Alcohol addiction doesn’t just impact your health; it affects every part of your life. At Willow Behavioral Health in Madison, Wisconsin, our alcohol rehab program is led by experienced clinicians who help you take charge with personalized care.
What Is Alcohol Use Disorder?
Alcohol use disorder, or AUD, is a medical condition. It means an individual is losing/has lost control over drinking, even when it starts to cause harm. AUD can strain your health, your work, and the people around you. While drinking is common in social settings, heavy or frequent use can quickly become something more serious.
Alcohol Use Disorder in the DSM-5
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is a clinical handbook. It helps identify and guide treatment for mental health conditions. Alcohol use disorder can be officially diagnosed when there are patterns of harmful alcohol use that last for over 12 months.
Symptoms used to diagnose per the DSM-5 include:
- Drinking more or longer than planned
- Wanting to cut down but being unable to
- Spending a lot of time drinking or recovering
- Craving alcohol all the time
- Drinking that interferes with daily responsibilities
- Drinking despite conflict with loved ones
- Skipping activities once enjoyed
- Drinking in dangerous situations (like when driving)
- Drinking even with known health problems
- Building up a higher tolerance
- Withdrawal symptoms when alcohol is stopped
Expert-Led Alcohol Rehab at Willow Behavioral Health
- Custom treatment plans tailored to each client
- Staff with both clinical training and lived experience
- Integrated care for co-occurring mental health conditions
- In-person, remote, and blended programs available
- Medication support to manage cravings and withdrawal
- Holistic approaches, including mindfulness and music therapy
- 24/7 crisis care from licensed professionals
- Private, confidential options for busy professionals
Our PHP is a structured, full-day program. You’ll have access to therapy, medication management, and recovery support without having to stay at the facility.
IOP is more flexible and offers a number of weekly sessions with clinical staff. It lets you attend to your usual daily responsibilities while getting the support needed to recover.
Virtual programs provide you with full access to group therapy, one-on-one counseling, and recovery resources from home or on the go. It’s highly accessible and convenient.
We offer medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to manage any cravings and support your progress. MAT is closely supervised by our psychiatric specialists.
What Are the Signs of Alcohol Addiction?
Signs of alcohol abuse often show up in physical, emotional, and behavioral changes:
- Needing more alcohol to feel the same effects
- Hiding your drinking or lying about alcohol use
- Missing significant events because of alcohol
- Feeling tense or short-tempered unless drinking
- Drinking early in the morning or throughout the day
- Trying to quit, but slipping back into drinking habits
Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
Alcohol withdrawal can be a difficult process. It’s also sometimes dangerous, especially when done alone or without help. The symptoms someone experiences vary based on how long and how much they’ve been drinking.
How Long Does Alcohol Withdrawal Last?
Withdrawal can start just a few hours after your last drink and often lasts up to a week. Some symptoms, like restlessness or poor sleep, could stick around longer. With medical support, the process is safer and more manageable.
- Anxiety or irritability
- Headache
- Nausea
- Sweating
- High blood pressure
- Confusion and insomnia
- Rapid heartbeat
- Shaking
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
- Delirium tremens (DTs)
- Severe confusion or agitation
The Effects of Long-Term Alcohol Abuse
Heavy drinking takes a toll on you. The effects of alcohol on the brain are often felt first: memory loss, poor focus, and increased risk of dementia. Over time, alcohol use also damages the heart, liver, and immune system. This puts you at a huge risk of developing a serious illness.
The CDC has stated that AUD is responsible for roughly 178,000 US deaths each year, or about 20 deaths an hour. That’s no small number; alcohol is actively shortening lives by an average of 24 years.
Ongoing Support for Alcohol Abuse Recovery
Getting sober is one thing. Staying there takes support. At Willow, we stick with you long after treatment begins. Whether it’s peer mentoring, virtual check-ins, or alumni events, we’re here to help you keep your footing.
When you’re ready, we can also connect you with local options like alcoholics anonymous and other alcohol support groups. One call can open the door to something better.
FAQs
How long does alcohol withdrawal last?
Is alcohol a stimulant?
How long does it take to detox from alcohol?
Is alcoholism genetic?
Does alcohol cause anxiety?
Is counseling effective in alcohol use disorder?
Read Some of Our Resources
Alcohol addiction can affect your body, emotions, and relationships. When a mental health condition is also present, recovery can feel even harder. This is called dual diagnosis. Understanding how alcohol use connects to mental health can help people find better care and support. What Does Dual Diagnosis Mean? Let’s start
Trauma doesn’t merely disappear. It can linger in unexpected places, such as how you resolve conflicts, trust issues, and harmful behaviors. Traditional therapy often treats symptoms in isolation, such as practical coping skills for anxiety or substance use treatment for addiction. Trauma-informed care touches on the intersection between these symptoms
Maybe a prescription no longer works like it once did, and someone starts to take more than what the bottle says. Or the Adderall pills belong to someone else and become a shortcut to keep up at work or stay focused through exams. These situations raise an important question: can