Outpatient withdrawal management is reserved for people with little to no risk of dangerous withdrawal symptoms. At your first appointment your provider will assess your risk for severe withdrawal and if warranted, refer you to an inpatient medically-managed withdrawal program. After the withdrawal period is over, you are encouraged to return to us for outpatient relapse prevention treatment. 

We typically offer same or next day appointments so you can get started as soon as you are ready. If you are currently drinking and cannot safely get to the clinic on your own, you must arrange for someone to drive you. If this is not possible, we may be able start you remotely to complete your assessments and treatment plan but you must visit one of our clinics within a few days to get a blood alcohol content (BAC) test. Arkansas patients must attend all appointments in a clinic, per state law. 

Please note, if you arrive at the clinic over the legal blood alcohol limit we cannot allow you to drive yourself home. Please arrange for someone to drive you if you have been drinking before your first visit.

For your safety, your provider will advise you to continue drinking as normal until you start treatment in order to prevent potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms. 

During the withdrawal stage, we will set appointments as needed to monitor your medication adherence and assess withdrawal symptoms. You must visit a clinic in person in order to begin treatment so we can measure your blood alcohol content before prescribing medication. After your treatment has started, your provider may allow you to do follow up appointments remotely. If you are already abstinent from alcohol at your first appointment, you provider will determine how often you need to be seen as you progress through relapse prevention. 

It's important for your provider to know how much alcohol and other substances are in your system to ensure your safety when prescribing medications. Ongoing testing will help your provider adjust your treatment plan and monitor your progress over time.

We use the current DSM-5 assessment to confirm a diagnosis of AUD. Under DSM–5, if you meet any two of the 11 criteria during the same 12-month period you will receive a diagnosis of AUD. The severity of AUD—mild, moderate, or severe—is based on the number of criteria met. You can learn more about DSM-5 criteria here. 

If you engage in risky drinking but do not meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder, your provider will discuss whether reducing or abstaining from alcohol is the more appropriate goal. Your treatment goal will be somewhat dependent on factors such as a family history of alcohol problems, your age, and your history of traumatic events related to drinking.

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome can be severe and potentially fatal, so it is particularly important to identify when there is a need for inpatient medically-managed withdrawal. If you are assessed for severe withdrawal, you will be referred to an inpatient program that can provide medically monitored withdrawal management.

Most patients will taper off withdrawal medications in 5-10 days while medications used for relapse prevention may be prescribed indefinitely. Alcohol use disorder is a chronic relapsing disease, so persistence is key. For most people, continuing medication and regularly following up with a treatment provider is critical to preventing relapse and staying abstinent from alcohol over the long term. 

Reducing drinking may be an acceptable goal for some low risk patients. Our providers are trained on the Sinclair method if patients are interested in learning more about this non-FDA approved dosing approach. This method may be beneficial in some cases but overall we recommend using the most evidence-based treatment methods. 

None of the available medications are approved by the FDA for use in people younger than age 18 or proven safe for pregnant women. Younger adolescents and pregnant women in need of treatment will be referred to a clinician or program specializing in methods appropriate for those populations. 

If you are having a medical emergency during the withdrawal phase, it's essential that you are willing to call 911 or visit your local emergency room for immediate attention. We strongly recommend you have a responsible adult with you at all times during withdrawal phase to assist you as needed. If you are having milder symptoms or have questions, please reach out to the Ideal Option Nurse Care Team at 1-877-522-1275. Our registered nurses are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist you over the phone.

We can provide behavioral health / counseling to Ideal Option patients in Arlington, Bellingham, Everett, Kennewick, Marysville, Monroe, Edmonds, Mt Vernon, Pullman, Walla Walla and Yakima. As a requirement of our licensing, patients must have an appointment to see an addiction medicine provider before seeing a counselor.