Managing Financial Aspects of Alcohol Detox in California

A medically managed detox program is not cheap. In addition to the usual expenses that accrue in a residential treatment center, such as room and board, the costs of detox will include round-the-clock medical supervision and any drugs that might be administered to ease withdrawal.

Facilities that provide alcohol detox in California vary widely. Because of California’s high percentage of celebrities, athletes and top executives, and because of the high price of beachside property, many treatment centers are decidedly upscale. If you’re not a member of the affluent community, though, there are still many ways that you can manage to get the help you need.

Affordable Alcohol Detox in California

The first step you should take is to check whether your health insurance might cover any of the expenses involved in the detox process. Many insurance policies do have such provisions, recognizing that immediate and successful treatment will pay off down the road in reduced medical expenses.

Unfortunately, there are far too many of us today without any kind of health insurance to fall back on. If this is the case for you, there are other options. Those with excellent credit and high limits can use credit cards to pay for treatment. If you have a steady income, but can’t manage the credit card approach, investigate whether the facility you’re interested in will set up a financing plan for you. Many, if not most, of the centers that provide alcohol detox in California recognize the need and offer financing.

If you don’t have a steady income that would allow financing, look into public and non-profit treatment centers. There are many centers funded by foundations, religious organizations or other forms of assistance that will help you get the treatment you need even if you don’t have the financial resources to pay for it.

Alcohol Detox for Adolescents and Young Adults

In years past, it was relatively uncommon that a young person would have to go through alcohol detox. The detoxification process is made necessary when there has been a prolonged build-up of alcohol in the body, so that when the addict stops drinking, withdrawal symptoms result. This is usually the result of years of heavy drinking.

Unfortunately, there has been a marked increase in binge drinking among adolescents and young adults. An isolated instance of binge drinking, such as the 21st birthday, when the celebrant is urged to consume 21 shots, is extremely dangerous, with a high risk of alcohol poisoning. However, repeated binge drinking, such as the nearly weekly parties on college campuses, can result in a young person having the same need for alcohol detox as someone who has been a confirmed alcoholic for decades.

Young people think they’re invulnerable, and a binge drinker who has become addicted at an early age might well be in denial about the need for treatment. In such a case, an intervention might be appropriate.

Staging an Intervention to Get Someone into Alcohol Detox

Getting the alcoholic into treatment is the sole purpose of an intervention. Promises to stop drinking won’t do. It’s imperative that the person staging the intervention meet first with an intervention expert. This expert will help everyone involved understand what their roles are, and will probably rehearse the intervention with you. You will also need to have made all arrangements for the alcoholic’s immediate entry into treatment, so finances and transportation need to be worked out in advance.

Our website has a list of intervention experts that you can use as a resource. Look for it under “Key Links” on our home page.

Alcohol Detox Centers Provide Treatment for Withdrawal Symptoms

When a habitually heavy drinker stops consuming alcohol suddenly, he or she is subject to uncomfortable and even life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal occurs because habitual use of alcohol inhibits brain activity. When alcohol is abruptly removed and brain activity resumes, stress hormones are overproduced and the patient’s central nervous system becomes overexcited. Aggressive behavior, tremors, changes in heartbeat and blood pressure, and a host of other symptoms result. Seizures and delirium tremens are among the most threatening effects.

At alcohol detox centers, treatment for severe withdrawal symptoms usually includes anti-anxiety drugs known as benzodiazepines. These drugs inhibit nerve-cell excitability in the brain and reduce the risk of seizures. The patient must be carefully monitored and dosage adjusted according to need, in order to prevent a secondary addiction to the drug. Anti-seizure medications and beta blockers (to slow the heart rate) are sometimes used in conjunction with anti-anxiety medications.

Drugs are generally administered intravenously, so that they can take effect quickly and in appropriate dosages. Injections of vitamin B1 are often administered as well, to prevent Kosakoff’s psychosis, a common withdrawal symptom characterized by hallucinations and highly aggressive behavior.

Get Prompt Treatment for Withdrawal at Alcohol Detox Centers

Whenever symptoms of withdrawal from alcohol appear, they must be treated promptly. Left untreated, the severity is likely to increase, resulting in serious medical conditions and even death. Delirium tremens has a fatality rate as high as 20 percent without prompt medical intervention. If you or someone you love exhibits signs of withdrawal, get to a hospital or alcohol detox center at once. Use our listings to find a treatment center near you.

Take Action: Find an Alcohol Detox Center

According to the twelve-step model used by Alcoholics Anonymous, the first step alcoholics must take on the road to recovery is to admit that they can no longer control their drinking. This is true no matter what type of treatment model you choose. Once you have come to that realization, it’s time to take action and find an alcohol detox center. Alcoholism has both physical and psychological aspects, and it is usually necessary to get the alcohol out of your bloodstream and get over the short-term physical issues before psychological elements can be addressed.

Alcohol withdrawal results when a habitual drinker stops drinking abruptly. Symptoms increase in severity with the amount of alcohol consumed, but withdrawal can occur no matter how much you habitually drink. Symptoms include tremors, anxiety attacks, fatigue, headache, excessive sweating, rapid heart rate, nausea, fever, delirium and convulsions. Liver failure, dehydration and internal bleeding are manifestations that can be fatal. Withdrawal usually starts from 5 to 10 hours after the last drink, but may occur as much as a week to 10 days later.

At an alcohol detox center, the patient will be kept under constant observation, and usually will be given fluids intravenously. If symptoms are severe, the patient may be kept under sedation until the worst of the withdrawal has passed. The patient will be tested for medical problems related to alcoholism, such as liver disease, malnutrition, heart disorders, brain disorders, blood clotting disorders and nerve damage, and treated as necessary.

Find an Alcohol Detox Center Now

At SoberRecovery.com, we maintain a list of alcohol detox centers that you can use as a resource. All of the treatment centers on our list are reputable facilities, and you can use our filters to find one near you. The sooner you get yourself to an alcohol detox center, the sooner you can begin your recovery.

Do you have a drinking problem? Do you wonder if you need alcohol abuse treatment?

That you even asked the question of yourself is a good place to start. There’s an old saw that if you wonder if you’re an alcoholic, you probably are. However, the answer is a bit less simplistic than that. Here’s a series of questions to ask yourself:

• Do you lose time from work, school or other commitments because of drinking?
• Do drink to make yourself more relaxed in social situations?
• Is drinking effecting the way people are talking about you?
• Do you feel guilty for how much you drink?
• Is drinking causing money problems?
• Does drinking make you less careful about your loved ones?
• Does drinking make you less ambitious?
• Do you want a drink in the morning?
• Does drinking interfere with your sleep?
• Do you drink to forget about trouble?

If you’ve answered yes to one or more of these questions, you are at risk for being an alcoholic and might want to look into an alcohol abuse treatment program.

What to Expect From an Alcohol Abuse Treatment Program

Depending on how heavily you had been drinking these programs can range from counseling and group therapy to a full, in-patient detox. While it might be embarrassing to discuss these problems with your physician, when you’re getting help it’s important to be honest with your physician about exactly how much you drink. Detox is no joke and you may need serious treatment, even if you think your problem hasn’t gotten that bad yet. If you think you might need help, don’t hesitate. Talk to your doctor. An alcohol abuse treatment program might be exactly what you need to get your life on track.