Alcohol Addiction Treatment
Alcohol addiction can be difficult to name, especially when life still appears to be functioning from the outside. Many people who come to PROMIS are still working, caring for family, meeting responsibilities, or drinking in ways that look socially acceptable to other people. Privately, though, alcohol has started to take up more space than they want it to.
A problem with alcohol is not defined by one stereotype. It may look like drinking every day, drinking heavily in bursts, needing alcohol to sleep, hiding the amount being consumed, drinking to manage anxiety or low mood, or repeatedly promising to stop and then finding that the same pattern returns. Dependence can develop gradually, and by the time someone tries to stop, withdrawal symptoms or fear of coping without alcohol can make change feel very hard.
Alcohol addiction often overlaps with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, stress, relationship strain, or other substance use. At PROMIS, treatment looks at the whole person. We help you stop drinking safely where withdrawal risk is present, but we also work with the emotional and relational reasons alcohol became important in the first place.
Types We Treat
Daily drinking, where alcohol has become part of ordinary functioning, sleep, stress relief, or emotional regulation.
Binge drinking or loss-of-control drinking, where periods of abstinence are followed by episodes that feel difficult to stop once they begin.
High-functioning alcohol dependence, where someone appears outwardly capable but privately feels unable to control drinking.
Alcohol use alongside anxiety, depression, trauma, burnout, grief, loneliness, or relationship distress.
Alcohol use with other substances or prescribed medication, including benzodiazepines, cocaine, cannabis, opioids, sleeping tablets, or pain medication.
Relapse after previous detox, rehab, therapy, mutual aid, or self-directed attempts to stop.
Signs & Symptoms
Psychological
Thinking about alcohol often, planning when you can drink, or feeling uneasy when alcohol is unavailable.
Using alcohol to calm anxiety, numb feelings, manage shame, cope with trauma memories, or get through social situations.
Low mood, irritability, guilt, panic, poor concentration, or emotional volatility linked to drinking or withdrawal.
Feeling unable to imagine relaxing, sleeping, celebrating, or coping with stress without alcohol.
Repeatedly minimising the problem to yourself or others, while privately feeling worried about it.
Physical
Shaking, sweating, nausea, retching, headaches, raised heart rate, or feeling physically unwell when alcohol wears off.
Needing a drink in the morning or earlier than intended to steady yourself or feel normal.
Poor sleep, night sweats, appetite changes, stomach problems, blackouts, injuries, or worsening physical health.
Tolerance, where more alcohol is needed to achieve the same effect.
Withdrawal symptoms can become medically serious for some people, including seizures, hallucinations, confusion, or delirium tremens. These symptoms need urgent medical attention.
Behavioural
Hiding bottles, lying about amounts, rotating shops, or drinking before or after events in secret.
Missing work, appointments, family commitments, or social plans because of drinking or recovery from drinking.
Continuing to drink despite arguments, health worries, financial problems, accidents, or professional consequences.
Avoiding honest conversations about alcohol, becoming defensive, or making repeated promises that are hard to keep.
Drinking in risky situations, including before driving, while caring for others, or alongside medication or other drugs.
When to Seek Specialist Help
It is time to seek specialist help if alcohol feels difficult to control, if stopping causes withdrawal symptoms, if drinking is affecting your health or relationships, or if people close to you are worried. You do not need to wait for a crisis before asking for support.
Please do not suddenly stop drinking without medical advice if you are physically dependent, drinking heavily every day, drinking in the morning to steady yourself, or have previously experienced seizures, hallucinations, severe confusion, or delirium tremens. Alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous and sometimes needs medically assisted detox.
PROMIS can help you understand the safest next step. For some people that means residential detox and treatment. For others, day patient, outpatient, or ongoing therapy may be appropriate. The right plan depends on risk, dependence, mental health, home support, and what has happened in previous attempts to stop.
How We Treat at PROMIS
Alcohol treatment at PROMIS begins with careful assessment. We look at your drinking pattern, withdrawal risk, physical health, medication, mental health, sleep, relationships, family situation, and any other substances involved. This assessment helps us decide whether medically supervised detox is needed and what level of support is safest.
Where detox is required, it is only the first stage. Stopping alcohol safely matters, but lasting recovery also depends on understanding what alcohol has been doing for you: calming anxiety, softening trauma, avoiding conflict, easing loneliness, numbing depression, or providing a sense of control. Therapy helps replace that function with healthier and more sustainable ways of coping.
Treatment may include medically assisted withdrawal, psychiatric review, individual therapy, group therapy, relapse prevention, family work, trauma-informed therapy, CBT, DBT skills, and support for co-occurring anxiety, depression, trauma, or other addictions. Medication to support relapse prevention may be considered where clinically appropriate, alongside psychological treatment.
Treatment Formats
Residential
Residential treatment is often the safest option when alcohol dependence is significant, withdrawal risk is present, previous attempts to stop have not lasted, or home life contains strong triggers. It provides medical monitoring, structure, distance from alcohol, and daily therapeutic support.
At PROMIS, residential care can include detox, individual therapy, group work, psychiatric input, family support, relapse prevention, and planning for life after treatment. The aim is not simply to interrupt drinking, but to help you leave with a clearer understanding of your risks, needs, and support plan.
Day Patient
Day patient treatment may suit people who need structured therapy and accountability but do not require residential detox or 24-hour care. It can be useful when home support is stable and the person can remain safe between sessions.
This format can help with relapse prevention, emotional regulation, family communication, and work on the underlying issues connected to alcohol use.
Outpatient
Outpatient or online treatment may be appropriate for milder alcohol problems, step-down care after residential treatment, or longer-term therapy once drinking has stabilised.
Outpatient work focuses on maintaining change in real life: managing cravings, navigating social pressure, repairing trust, strengthening routines, and responding quickly to early warning signs.
Aftercare
Aftercare is essential because the highest-risk moments often arrive after the immediate pressure has passed. Before treatment ends, we help you identify triggers, warning signs, support contacts, recovery routines, and a clear plan for what to do if cravings or lapses occur.
Ongoing therapy, recovery groups, family involvement, psychiatric follow-up where needed, medication review, and structured relapse prevention can all support long-term recovery. PROMIS aftercare is designed to make the transition home feel supported rather than abrupt.
Why Choose PROMIS
PROMIS has decades of experience treating alcohol addiction alongside complex mental health needs, trauma, family strain, and co-occurring substance use.
We understand that alcohol problems often carry shame and secrecy. Our approach is confidential, compassionate, and practical.
Medical safety is central. If detox is needed, withdrawal risk is assessed carefully and managed with appropriate clinical support.
Treatment is personalised rather than based on a single fixed programme, with residential, day patient, outpatient, and online options depending on need.
We work with the whole person and, where appropriate, the family system around them, because alcohol addiction rarely affects only one life.
Frequently Asked Questions
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