How Long Does In-Patient Alcohol Rehab Last?

Inpatient stays for alcohol treatment vary depending on the facility, the type of insurance coverage used and the needs of the patient. Most community-funded alcohol treatment centers are short-term facilities that get the alcoholic through the physically dangerous period of detoxing, while other facilities provide long-term plans.

Detox

• The physical detoxification process is over within a couple of days, leaving the patient free from any medical complications due to withdrawals.

Obsession

• Following detox, continued treatment focuses on the mental and emotional aspects of the disease and the level of obsession the patient is experiencing.

Treatment Centers

• Most inpatient alcohol treatment programs last for 28 to 30 days and provide the patient with a foundation on which to expound upon after returning home.

Long-term

• Long-term rehab for alcoholics sometimes takes up to six months or a year until the patient recovers enough to be able to live in the world alcohol-free. Reintegration is usually a slow process at long-term facilities.

Best Case

• Research and statistics, including work done through the National Institutes of Health, report that the longer patients remain in rehab, the better chance they have of sustaining sobriety.