Alcohol Rehab in Dallas, Texas

How bad is alcohol abuse in Texas? In some ways, better than in much of the country; in other ways, much worse.

In most ways, Texas seems better off than most of the states when it comes to substance use disorder. According to WalletHub, Texas comes in:

• 49th for drug use and addiction
• 13th for drug health issues and rehab
• 16th for law enforcement

Texas also has, he lowest percentage of adult drug users

• The fewest overdose deaths per capita
• The lowest percentage of adults with unmet drug-treatment needs

A Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of CDC data found that in 2019, Texas had 8.7 alcohol-induced deaths per 100,000, the 11th lowest alcohol death rate in the nation and lower than the US overall rate of 10.4.

That overall rate was about the same between 2011 and 2015, but for those younger than age 21, it was 4.8%—the fourth highest. (One factor might be that Texas allows those under the age of 21 to legally drink when in the presence of their parents, another legal guardian, or spouse who is 21 or older.)

Our closest facility is in Texas

11128 TX-21, Bastrop, TX 78602

Talk to Our Intake Coordinators

Texas looks worse when drunk driving deaths are considered. In 2019, although Texas had less than 9% of the US population, it had more than 13% of its drunk driving deaths (and 10% of its overall traffic fatalities). Its 1,332 drunk driving deaths were the highest number in the nation,  accounting for 37% of all the state’s traffic fatalities (the fourth highest rate).

The overall US number was 10,142 and the rate was 28%.

Not that drunk driving is the only problem. From 2011 to 2015, more than half (52.3%) of alcohol deaths in Texas were due to chronic alcohol use, such as alcohol use disorders, not drunk driving.

Harmful Effects of Alcohol

Here are some other ways that excessive alcohol use can cause harm:

• Loss of coordination, resulting in injuries or death: falls, burns, drowning.
• Loss of impulse control: assault, rape, unintended pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, suicide, or homicide.
• Aspiration from choking on one’s vomit.
• End of pregnancy due to miscarriage, stillbirth, or fetal alcohol spectrum.
• Chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart or liver disease.
• Cancers.
• Immunodeficiency.
• Impairment of ability to learn, remember, reason, and work.
• Dementia.
• Development of mental health (depression, anxiety, stress) and alcohol use disorders (dependence, addiction).

The consequence of many of these harms can be death. In addition, when alcohol and drugs are used together, it can cause harmful or fatal interactions when the use of one substance wouldn’t.

Alcohol deaths are the third-highest cause of preventable death after tobacco and diet/lifestyle. By some accounts, alcohol abuse has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A search for alcohol-related deaths often turns up mostly drunk driving deaths, but that’s not the only way alcohol kills. Alcohol poisoning is also common, even among occasional users. Alcohol-related illnesses take years to become fatal, but a single night of binge drinking can be lethal.

In the United States, there are 95,000 alcohol use deaths annually, only 10,000 were due to drunk driving in 2019.

Alcohol-related deaths in Dallas, TX

Although recent statistics for Dallas are difficult to find, in a peer-reviewed study of 93 cities from 2002, Dallas had the highest rate of all cities surveyed: 10.23 per 100,000.

By population, Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas (1,347,120). It makes up more than half the population of Dallas County (2,647,850)—the second largest county in the state—and 4.5% of Texas.

Dallas County is the second-largest by population, but it’s far from the drunkest. (The drunkest city or metropolitan statistical area, according to a 2017 USA Today story, was Austin-Round Rock, with 22.3% of adults reporting excessive—binge or heavy—drinking. That’s in the top 10% and 5% higher than the state rate: 17.3%, the 20th lowest.)

In Dallas County, according to 2018 data, 18% of adults reported excessive (binge or heavy) drinking (as did 44 other Texas counties). That places it near the bottom. While 41 Texas counties have lower excessive drinking rates (14–17%), more than four times as many (168) have higher ones (19–23%).

From 2015 to 2019 in Dallas County, 30.6% of driving deaths involved alcohol, the third-highest rate in the state.

Support for college students

Most Texans who die due to alcohol use are age 35 or older, but excessive drinking is also a problem for college-aged students. While campus and community programs can help them, many students don’t know about them.

A 2017 survey of college students in Texas found that more than half (58%) of Texas college students self-reported drinking during the past month, including 45% of underage Texas college students. (Members of fraternities were particularly at risk—73% vs. 54% of non-fraternity members.)

Most (56%) considered themselves light drinkers. Less than 1% thought they were problem drinkers. (Only 17% said they completely abstained from alcohol.)

However, more than one-third of Texas college students reported binge drinking (five or more standard drinks in two hours for males, four or more for females) in the previous month.  That’s more than the 23% of all Texans who binge-drink every month.

