What is Alcohol Use Disorder?
Alcohol Use Disorder, or AUD, is a common and treatable medical condition. It is one of the most underdiagnosed conditions in the United States, in large part because so many people who would benefit from help never ask for it.
Many people assume their drinking "isn't bad enough" to need treatment, or they picture rehab and group meetings and decide that isn't for them. The truth is that AUD exists on a wide spectrum. You do not have to hit a rock bottom to deserve help, and treatment looks very different than most people expect.
At Mental Alive, AUD is treated as the medical condition it is, with medication and psychiatric care, in a private and respectful setting.
Is This Treatment Right for You?
Treatment may be a good fit if you:
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Drink more than you would like, and want help cutting back or stopping
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Have tried to moderate or quit on your own without lasting success
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Find that alcohol is affecting your sleep, your mood, your work, or your relationships
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Are concerned about the role alcohol plays in your life, even if the people around you are not
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Want medical treatment, not just willpower
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Are looking for a private alternative to group programs or rehab
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How Treatment Works
For many people, cutting back on alcohol is not simply a matter of willpower. Alcohol changes the way the brain's reward system works, which is what makes cravings so strong and lasting change so hard.
At Mental Alive, treatment most often uses naltrexone, an FDA-approved medication that reduces cravings and lessens the pleasurable effect of alcohol. Over time, this helps weaken the cycle of wanting and drinking. Naltrexone is available as a daily pill or as a once-monthly injection called Vivitrol, depending on what works best for you.
Medication is paired with ongoing psychiatric care. Whether your goal is to stop drinking completely or to drink significantly less, treatment is built around the goal that is right for you.
What to Expect
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Initial evaluation. We talk openly about your drinking, your health history, and your goals, with no judgment and no pressure.
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Medical screening. Simple blood work and a safety review before starting medication, to make sure treatment is safe for you.
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Starting medication. We prescribe naltrexone as a daily pill, or coordinate a monthly Vivitrol injection, based on what fits your life.
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Ongoing care. Regular visits to monitor your progress, adjust your treatment, and support you as your goals evolve.
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Continued support. As you stabilize, visits become less frequent. We can also coordinate with therapy or other support services when helpful.
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Your Goal, Your Treatment
One of the biggest reasons people avoid getting help for drinking is the belief that they must commit to total, permanent sobriety on day one, in front of a group, or not bother at all.
That is not how treatment works here. Some patients want to stop drinking completely. Others want to cut back to a healthier, more controlled level. Both are valid goals, and both are supported by the medication we use.
Your care is private and one-on-one. There are no group sessions and no public sign-in. You will see the same provider at every visit, someone who knows your history and treats you with respect. For many people, having a confidential, medical option, instead of rehab or meetings, is what finally makes asking for help feel possible.
Insurance & Cost
Alcohol Use Disorder treatment is covered by most major insurance plans, including Aetna, Florida Blue, Cigna and Evernorth, and UnitedHealthcare and Optum. Your initial evaluation and follow-up visits are billed through your insurance.
For patients without insurance, self-pay options are available: $299 for the initial evaluation and $149 for follow-up visits.
Same-week appointments are typically available.
Naltrexone is filled at your pharmacy and is covered by most insurance plans. For patients choosing the monthly Vivitrol injection, our office will help review coverage with you.
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A Note on Safe Treatment
Mental Alive provides outpatient AUD treatment for medically stable adults. We do not provide medical detox or inpatient withdrawal management.
Stopping alcohol suddenly after heavy, daily drinking can be dangerous and sometimes requires medically supervised detox first. If that applies to you, we will help connect you with the right level of care before beginning outpatient treatment. Your safety always comes first.
Common Questions About AUD Treatment
Do I have to quit drinking completely?
Not necessarily. Treatment can support full sobriety or a goal of drinking significantly less, depending on what is right for you. Naltrexone, the medication most often used, works for both goals. We decide on your goal together.
Is my drinking "bad enough" to get help?
If alcohol is affecting your health, mood, sleep, relationships, or simply weighing on your mind, that is reason enough. You do not have to reach a crisis point to deserve treatment. Many patients say they wish they had reached out sooner.
Do I have to go to group meetings?
No. Treatment at Mental Alive is private and one-on-one. There are no group sessions and no public sign-in. If you find peer support helpful, we are glad to coordinate that, but it is never required.
How does the medication work?
Naltrexone reduces cravings and lessens the pleasurable effect of alcohol, which helps weaken the cycle of drinking over time. It is not a punishment medication and does not make you sick if you drink. It simply makes it easier to change your patterns.
Will my treatment be private?
Yes. Your care is confidential and protected, the same as any other medical treatment. Your visits are one-on-one with your provider.
If You Need Help Right Now
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately. Suddenly stopping heavy alcohol use can cause serious withdrawal symptoms that need emergency care.
If you are in emotional crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
AUD treatment at Mental Alive is scheduled outpatient care and is not a substitute for emergency services.
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