Mental healthPTSD
PTSD and addiction, treated together
PTSD and a drinking problem occur together often enough that treating either one alone tends to fail. The alcohol is usually managing the symptoms, and it is also making them worse.
Admissions answered 24 hours a day · Most major insurance accepted
Includes reviews of Flourishing Foundations Recovery, now part of Briarwood
The essentials
PTSD and detox, in short
PTSD and substance use commonly travel together. Medically supervised detox in Austin, Houston and San Antonio, with psychiatric support and a referral into PTSD treatment afterwards.
Not sure whether ptsd is part of what is going on?
An assessment answers that, free.
At a glance
Co-occurring · PTSD
- Condition
- PTSD
- Treated
- Alongside medical detox, not instead of it
- Locations
- Austin · Houston · San Antonio
- What we do
- 4 things, in full below
- Signs to call about
- 4 listed — recognition, not a checklist
- What we do not do
- We do not provide PTSD treatment. What we provide is a safe way through withdrawal for someone who has PTSD, and a handover to the treatment that addr
- Admissions
- (866) 710-7710 — answered 24 hours a day
- Insurance
- In network with most major carriers; benefits verified free
Coverage
Our center is in-network with many insurances
Type your plan below to check it, or call and we will verify your benefits with your insurer directly. Free, and with no obligation to admit.
Takes about two minutes · Or call (866) 710-7710
- Accredited The Joint Commission
- Rated 4.7 · 182 Google reviews Flourishing Foundations Recovery, now part of Briarwood
- Admissions 24 hours a day
How the two feed each other
Alcohol suppresses REM sleep, which is where nightmares live, so drinking heavily does stop the dreams for a while. It also fragments sleep and raises baseline arousal, so hypervigilance and startle get worse over months. It is one of the clearest examples of a substance that helps tonight and costs more each night after.
What withdrawal does to it
Expect the first nights to be bad. Withdrawal produces a REM rebound, so nightmares and vivid dreams often return hard in the first few days of not drinking. Knowing that in advance is most of the difference between getting through it and leaving.
Reasons people call us about this
- You drink to sleep, and you have known that for a while.
- The nightmares came back the last time you tried to stop.
- You are scanning rooms, doorways and mirrors without deciding to.
- You are a veteran or a first responder and this pattern is familiar from people you served with.
What we do
- Medically supervised withdrawal with the REM rebound anticipated rather than discovered.
- Psychiatric evaluation and medication management, including sleep.
- A calm, predictable environment with staff who explain before they act.
- A referral into PTSD-specific treatment, arranged before you are discharged.
What we do not do
We do not provide PTSD treatment. What we provide is a safe way through withdrawal for someone who has PTSD, and a handover to the treatment that addresses it. If you are not using substances, we are not the service you need and we will say so.
More on how the two are handled together during a stay: dual diagnosis support during detox.
Straight answers
PTSD and detox — common questions
What is the relationship between PTSD and alcohol?
Alcohol suppresses REM sleep, which is where nightmares live, so heavy drinking does stop the dreams for a while. It also fragments sleep and raises baseline arousal, so hypervigilance and startle get worse over months. It is one of the clearest examples of a substance that helps tonight and costs more each night after.
Will the nightmares get worse when I stop drinking?
Often, for the first several nights. Alcohol suppresses REM sleep and stopping produces a rebound, so dreams come back intensely before sleep settles. It is expected, it is temporary, and it is treatable while you are here.
Do you treat veterans?
Yes, and TRICARE is accepted. Say so when you call, because it changes both the benefit check and the referral we make for afterwards.
Can I be admitted if my PTSD is not formally diagnosed?
Yes. A diagnosis is not a requirement for detox. The psychiatric evaluation during admission is often where somebody finds out that what they have been managing has a name.
Where we are
Where we offer this
Three locations, each with its own admissions line and its own clinical team. Pick the one nearest you — or call and we will tell you which has a bed tonight.
-
Inpatient Austin, TX
11711 N Lamar Blvd · 78753
- 15 beds
- On-site labs
- 24-hour medical staff
Drug & Alcohol Detox in Austin, TX
-
Inpatient Houston, TX
1019 Ashland St · 77008
- On-site labs
- 24-hour medical staff
Drug Detox Center in Houston, TX
-
Outpatient San Antonio, TX
6707 W Hausman Rd · 78249
- Outpatient detox with scheduled medical visits
- Outpatient treatment
Outpatient Drug & Alcohol Detox in San Antonio
What happens after detox
The mental-health side is treated in the levels of care that follow, and the referral is arranged before you leave rather than left to you.
- Briarwood Detox CenterMedical detoxDetox is withdrawal management — getting the substance out of your system with medical staff watching, so the days that can be dangerous are managed rather than survived alone. It is the first stage of treatment, not a substitute for it.See where we offer it
Inpatient treatmentInpatient treatment is where the work moves from the body to what put you here. You live on site, the days are structured, and there is nothing to manage except the treatmentAbout inpatient treatment- Briarwood Detox CenterOutpatient treatmentOutpatient treatment is the same clinical work as residential care, on a schedule that lets you keep your job and sleep in your own bed. We deliver it at our San Antonio location, and it is also available through Nova Recovery Center.See where we offer it
Sober livingSober living is housing, not treatment: a substance-free home with structure, accountability and people at the same stage. Most people live in one WHILE they are in outpatient treatment rather than after itAbout sober living
All three are one company: Briarwood Detox Center and Eudaimonia Recovery Homes are part of Nova Recovery Center, so a single call arranges whichever comes next.