A smaller percentage—7% for males, 4% for females—said they had done so at least six times in that month. On average, they said they drank enough alcohol to feel intoxicated more than twice (2.2 times).

While some underage students obtained alcohol from older friends (70%) or family (49%), and others used a fake ID (11%), almost one in five (19%) said no one checked their ID at restaurants, bars, gas stations or grocery stores.

Excessive alcohol use can affect grades and class attendance, and result in unplanned or unprotected sex and self-injury. Almost one in five (18%) college students polled said they drove drunk in the previous month.

Many colleges and universities in Dallas, TX do have programs to help prevent students from abusing alcohol in the first place or to stop, but more than half (55%) didn’t know about them.

Colleges with programs include:

• The University of Texas at Dallas – UT Dallas’ Student Counseling Center offers alcohol and drug use programs on campus and information about other local and national resources. Schedule an appointment for an assessment. Also, its Center for Students in Recovery helps students with  alcohol, drugs, eating disorders, and other addictions or compulsive behaviors.
• Dallas College – DC’s alcohol and drug prevention resources include education, counseling, and referral.
• Southern Methodist University – SMU’s Substance Use Disorder and Recovery Services include assessments and interventions, plus links to other local resources, support groups, and national hotlines.

Alcohol treatment centers in Dallas, TX

One negative consequence of the low overall substance use disorder rate in Texas may be the number of drug and alcohol treatment centers in Texas. The state has the fewest substance use disorder treatment facilities per 100,000 drug users in the United States.

Levels of treatment

The first step in treatment for alcohol use disorders is an assessment. This will determine what level of treatment program is needed. Sometimes clients transition from one level to another.

• Inpatient. Some people need more help, more structure, and require inpatient treatment: living at the treatment center 24/7 to minimize the risks of triggers to relapse. During inpatient treatment, the clients follow a rigid schedule. They are told when to get up, go to bed, eat, attend classes, get counseling and therapy, and relax or recreate. They can not leave the grounds except for limited and supervised excursions.
• Luxury rehab. For those that can afford it or have the best insurance, inpatient treatment can include amenities like private rooms, catered meals or in-house chefs, fine furnishings, and facilities or grounds that include gyms or exercise equipment, hiking trails, pools or access to bodies of water, and even executive services so they can continue to work or run offices or businesses during rehab—provided it won’t interfere with their recovery.
• Dual Diagnosis rehab. Alcohol and other substance use disorders (SUD) sometimes have a co-occurring mental health disorder that may have caused or exacerbated the SUD. Treatment for both disorders is then needed. If this is discovered during intake, there may be a separate or simultaneous mental health treatment track.
• Outpatient. There are three levels of outpatient care. What they all have in common is that the client visits the treatment center or counselor’s office but doesn’t stay. How long and how often they visit varies based on need and insurance coverage. The three levels are:
  • Standard outpatient. The lowest level of scrutiny. Clients may visit the center for less than an hour or two a day and may not need to visit every day.
  • Intensive outpatient program. IOP represents a mid-range level of care. Less than four hours daily on average, not necessarily every day, but with more counseling and classes than standard outpatient.
  • Partial hospitalization program. Sometimes called day hospital, PHP is inpatient care except the clients do go home at the end of the day.

Stages of treatment

• Intake. The initial assessment of the alcohol use disorder (AUD) and what treatment will be needed.
• Detox. The period during which the client is weaned off of alcohol so they can begin treatment sober. This may be accomplished by stopping alcohol use cold-turkey, by gradually reducing the amount of alcohol consumed, or with the assistance of medications to control withdrawal symptoms. Because abruptly stopping alcohol use can be dangerous in extreme cases, vital signs are checked regularly during detox.
• Treatment. Treatments for substance use disorders usually include a mix of:
  • Behavioral therapies. Cognitive-behavioral therapy or other psychotherapies that retrain the mind to cope without alcohol.
  • Group therapy.
  • 12-step facilitation. Encouraging membership in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)or a similar peer fellowship (such as SMART Recovery) to maintain sobriety post-rehab.
  • Drug education.
  • Nutrition.
  • Physical exercise.
  • Mindfulness.
  • Other holistic practices (meditation, yoga, acupuncture, horse therapy).
  • Medication-assisted treatment (MAT). The use of approved drugs to prevent euphoria or make the client sick if alcohol is consumed, or control withdrawal symptoms during detox.
  • Vocational training and employment services.
• Aftercare. Because most insurance plans cover less than 90 days of treatment and SUD can persist for years, some level of treatment post-rehab—a continuum of care—is likely necessary.