How to Fight Alcoholism on a Budget

Drinking alcohol is fun for most people. However, it’s important to consider the amount of alcohol you drink and how it affects your life, as well as, those around you. It’s easy to start as a social drinker and eventually become an alcoholic. And most alcoholics have financial challenges too. That’s why some people do not seek treatment for alcoholism even when the negative effects of alcohol on their lives and loved ones are clear.

Some alcoholics are homeless and unemployed. They live in abject poverty. These are just some of the conditions that hinder some people from seeking treatment for alcoholism. Nevertheless, some individuals are genuinely interested in fighting their alcohol addiction. As such, they may try the dangerous at-home detox or cold-turkey due to their financial challenges. 

Luckily, it’s possible to get substance abuse rehabilitation provided for free if you or a loved one is genuinely interested in beating alcoholism. You just need to know the available free or affordable options that you or a loved one can consider.

Finding Free or Affordable Rehab

Alcohol use disorder or alcoholism refers to drinking that causes physical or mental health problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, excessive consumption of alcohol causes about 88,000 deaths in the United States every year. Seeking affordable or free rehab can, therefore, save a life.

Most residential treatment facilities are expensive. They require patients to have good insurance and credit. However, some facilities offer free help to addicts that can’t pay for their services. Here are some of the options to consider when you want to fight alcoholism on a budget.

Professional Rehab Facilities

Despite being for-profit and private, some facilities offer free help for alcoholics. These treatment centers provide alternative means of payment, sliding-scale fees, or payment assistance. So, if you or a loved one wants to fight alcoholism on a budget, don’t hesitate to ask. Just call or visit the nearby facility to find out if it provides payment assistance plans. Some of these facilities have assistance plans for individuals that do not have insurance or employment. 

Faith-Based Rehab

Faith-based programs that target drug addicts and alcoholics have existed longer than 12-step programs and professional rehabs. Religious organizations and groups have reached out to communities to assist people struggling with drug abuse and alcoholism for ages.

And, this is yet to change. Today, there are many faith-based programs than there were in the last decades. For instance, it’s possible to get a free drug treatment program offered by a Christian organization in almost any community. Thus, you can undergo treatment for alcoholism with such a program even when you have a tight budget.

State Supported Rehabs

Some states, counties, and cities offer inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities for drug addicts and alcoholics. These are completely tax-funded and they do not charge a fee for their services. Their programs may include long-term residential treatment and short-term detoxification. They can also provide individual counseling and therapy at local clinics.

It’s, however, crucial to note that state-sponsored programs have long waiting lists. That’s because most people that use them are in the system already. These have interacted with agencies like the criminal justice system and the county health department.

Additionally, taxpayers’ money supports these programs. Therefore, they can experience significant cutbacks in funding during hard economic times. Consequently, their services can be restrained.

Online Recovery Support

If you Google ‘free rehab near me’ the search engine will list many options including those providing online support. These are platforms that offer support aimed at helping people quit drinking. Some are chat rooms, instant messenger groups, bulletin boards, and email groups. If you can use these platforms to communicate, you can also use them to get recovery support.

Any addiction recovery program has an online presence. In most cases, you will find chat meetings that started many years ago. That means you can learn about the challenges that different people have faced while fighting addiction. You can also get the support you need to fight alcoholism on a budget by checking in with your forum friends.

Mutual Support Groups

Alcoholics Anonymous is an example of mutual support groups that have helped many people fight alcohol addiction. This mutual support group has existed for over 75 years. Millions of people have learned to beat addiction and lead sober lives. The group has remained self-supporting via its members’ voluntary donations.

If you wish to regain sobriety but have a tight budget, attending meetings of a mutual support group can help you. You can also get a sponsor that will help you through the 12 steps. Most addiction recovery programs yield better results when mutual support is included. Even if you don’t have a spiritual inclination, there are secular support groups to consider. The majority of these groups do not have dues or fees.

Reasons to Get Professional Help with Alcoholism even on a Budget

Regardless of your financial status, it’s important to get professional help with alcoholism.

Here are some of the reasons why rehab is important:

• Specialists at the rehab facility will guide and help you through the detox process. They will make the otherwise unsafe and painful process comfortable. Attempting to detox from alcohol or drugs at home can be dangerous without medical supervision. That’s because some withdrawal symptoms are life-threatening.
• Rehab specialists provide the assistance alcoholics need to avoid relapse. They can even prescribe medication that facilitates the withdrawal process.
• The counseling sessions offered in the rehab facilities help the patients understand their causes of alcohol abuse and addiction. This is an important step in the recovery process.
• Rehab centers offer specialized treatment that heals the damage caused by alcohol to the brain structure and chemistry.
• The aftercare support provided by rehab centers promotes a substance-free life and long-term sobriety.

A tight budget should not be a reason for not seeking treatment for alcoholism. Many options exist for those in need of affordable treatment or free alcohol treatment centers. Simply search for a facility that offers the kind of treatment you need and one that’s within your budget.