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American Addiction Centers National Rehabs Directory

Inpatient Drug & Alcohol Rehab Centers for Couples

Achieving sobriety can be a difficult undertaking for anyone struggling with a substance use disorder (SUD). However, when partners in a romantic relationship are living with an SUD, achieving and maintaining sobriety can present even more of a challenge. Luckily, there are rehab centers that focus on treating couples with substance addiction, regardless of whether they are cohabiting or married. This page will provide info on couples addiction rehab, what to expect in couples treatment, and how to find the best couples’ rehab for you.

Drugs and Alcohol Addiction in Relationships

In 2021, 46.3 million (16.5%) Americans had an SUD in the past year, with 29.5 million having an alcohol use disorder and 24 million having a drug use disorder.1

Alcohol and drug addiction in couples can be a significant stressor that affects the mental and physical health of each person, as well as the overall health of the relationship. Addiction can create a toxic environment that leads to poor functioning inside and outside of the relationship, increased stress, and several other issues that can negatively impact all areas of life.

Some of the issues couples may experience related to SUDs include:2

  • Arguments about substance use or things related to substance use, such as avoiding responsibilities, money, or staying out late.
  • Engaging in codependent behaviors such as covering for a partner, making excuses for them, or calling in “sick” to work on their behalf.
  • Episodes of domestic violence.
  • Feeling that you or your partner need to drink or use drugs to alleviate stress related to your arguments about substance use.
  • Feeling that you or your partner need to use drugs or alcohol to be affectionate or intimate.
  • Increased isolation from friends or family, which typically occurs as a way of covering up the problem.

Can Couples Go to Drug & Alcohol Rehab Together?

Some co-ed drug and alcohol addiction treatment centers allow couples to attend rehab together. Seeking addiction treatment at rehabs for couples can be beneficial for several reasons. Providing that both partners want to start the rehabilitation process, a couples’ rehab center can help break the cycle of addiction and fortify the relationship by helping the couple uncover the issues that led to addiction in the first place.

Couples who are struggling with drug or alcohol addiction often experience difficulties with decision making, expressing feelings, finances, parenting, and setting boundaries. Couples’ addiction treatment at a co-ed rehab facility may provide the counseling, education, and skills to help partners achieve improved ways of handling these difficulties.

Even if just one person in the relationship has an addiction, the other partner can benefit from couples rehab by learning to manage specific triggers and helping their partner stay sober.3 Research has shown that couples who enter treatment together consistently report greater reductions in substance use than patients who receive individual therapy.4

Whether one or both partners require addiction treatment, couples’ rehab can provide the tools needed to achieve and maintain sobriety.

Addiction Treatment Programs for Couples

There are different levels of care that couples facing addiction may enter and benefit from, and there are various treatment methods available for different types of addiction. Generally, most co-ed addiction treatment centers rely on some sort of behavioral therapy to address addiction. Behavioral therapy can teach couples new ways of interacting and promote clear, supportive communication. This may help couples achieve and maintain sobriety and help them develop happier and healthier relationships.

Some common treatment methods used in couples’ rehab include:2, 3, 6, 7, 8

Behavioral couples’ therapy (BCT): BCT is designed to help couples living with SUDs by using behavioral modification techniques. One of the main ways this is achieved is through the creation of a “recovery contract” with your partner. The recovery contract requires that you state your intention not to drink or use drugs each day, while the task for your partner or spouse is to provide support for this goal. In BCT, the couple is usually seen by a therapist once or twice per week in a private or clinical setting to discuss goals and develop and fortify new coping skills.

Alcohol behavioral couples’ therapy (ABCT): For couples struggling specifically with alcohol addiction, ABCT is a method like BCT that draws on different psychotherapeutic models to promote abstinence and increase healthy functioning within the relationship. This is an outpatient form of treatment that aims to increase communication, contingency-management skills, problem-solving, and self-control to help couples achieve and maintain sobriety.

12-step meetings: Couples’ rehab centers often offer 12-step meetings, such as Recovering Couples Anonymous (RCA), as an additional form of support for recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. Many couples choose to continue participating in RCA meetings after completing treatment.

Studies show that treatments like BCT and ABCT are effective methods for changing substance-use behaviors and promoting abstinence in couples.5, 6 Studies also show that MAT should be the first line of treatment when treating opioid addiction. MAT is typically combined with other types of therapy to improve patient outcomes.9

It’s important to consider whether you or your partner require dual diagnosis treatment, which means treatment for a co-occurring mental health condition (such as anxiety or depression) in addition to addiction treatment. Research has shown that treating the mental health disorder as well as the addiction is necessary to optimize the chances of recovery.10

Medical Detox Facilities for Couples

Detox allows for the clearing of substances from the body. It may be necessary for individuals to go through medical detox for drugs and alcohol in a treatment facility to ensure that they are as comfortable and safe as possible, especially when going through potential withdrawal symptoms.

