Alcohol Treatment Program
Stay-at-Home Rehab: Non-12 Step Program for Alcohol Problems
Are you or a family member considering making a change? Alcohol use disorder, also sometimes referred to as alcoholism or alcohol dependence, can be one of the most challenging addictions to treat. Alcohol is a drug that is so prevalent and yet so socially acceptable in our society, its overuse can be hard to identify – in ourselves or in our loved ones.
A problem with alcohol use can look different in different people. Many people remain functional at work despite a severe disorder, and consider themselves "high functioning" drinkers. Some drink every day. Others only drink in a binge pattern on weekends. The hallmark, however, is having consequences in some way (social, family, occupational, medical, legal, or others) while continuing to drink.
We will work with you to take an integrative approach to treatment including at-home, highly supervised detox, medication assisted treatment and home monitoring and accountability, coupled with expert psychotherapy and integrative care.
If you are looking for help on behalf of a loved one or family member, please contact us to see if it's a good match for our practice.
Stay-at-Home Rehab is a revolutionary new approach compared to the more traditional idea of inpatient or residential “rehab” in that a comprehensive alcohol treatment program is undertaken as a structured outpatient program, allowing you to stay at work or school and recover at home in a familiar environment.
This means the patient stays in either their home environment (and may even go to work each day), or in a more informal yet supervised setting. We have sober companions who can help supervise the process if needed. This is not a traditional 30, 60, or 90 day residential program, but an intensive outpatient program which is completely individualized and is open ended in regards to duration.
(Note: while our program is a non-12 step approach, it can also work in harmony with more traditional 12-step programs)
We're Here to Help
Our treatment program is based in San Francisco. Medical visits are in person, providing important structure, but our psychotherapy and group therapy are provided via Zoom due to the pandemic, making our program more convenient. We have seen excellent results with this hybrid model.
We are only able to work with people who reside and see us in person in California at this time.
Our Core Team of Experts
What is Stay-at-Home Rehab?
The treament program at My Doctor Medical Group allows the patient to stay in either their home environment, or in a more informal yet supervised setting. This is not a traditional 30, 60, or 90 day residential program, but an intensive outpatient program which is individualized and of a duration that is most appropriate to the goals and clinical situation for each person.
Note: While our program is a medically-supervised non-12-step approach, we often combine our professional treatment with outside participation in peer-based group support like AA, Refuge Recovery, SMART Recovery or LifeRing.
While we can usually achieve a stable and productive alcohol treatment plan in our outpatient setting, sometimes a patient may need more support or supervision. This is when we utilize an inpatient, residential or other supervised rehabilitation setting for initial stabilization when addiction is complicated by severe withdrawal, significant mental illness, an unsafe home environment, or other factors.
High-Acuity and High-Risk Cases: Our approach to high-acuity cases can be custom-designed with in-home or hospital detox supervision in San Francisco, and when residential care is required, we can coordinate a seamless transition to and from inpatient care back to our outpatient program at the appropriate time.
Dr. Abramson founded MDMG in 2008, after years of working in hospitals and institutional settings, because he saw the need for a higher standard of medical practice. He built our practice from the ground up, rethinking everything from scratch, to allow our medical and administrative staff to provide extraordinary care.
We operate privately and independently, so we are able to provide a high level of accessibility, convenience and service to a smaller number of patients. Because of Dr. Abramson's background in hospital medicine and engineering, we are also able to efficiently handle highly complex and acute situations when they arise. Our physicians operate out of our state-of-the-art clinical facility in downtown San Francisco but can also provide services in your home, at your workplace or in the hospital.
We have tiered service levels to match your needs and preferences. Our staff would be happy to discuss your needs and our practice in detail.
Has Drinking Increased with the COVID-19 Pandemic?
Evidence-Based Treatment for High Functioning Professionals
Medication-Assisted Alcohol Treatment: What to Expect
A team of addiction specialists, led by board-certified addiction medicine physician Paul Abramson MD, treats those suffering from addiction to alcohol in a highly structured process.
We have extensive experience using the most effective medications to ease withdrawal, reduce cravings, support mood and sleep, and improve functional status.
All Options are On the Table. We offer all FDA-approved medications for alcohol use disorder treatment, as well as the most effective, evidence-based off-label medication options. We help you understand all of the options and recommend the best plan for your situation.
Our standard process includes:
- Comprehensive medical, psychological and behavioral evaluation by our expert team.
- Our integrative evaluation includes sleep, food, exercise, mind-body health and social/family connection.
- An individualized pharmacology and treatment plan.
- Integration of treatment services, proven to get better results.
- Assistance coping and dealing with serious family, employment, regulatory and legal situations.
- A focus on maintaining and improving the ability to function in life during treatment.
- Extreme discretion and privacy.
Initial treatment plan elements (selected per individual needs):
- Medication-assisted detox if needed, and maintenance medications.
- Individual psychotherapy.
- Group psychotherapy.
- Diagnosis and treatment of co-occurring physical health problems.
- Evaluation for co-occurring mood issues and other psychological issues.
- Family coordination and involvement.
- Sleep evaluation and treatment.
- Nutritional consultation.
- Physical training referral.
- Integrative and functional medicine consultation.
We focus on helping each patient experience:
- A stable state of mind, free from alcohol induced highs and lows.
- Freedom from thinking about alcohol.
- Ability to focus on lifestyle changes to restore health and function.
- Support in exploring the underlying causes of the alcohol problem.
- Moving on to work on life purpose and goals.
We use an optimal combination of evidence-based treatments, augmented by supportive care, to achieve the best possible results. While all standard medications are available and used as appropriate, we have specific expertise in the off-label use of baclofen for alcoholism as part of an integrated treatment program.
Family Interventions
Families needing assistance to determine how to best help a relative or other loved one suffering from addiction often meet with us (in person, in our office) for consultation. We can help you take the most skillful approach to the most difficult of situations. Please ask us about our intervention guidance.