting you up for success.
CRC offers a wide range of intensive treatment programs to accommodate various levels of treatment needs. Through our detailed, thorough assessment process, we will create a plan for treatment that allows you to adequately address alcohol use and mental health concerns while also continuing to maintain other obligations with work, home, or school. If additional needs or services are identified during the intake or assessment process, our treatment team will connect you with top providers within our referral network.
At CRC Institute, we understand the process of entering treatment and making treatment-related decisions can be overwhelming and we are here to help make the transition into treatment as seamless and comfortable as possible.
Therapy Options Offered During CRC’s Alcohol Treatment Program
As you move through space and through your days in alcohol recovery treatment at CRC’s alcohol treatment program in Chicago, there are many offerings available. With a variety of treatments, some traditional and some more contemporary, each individual should be able to find the program in which something clicks. The goal at CRC is to tailor the treatment specifically for each person so that the magic can happen and real healing can begin.
The different therapy options available at CRC include:
- Mental Health Therapy
- Family Therapy
- Group Therapy
- Remote Therapy
- Individual Therapy
- Holistic Treatment
- Vitamin/IV Therapy
- NAD+ Therapy
Each option has a different purpose and way in which it can impact someone’s journey toward healing. For example, NAD+ therapy utilizes an enzyme treatment that improves brain function by promoting energy into the body’s cells. This treatment can help one stay on the road to sobriety by impacting overall health and well-being and repairing previous damage done by alcohol misuse. With the wide variety of treatment styles available, CRC hopes that you find the path toward healing that is most comfortable, effective, and long-lasting.
Why Choose CRC Treatment Center for Alcohol Treatment Chicago
Some of you may be resistant to certain forms of Western medicine as you contemplate your path to sobriety. But, at CRC, you have the option of engaging in a variety of Eastern practices as well as traditional ones. These alternative options may be used in conjunction with or, at times, in place of more traditional treatment options. The bottom line is: At CRC in Chicago, we are going to meet you where you are at and determine a plan that is most effective for your alcohol treatment.
We believe that in order to heal from a chronic condition, one thing has to change — everything. This journey towards health and wellness is different for every individual, but the two elements that are always involved include connection and magic. In order to achieve these two treatment components, our therapies at Chicago Rehab Center are:
Gender-Specific:
Treating you in groups by gender allows for safer healing environments and more comprehensive care. Offering gender-specific treatments is something very unique to our program at CRC Treatment Center in Chicago, and we take extra steps to create a supportive and empathetic culture. As a result, you receive a truly safe, respectful, and distraction-free environment.
Holistic:
Our holistic practitioners work with our doctors and psychiatrists to configure the most effective, evidence-based activities that support your individual needs. Our holistic programming adds an extra layer of treatment that is exclusive to CRC Treatment Center.
Fully-Integrated:
Our person-centered treatment, counseling, and therapies address you as a whole person enabling you to be treated in a specific, personalized way. By delving into all aspects of you, we provide you with a comprehensive understanding of what you need to be your best, healthiest self.
Custom Medical Evaluation:
This medical evaluation is detailed and thorough as we believe in treating all of you in order to help you achieve your goals. When you begin treatment at CRC, we include a 360 palm print analysis, a fully comprehensive blood panel to determine any deficiencies, and a complete physical, nutritional, and wellness examination. Our board-certified and licensed medical team go to extraordinary lengths to fully and comprehensively evaluate all of your concerns, needs, medical history, and specific goals for treatment.
Evidence-Based Clinical Approach to Treatment:
Our unique combination of therapy, treatment clinical modalities, and outpatient programs have consistently proven to help you overcome and heal from substance abuse for a successful long-term recovery.
For more information about alcohol treatment in Chicago, contact CRC Institute.
Dr. Beth Dunlap, a board-certified addiction medicine and family medicine physician, is the medical director at CRC Institute, where she is responsible for overseeing all the integrated medical services at the Institute. Beth completed medical school, residency, and fellowship at Northwestern University, where she continues to serve on the faculty as a member of the Department of Family and Community Medicine. She has extensive experience in addiction medicine at all levels of care, and her clinical interests include integrated primary care and addiction medicine, harm reduction, and medication-assisted treatment.
