Treatment
How We Treat Alcohol Use Disorder
Restoration Recovery treats alcohol use disorder with an evidence-based combination of medication and psychosocial support. We offer four FDA-approved AUD medications and match the choice to your drinking pattern, goals, and medical history:
Vivitrol (monthly naltrexone injection)
The extended-release, injectable form of naltrexone, administered once a month in a brief office visit. Vivitrol blocks the opioid receptors that alcohol triggers to release reward-signaling endorphins, so drinking produces less of the pleasurable reinforcement that drives heavy use. Most patients notice within the first few weeks that alcohol simply becomes less interesting and cravings are easier to ride out. Non-addictive, no abuse potential, and can be stopped at any time without withdrawal. Used here specifically for alcohol use disorder.
Oral naltrexone (daily tablet)
The same opioid-receptor mechanism as Vivitrol in a daily oral form rather than a monthly injection — a good fit for patients who prefer a daily pill or who want to start oral before moving to the injection. Available at all four clinics.
Supports the maintenance of abstinence by helping normalize the glutamate/GABA balance after alcohol cessation. In the Rösner 2010 Cochrane review, people on acamprosate were more likely than those on placebo to stay completely off alcohol. Best suited to patients who are already abstinent at initiation, and renally cleared rather than processed through the liver — often preferred for patients with advanced liver disease. Available at all four clinics.
Disulfiram (daily oral deterrent)
A daily oral medication that produces an acute, unpleasant reaction if you drink while taking it. Rather than reducing cravings, it works as a deterrent — a fit for highly motivated patients with stable home support who want a firm line against any drinking. Available at all four clinics.
Individual counseling
Licensed therapists experienced in substance use disorder. Counseling is where the behavioral and emotional work happens — identifying triggers, building coping strategies, addressing trauma, and rebuilding relationships.
Intensive outpatient (IOP)
Our IOP at the Chattanooga clinic serves patients who benefit from a more structured schedule — three sessions a week of skill-building and psychoeducation with peer accountability, delivered in a group format by design. IOP is the only group-setting service we offer; patients often step into it in the early weeks and step down as they stabilize.
Integrated & psychiatric care
Psychiatric medication management at our Chattanooga clinic for co-occurring depression, anxiety, insomnia, or trauma, plus integrated care for the medical consequences of heavy drinking — liver-function screening, basic labs, hepatitis C treatment when needed, and coordination with hepatology or your primary care provider.
Naltrexone, as monthly Vivitrol or a daily tablet, has one of the largest evidence bases of any addiction medication and is well tolerated — but the right choice is individual, and your provider will walk you through which of the four fits your situation.
Restoration Recovery is an outpatient clinic, and most patients with AUD can start treatment right here on an outpatient basis. If you have severe physical dependence, a history of complicated withdrawal, or unstable co-occurring medical conditions, alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous — so we refer you to a higher level of care for medically supervised stabilization first, then pick up the medication and counseling as soon as that handoff is complete.
Not sure which medication fits?
You don’t have to decide before you call. Your provider matches the medication to your drinking history and goals at the first visit, and you don’t have to be sober to come in.
What to Expect at Your First Appointment
Your first visit typically lasts 2 to 3 hours and follows a four-step clinical flow, designed so you leave with a clear plan. If you choose Vivitrol, the injection is scheduled for a follow-up visit.
01Intake
Paperwork and a structured clinical intake. For alcohol use disorder this includes a DSM-5 assessment covering all eleven AUD criteria and severity, plus a detailed drinking history: daily quantity, pattern, duration of heavy use, previous quit attempts, prior withdrawal experiences, and any history of seizures or DTs. Recent labs (liver function, CBC, basic metabolic panel) are reviewed if available. We do not use COWS here — that is the Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale, specific to opioid withdrawal, not alcohol.
02Counseling
You meet with a counselor to talk through your drinking history, prior treatment attempts, motivations for coming in now, and personal recovery goals. This is a conversation, not an interrogation, and it sets the foundation for the therapeutic relationship that carries much of your recovery work.
03Doctor evaluation
A medical provider reviews your intake and counselor notes, completes a physical exam as indicated, assesses your withdrawal risk, reviews liver function, and determines which medication is clinically appropriate for you. The provider walks you through what it does, how it feels, what to expect in the first month, and any questions you have.
04Treatment plan & medication
If you and your provider choose an oral medication, you leave the same day with a prescription. If you choose Vivitrol and it is clinically appropriate, your provider will order it during this visit — we don’t stock Vivitrol on-site. Your injection appointment is scheduled as a follow-up once the medication arrives, which usually takes longer than a week or two, depending on your insurance and pharmacy. Counseling begins right away so treatment does not wait on the injection.
About 2–3 hours.You leave with a clear treatment plan.Bring a photo ID, insurance card, recent labs, and a list of any medications.
More on pausing drinking and what to bring+
Pausing drinking. If you start Vivitrol, your provider will ask you to pause drinking so the injection can be started safely, and you will work out a timeline together — for mild-to-moderate AUD this is usually a brief pause of several days; for heavier drinkers we build the plan around withdrawal safety first, which sometimes means we refer you to a higher level of care for detox before the first injection.
What to bring. A valid photo ID, your insurance card if applicable, and a list of any medications you currently take (including over-the-counter sleep aids, pain relievers, or supplements). If you have had recent labs, bring those or have them released to us.
Insurance and Access
Restoration Recovery accepts most major insurance plans, including TennCare, Georgia Medicaid, a broad range of commercial plans, and Medicare (plus supplemental Medicare plans). Our patient services team can verify your benefits before your first appointment so you know exactly what to expect in terms of cost. Vivitrol is covered by most commercial insurance and by Medicaid in both Tennessee and Georgia, though prior authorization is sometimes required — our team handles that paperwork on your behalf.
If you do not have insurance, contact us anyway. Self-pay for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is a flat $250 a month, with medication billed separately, and our team will go over the cost with you before you start. For a full list of accepted carriers and details on the verification process, visit our insurance page.
Phones are answered Monday through Friday, 9am to 4:30pm Eastern; after hours, leave a message or use the callback form and we’ll respond the next business day. If you need help right now, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and the free, confidential SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) are available 24/7.
Four Clinic Locations
We operate four outpatient clinics across Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia. All four offer alcohol addiction treatment, with same-day appointments on the days each is open. Vivitrol injections are offered at Chattanooga, Cleveland, and Ringgold; Soddy-Daisy patients receive oral AUD medications or travel to one of the other clinics for an injection.
Telehealth follow-up visits are available for established patients who have completed their initial in-person evaluation. For directions, hours, and contact information, visit our locations page.
