Alcohol Support: A Guide to Getting the Help You Need

Alcohol support comes in many forms, and finding the right combination makes changing your drinking significantly easier.

What You'll Discover:

• Types of alcohol support available.

• How to determine what support you need.

• Medical support and medication options.

• Coaching and counseling resources.

• Community and peer support.

• How to access support privately and conveniently.

• Combining different forms of support.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, people who receive support have significantly better outcomes than those who try to change their drinking alone. Understanding your options helps you find support that actually fits your life and preferences.

Types of Alcohol Support Available

The first thing to know is that alcohol support extends far beyond traditional programs like AA or residential rehab.

Medical support:

• Primary care physicians

• Addiction medicine specialists

• Telehealth providers specializing in alcohol

• Psychiatric services

Medication support:

• Naltrexone prescriptions

• Medical monitoring

• Side effect management

• Dosage optimization

Coaching support:

• Regular accountability check-ins

• Practical strategy development

• Goal setting and tracking

• Behavioral change guidance

Counseling/therapy support:

• Individual therapy

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy

• Trauma-informed care

• Family or couples therapy

Peer support:

• AA and 12-step programs

• SMART Recovery

• Online communities

• Local support groups

Program support:

• Outpatient treatment programs

• Intensive outpatient

• Telehealth programs combining services

• Residential treatment

Something to consider is that these categories overlap and combine. Many people use multiple types of support simultaneously.

Determining What Support You Need

Different situations call for different levels and types of support.

For mild concerns:

• Self-help resources

• Brief medical consultation

• Tracking and awareness tools

• Online communities

For moderate concerns:

• Medical evaluation

• Medication (naltrexone)

• Coaching or brief counseling

• Structured program support

For significant problems:

• Comprehensive medical evaluation

• Medication

• Regular therapy

• Community support

• Possibly intensive outpatient

For severe alcohol use disorder:

• Medical supervision for detox if needed

• Medication

• Intensive treatment

• Ongoing therapy

• Strong community support

• Long-term aftercare

So, how do you know which category you fall into? The short answer is that honest self-assessment helps, but a professional evaluation provides clarity. Telehealth makes getting this assessment convenient.

For help assessing your situation, see our article on understanding alcohol use disorder.

Medical Support and Medication

Medical support provides evaluation, treatment, and often medication.

What medical support offers:

• Assessment of your drinking and health

• Screening for alcohol-related health effects

• Evaluation for medication appropriateness

• Prescriptions for FDA-approved medications

• Monitoring and follow-up

Naltrexone: The most commonly prescribed medication for alcohol problems. It blocks opioid receptors, reducing cravings and the rewarding effects of drinking. Taken as a daily 50mg tablet.

Benefits of medical support:

• Objective professional assessment

• Access to effective medications

• Monitoring for health issues

• Adjustments based on progress

• Evidence-based treatment

How to access:

• Primary care doctor

• Addiction medicine specialist

• Telehealth providers (most convenient)

Telehealth makes medical support particularly accessible. You can receive evaluation, prescriptions, and follow-up from home, often within days.

Our article on how naltrexone helps you regain control explains medication options in detail.

Coaching and Counseling

Behavioral support addresses the psychological and habit aspects of drinking.

Coaching:

• Focus on practical strategies and accountability

• Regular check-ins (often weekly)

• Goal-oriented approach

• Identifying triggers and developing responses

• Less focus on deep psychological exploration

• Often available via telehealth

Counseling/therapy:

• Deeper exploration of underlying issues

• May address trauma, anxiety, depression

• Various therapeutic modalities available

• Longer-term engagement typical

• Can address co-occurring conditions

What behavioral support provides:

• Skills for managing cravings

• Strategies for high-risk situations

• Tools for changing habits

• Accountability and motivation

• Understanding of patterns and triggers

• Support during difficult moments

For that reason, behavioral support complements medical support. Medication handles the biological aspect; behavioral support handles the psychological and practical aspects.

Community and Peer Support

Connection with others who understand provides unique benefits.

AA and 12-step:

• Structured program

• Sponsor relationships

• Meetings available everywhere

• Spiritual component

• Free to participate

• Strong sense of community

SMART Recovery:

• Science-based approach

• No spiritual requirement

• Focus on self-empowerment

• Tools and techniques

• In-person and online meetings

• Free to participate

Online communities:

• Reddit groups, forums, apps

• Available 24/7

• Anonymous participation

• Diverse perspectives

• No scheduling required

• Free to access

Benefits of peer support:

• Understanding from people who "get it"

• Practical wisdom from experience

• Normalization of struggles

• Accountability

• Social connection without alcohol

• Free or low cost

All that said, peer support works best as complement to professional support rather than replacement, especially for more significant problems.

Accessing Support Privately and Conveniently

Privacy and convenience concerns keep many people from seeking help. Modern options address these barriers.

Telehealth:

• Medical evaluation via video call

• Prescriptions sent to your pharmacy

• Coaching sessions from home

• No waiting rooms

• Complete privacy

• Flexible scheduling

Online resources:

• Self-assessment tools

• Educational content

• Community forums

• Apps for tracking and support

Private practitioners:

• Individual appointments

• Confidential records

• Discreet billing options

How telehealth works:

Programs like Choose Your Horizon provide this complete pathway, combining medical support, medication, and coaching in a private, convenient package.

Combining Different Forms of Support

The most effective approach often combines multiple types of support.

Effective combinations:

Medical + Coaching: Medication addresses biological cravings while coaching addresses behavioral patterns. This combination is particularly effective for moderate problems.

Medication + Therapy + Community: For more significant problems, comprehensive support addresses all dimensions: biological, psychological, and social.

Medical + Self-Help Resources: For milder concerns, medication plus self-directed efforts using books, apps, and online communities may be sufficient.

Why combination works:

• Different supports address different aspects

• Multiple touchpoints maintain engagement

• Various resources available at different moments

• Comprehensive approach improves outcomes

Research consistently shows that combined approaches outperform single modalities.

Taking the Next Step

Alcohol support exists in many forms, from medical care and medication to coaching, therapy, and peer communities. Finding the right combination for your situation makes changing your drinking significantly easier than trying alone.

If you want to explore medical support with medication and coaching, take the online Alcohol Use Assessment to see if naltrexone and the Choose Your Horizon program might be right for you.