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) provides comprehensive treatment to address substance use. MAT uses medications (such as buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone) to lessen withdrawal symptoms, assist in detoxification, and provide maintenance once the detox period has ended.

Inpatient and Outpatient Addiction Treatment Programs for Couples

Couples’ rehab can be either inpatient or outpatient or a combination in which one partner is treated as an inpatient and the other as an outpatient. The format you select depends largely on your needs as a couple and whether one or both partners are experiencing SUD.

Throughout couples inpatient rehab treatment, the person struggling with addiction lives at an inpatient addiction treatment facility, whereas outpatient rehab allows the person to continue living at home while receiving treatment at the facility during the week.

Sober Living for Couples

Sober living for couples may be available in co-ed group homes for those recovering from drug or alcohol addiction and transitioning back to normal life with a spouse or partner. Although some group homes are owned by businesses, most homes are privately owned or may be owned by charity organizations. Usually, homes are located in quiet areas to help ensure a peaceful environment for individuals in early recovery.

When trying to find the best co-ed couple sober living home near you, carefully consider the importance of the different options as each home is structured differently, they usually have their own house rules. In order to meet your individual needs, you may want to consider traveling out of state.

What to Expect in Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation for Couples

No two couples seeking treatment are exactly alike, and each couple will require an individualized treatment plan. As in other rehabilitation programs, a couples’ rehab program will generally follow a 4-step process:

  1. Patient assessment: Incoming couples will undergo a complete medical and psychiatric evaluation by an admissions navigator. This will help determine what level of care and path of treatment is needed.
  2. Detox: Continuum of care will include detox for couples for some patients, although this is not always necessary.
  3. Addiction treatment: Couples will typically be provided a combination of behavioral, group, and individual counseling with couples-based therapy incorporated into the treatment regimen. This can take place in inpatient or outpatient settings.
  4. Aftercare: Once couples complete the steps above, they will continue working with a therapist to develop an aftercare program. The goals of aftercare are to maintain recovery, identify ways to prevent relapse, and achieve a life with a sense of purpose and rewarding relationships.

In addition to the above, participants in couples’ rehab can expect to focus on the health of their relationship. Combining components of relationship counseling with couples addiction therapy tackles issues from all angles, which can provide the best chance for recovery and for rehabilitating the relationship.

Alcohol Addiction Rehab Treatment Centers for Couples

Couples alcohol rehab can be a beneficial way for couples to address their alcohol use and rebuild their relationship. Regardless of the extent of the alcohol use, couples counseling for alcoholism can provide several benefits for you and your partner and can help you achieve and maintain abstinence. Some therapies that you may participate in at a couples alcohol rehab include treatments such as behavioral couples’ therapy (BCT), which is geared toward helping you abstain from drinking and work on your relationship.5

Drug Addiction Rehab Centers for Couples

Regardless of the substance being used, drug rehab for couples can help struggling partners overcome the negative cycle of drug and substance addiction and take back control of their relationship and their lives.  Drug rehab programs for couples treat a wide range of substances, including:

Rehab can also help address and treat any co-occurring or dual diagnosis issues you or your partner may have, such as anxiety or depression.

Best Couples’ Drug and Alcohol Rehab Near Me

When choosing a couples’ rehab center for you and a loved one, you have several options. Before you decide where to seek treatment, you should carefully consider the programs that are available to you to ensure you receive treatment tailored to your needs and your partner’s needs.

American Addiction Centers has locations throughout the United States, including  CaliforniaFloridaNew Jersey, Texas, and more. If there is not an appropriate rehab center near you, you may consider out-of-state treatment. You can use our directory to find inpatient and outpatient couples rehab facilities that provide expert addiction treatment services. We tailor our couples inpatient rehab programs to the unique needs of every couple. Our facilities are staffed by professionals who can help you and your partner get started on the path to recovery.

Does Insurance Cover Couples’ Rehab?

Insurance often covers at least some, if not all of the cost of treatment. If your insurance does not cover the full amount, some facilities offer payment plans or sliding scales that consider factors such as your income and other financial obligations. Find out more about no-cost and free rehab options available. You can check your insurance coverage online or by filling out the form below if you’d like to know whether your insurance may cover the cost of rehabilitation at an American Addiction Centers (AAC) facility.

Couples Rehab FAQs

More Questions About Couples’ Rehab Insurance?

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