Alcohol addiction is a broadly reaching societal concern, affecting over 13 million U.S. adults annually and placing a 250 billion dollar strain on the national economy. Perhaps more importantly, however, alcoholism is devastating on an individual, highly personal level. Alcohol abuse causes those affected to become someone else, to make harmful and hurtful decisions and to take their lives down a potentially deadly path. Alcohol addiction also breaks apart families, damaging relationships with loved ones and introducing a negative pattern that can even influence future generations. Despite the consequences, men and women who struggle with alcoholism cannot stop their alcohol use. Substance use disorders like alcoholism are characterized by compulsive consumption of alcohol, often driven by cravings or withdrawal symptoms. Unfortunately, while these telltale signs of alcohol addiction might sound easy to distinguish, addictive drinking habits frequently go unnoticed or ignored.

The affected individual may be unable to admit to themselves that their alcohol use is problematic, or they may make excuses — and, since alcohol is such a commonplace substance, it is often easy to normalize harmful drinking habits. Loved ones may also overlook the abusive nature of an individual’s drinking as they, too, struggle to come to terms with the idea that someone they care about is addicted to alcohol. At Palmetto Addiction Recovery Center, we are working to change the way our community views alcohol addiction and addiction treatment. We know that alcoholism is a disease — one that causes pain and hurt, and that can be destructive for individuals and their families. Instead of a culture of fear and stigma, we urge people to feel safe in admitting that they need help with their addiction, just like they would seek care for any other illness.

We are here to make getting treatment for alcoholism easier, and we are here to help men and women move beyond addiction and rediscover joy and fulfillment in a healthy, sober life. Our Louisiana treatment center is a welcoming environment fully equipped to guide each patient through all aspects of their recovery. Our expert staff and effective therapies help our patients and their loved ones recognize their addiction and its underlying causes, show them how to cope in new ways and teach them to face their demons head-on.

Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction

Alcoholism can be difficult to identify, especially in its early stages, because alcohol is a common and legal substance in many cultures. In the United States, in particular, drinking is considered a normal social activity. People of all ages frequently drink to the point of intoxication, and in some social circles drinking until “blacking out” or getting sick is not unusual. Many of these types of drinking habits, however, are precursors or signs of alcohol addiction. Indicators of alcohol addiction or disordered drinking include:

  • Binge drinking
  • Underage drinking
  • Drinking alone
  • Drinking at inappropriate times (e.g., before or at work)
  • Regularly drinking until blacking out or becoming sick
  • Drinking in response to negative emotions like sadness, anger or stress
  • Drinking, particularly until drunk, every day or very frequently
  • Engaging in risky behaviors while drunk (e.g., driving or unprotected sex)
  • Becoming unpredictable, angry or violent while drunk
  • Drinking despite consequences (e.g., losing a job or ending a relationship)
  • Drinking despite financial strain
  • Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when sober (e.g., nausea, body aches or shaking)
  • Craving alcohol

It is essential to be aware of the common signs of alcoholism and to reach out for a diagnosis or help if your drinking habits or those of someone close to you begin to spiral out of control. Professional treatment is the safest and most effective way to ensure that an individual can become and stay sober, particularly if withdrawal symptoms are present. Please reach out to us to learn more — our staff is always available to help you find out about the resources available to you, or to provide more information about our detox, residential and intensive outpatient programs for men and women struggling with alcohol addiction.

Effective Treatment for Alcoholism in Louisiana

It is important to remember that treatment for alcoholism is a multi-step process, beginning with achieving physical sobriety through detox and moving through long-term psychological and spiritual healing. Even after professionally guided treatments are complete, recovery is a lifelong endeavor that is best managed through ongoing engagement with activities like therapy, support groups or 12-step meetings. Addiction is not cured or eliminated through temporary treatment and requires a commitment to a healthy, sober lifestyle. Palmetto’s recovery programs are designed to instill the knowledge and skills necessary for lifelong recovery. We treat not only the surface-level symptoms of alcohol addiction, but also the underlying reasons that alcohol abuse began and perhaps the reasons it has resurfaced in the past. With this approach, our patients become physically well again and also discover the best ways to prevent relapse as they return to independent life. In treatment at Palmetto, patients learn to peel back the layers of their alcoholism to reveal deeper problems such as stress or grief, depression or anxiety and trauma or emotional pain.

These problems may have caused an individual to use alcohol to cope, which turned into a habit and then into an addiction. As each layer of addiction is peeled back, an individual must face the uncomfortable truths beneath the surface. Our programs ensure that our patients have a safe, judgment-free environment and a supportive community surrounding them as they uncover the root of their concerns and begin to heal from the inside, out. Above all, Palmetto is a place of peace. It is a place that takes a person away from the noise of day-to-day life to create a clear path into recovery from alcohol addiction. Our secluded location outside of Monroe, Louisiana; our welcoming community; our comfortable accommodations and our beautiful natural surroundings are ideal for physical, mental and spiritual healing. We are ready to bring you or your loved one into a safe and supportive space where alcoholism and its underlying causes can be understood and conquered.

Levels of Care for Alcohol Addiction at Palmetto

Part of our mission to provide long-lasting recovery includes offering multiple stages of care so that our patients can transition seamlessly through treatment and back into independent life.

Medical Detox

Alcoholism may be accompanied by physical withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dehydration, body aches and shakiness. These symptoms are not psychosomatic and can be very dangerous to the affected individual if they are not addressed and treated by a medical professional. Medically monitored detoxification is designed for patients experiencing withdrawal symptoms — care is given to each patient to help ensure a safe, therapeutic transition from active substance abuse. Palmetto is fully staffed with a team of professionals experienced in providing alcohol detox treatment. The medical staff reviews each patient’s case to create a suitable detox protocol.

Residential Treatment

Our full-time residential treatment program is located just outside of Monroe, Louisiana, on our naturally beautiful, cabin-style campus in Rayville. We welcome men and women ages 18 and over who are struggling with addiction to drugs, alcohol or processes, as well as individuals who have a co-occurring addiction and mental health disorder. Patients will live on-site and have access to round-the-clock care. Days are spent in scheduled therapeutic activities ranging from individual clinical sessions to meditation to recreational therapies. We offer a flexible length of stay determined by each patient’s progress through our programs.

Intensive Outpatient Program

Our outpatient treatment is offered at six outpatient locations across Louisiana and is designed for patients who are transitioning out of residential treatment and need continuing support as they move back into independent life. Intensive outpatient treatment may also be appropriate for individuals with early-stage or non-acute alcoholism who do not need full-time treatment or may have other responsibilities that prevent them from entering full-time care. These programs are scheduled part-time — patients live at home or in sober living and attend regular sessions that may consist of one-on-one or group counseling, experiential therapies and activities or skill-building and psychoeducational sessions. Schedules vary by location.

Will insurance help to cover the cost of treatment?

Palmetto is committed to making addiction treatment cost-effective and accessible. We work with most insurance providers and would be happy to discuss your options with you. Call toll-free to speak confidentially with a recovery expert now. Call 318-728-2970 to speak confidentially with a recovery expert now, or send us a message.

Check your insurance