Railbelt Mental Health and Addictions

Alcoholism

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) encompasses the conditions often referred to as alcoholism, alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, and alcohol addiction. If someone is addicted to alcohol, they continue to drink, even when experiencing negative consequences. But alcohol rehab in Alaska can help you overcome alcohol dependency. Treatment typically involves evidence-based therapies and support groups, but may also include medications to treat alcohol addiction.

Drug Addiction

During drug rehab in Alaska, you’ll receive a combination of medical and psychotherapeutic treatments that are designed to treat drug dependency. The goal of drug rehab is to break this dependency and help you develop the skills to maintain a drug-free life.

Dual Diagnosis

Alaska provides specialized dual-diagnosis addiction treatment, including outpatient, inpatient, and partial hospitalization programs, which address mental health and substance use disorders. You can generally expect a dual-diagnosis rehab to incorporate evidence-based therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), trauma-focused therapy, and mindfulness-based therapy. When combined, these programs and therapeutic interventions can successfully address co-occurring disorders to improve mental health and well-being.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Mental health and substance abuse treatment in Alaska is typically in a dual-diagnosis addiction treatment facility. These inpatient and outpatient programs involve individual counseling to address personal challenges and develop coping strategies, family therapy to improve communication and conflict resolution skills, and mindfulness-based practices — like meditation — to promote emotional well-being and stress reduction. By simultaneous mental health and addiction treatment, you’ll improve your mental health, achieve sobriety, and acquire the skills to maintain your recovery.

Opioid Addiction

Opioid rehabs specialize in supporting those recovering from opioid addiction. They treat those suffering from addiction to illegal opioids like heroin, as well as prescription drugs like oxycodone. These centers typically combine both physical as well as mental and emotional support to help stop addiction. Physical support often includes medical detox and subsequent medical support (including medication), and mental support includes in-depth therapy to address the underlying causes of addiction.

• Medicaid
• Private insurance
• Self-pay options
• Financial aid
• Medicare
• Military insurance

• Adolescence program
• Adult program
• HIV/AIDS program
• Program for men
• Program for women
• Young adult program

Outpatient

Clients engaged in an outpatient rehab program receive regular therapeutic care while continuing to live at home. Outpatient care is designed for clients in more advanced stages of recovery who no longer require intensive supervision. Many clients in outpatient treatment continue to work or attend school, while receiving counseling and education during the evening, night, or weekend. Levels of care vary based on clients’ needs, ranging from partial hospitalization (PHP) and intensive outpatient (IOP) to standard outpatient programming.

Intensive Outpatient

Clients engaged in intensive outpatient programs (IOP) receive between nine and 20 hours of outpatient treatment per week. Intensive outpatient drug rehabs offer a wide variety of services, including medication assisted treatment (MAT), individual, group, and family counseling, and evidence-based complementary care, such as acupuncture, massage, and meditation. The intensity and frequency of treatment generally decreases as clients progress in their recovery. Clients often transition into IOP from inpatient rehab but may choose IOP instead of inpatient treatment.

Aftercare Support

Completing a drug or alcohol rehab program shouldn't spell the end of substance abuse treatment. Aftercare involves making a sustainable plan for recovery, including ongoing support. This can include sober living arrangements like halfway houses, career counseling, and setting a patient up with community programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a therapy modality that focuses on the relationship between one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is used to establish and allow for healthy responses to thoughts and feelings (instead of unhealthy responses, like using drugs or alcohol). CBT has been proven effective for recovering addicts of all kinds, and is used to strengthen a patient's own self-awareness and ability to self-regulate. CBT allows individuals to monitor their own emotional state, become more adept at communicating with others, and manage stress without needing to engage in substance abuse.

Family Therapy

Research clearly demonstrates that recovery is far more successful and sustainable when loved ones like family members participate in rehab and substance abuse treatment. Genetic factors may be at play when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health issues. Family dynamics often play a critical role in addiction triggers, and if properly educated, family members can be a strong source of support when it comes to rehabilitation.

Group Therapy

Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). There are a number of different group therapy modalities, including support groups, experiential therapy, psycho-education, and more. Group therapy involves treatment as well as processing interaction between group members.

Individual Therapy

In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is a way of getting nicotine into the bloodstream without smoking. It uses products that supply low doses of nicotine to help people stop smoking. The goal of therapy is to cut down on cravings for nicotine and ease the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

Trauma Therapy

Trauma therapy addresses traumatic incidents from a client's past that are likely affecting their present-day experience. Trauma is often one of the primary triggers and potential causes of addiction, and can stem from child sexual abuse, domestic violence, having a parent with a mental illness, losing one or both parents at a young age, teenage or adult sexual assault, or any number of other factors. The purpose of trauma therapy is to allow a patient to process trauma and move through and past it, with the help of trained and compassionate mental health professionals.