Free and Low Cost Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment Options
Treatment for AUD does not have to cost a lot, and can be free in many cases. Following the Ten Rules for Alcohol Recovery requires an effort, but is not expensive. Read the information on the website and start recording each drink. Exercising, eating the diet we recommended and other healthy activities can make a big difference in how you feel and how well you can cope with AUD.
There is a self-help resource available from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), Rethinking Drinking. You can find other links listed here. Books may be helpful also.
After you have learned about different treatment options, you may wish to share what you have learned with your physician who could learn about the use of naltrexone and other medications from this website.
Medications can cost less than a dollar a day. If you do not have insurance to pay for your medicines, there are a number of free programs you can sign up for which will give you a discount when you pay cash for medications.
A relatively new twelve step group is dedicated to helping people with addictions who are using medications like naltrexone. This group, called Medication Assisted Treatment Anonymous, has meetings in many states which can be found here.
Other self-help groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Celebrate Recovery are available almost everywhere, and have a long tradition of helping people who have problems with alcohol for free. On-line Alcoholics Anonymous groups, have provided a source of help for many who have trouble getting to a meeting in person. Lion Rock Recovery Centers, an online alcoholism counseling company, offers free weekly online workshops and 12 step meetings which you can access by going to:
https://www.lionrockrecovery.com/online-support-group-meetings
For those who need more intensive support to stop drinking, your local area may have many good options for treatment, including those funded by the government. The following Christian supported groups often provide residential help and support for those of any faith who have no means to pay:
https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/plugins/gdosCenterSearch?start=1
CAUTION
Heavy drinkers, particularly those at risk for seizure, are typically advised to withdraw from alcohol in a hospital setting. Alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs from which to withdraw. In some cases, a heavy drinker who stops drinking suddenly will experience confusion and other withdrawal symptoms including shaking, shivering, sweating, seizures, and hallucinations, a potentially fatal condition known as delirium tremens. This is a true medical emergency - call 911 in this situation. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, better known as EMTALA, was passed by Congress in 1986. It requires hospitals and ambulance services to provide care to anyone needing emergency healthcare treatment regardless of citizenship, legal status, or ability to pay.