Quick answer
Stopping heavy drinking suddenly can cause seizures and delirium tremens, so alcohol withdrawal belongs under medical supervision. Within 30 miles of Portsmouth, the SAMHSA locator lists 37 treatment facilities, including 8 offering detoxification. Alcohol was present in 12% of Ohio's fatal overdoses in 2024. Here is how to start.
Published: 2026-10-23 Updated: 2026-10-23
Is it safe to quit drinking on your own?
It depends on how much and how regularly you drink. For a heavy daily drinker, the day of quitting is the most dangerous day of recovery: the nervous system rebounds with tremors, sweating, and anxiety, and in a serious minority of cases with seizures or delirium tremens, which can kill. That is why supervised withdrawal is the standard of care, not an upgrade. If you drink lightly or occasionally, you may not need detox at all - an assessment sorts that out. If someone is seizing or unresponsive after stopping drinking, call 911 first.
What the Scioto County numbers show
Scioto County carries the heaviest overdose history in Ohio, and alcohol is woven through it. The Ohio Department of Health's 2024 Unintentional Drug Overdose Report counted:
- 47 unintentional overdose deaths in Scioto County in 2024, down from 81 in 2023 - a rate of 71.5 per 100,000.
- A 2020-2024 average rate of 118.5 per 100,000, the highest of any Ohio county. From 2015 to 2020, The Ohio Newsroom reported, 80 of every 100,000 residents died of an opioid overdose - the worst rate in the state.
Statewide, the same report found alcohol present in 12% of fatal drug overdoses in 2024 - 363 deaths - almost always in combination with other drugs. In a county where fentanyl remains dominant, the practical takeaway is that alcohol plus anything else is a risk multiplier, and treatment should address every substance in the picture.
Where treatment is available near Portsmouth
Per the SAMHSA FindTreatment.gov locator, a 30-mile radius around central Portsmouth lists 37 substance use treatment facilities (pull dated October 23, 2026):
- 8 offering detoxification (withdrawal management)
- 31 offering outpatient care and 23 providing intensive outpatient programs
- 8 offering residential care
- 25 with a sliding fee scale, and all 37 report accepting Medicaid
Counts change as programs open and close, so confirm current options on the locator.
What treatment looks like
- Withdrawal management (detox): for heavy daily drinkers, a few supervised days so the dangerous part of withdrawal happens safely. Severe cases belong in a hospital setting.
- Medication: naltrexone, acamprosate, or disulfiram - each FDA-approved, each matched to your situation by a prescriber.
- Counseling: individual or group outpatient therapy, often cognitive behavioral, to rebuild routines without alcohol.
Detox alone is not treatment. Clearing the alcohol is the first week; the months of counseling and support that follow are what hold the change in place.
Where to get help in Portsmouth
The ADAMHS Board of Adams, Lawrence and Scioto Counties (919 Seventh Street, Portsmouth, OH 45662; 740-354-5648) plans and funds behavioral health services for the tri-county area and can point you to a funded provider. Among its providers, The Counseling Center in Portsmouth offers outpatient addiction treatment and recovery housing.
Paying for treatment
Ohio Medicaid covers medically necessary substance use treatment for eligible members; Ohio expanded Medicaid in 2014, so many low-income adults qualify. All 37 of the area facilities report accepting Medicaid, and 25 offer a sliding fee scale (SAMHSA pull dated October 23, 2026). If you are uninsured, ask the ADAMHS Board about payment help first, or call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
How to start today
- If this is a medical emergency, call 911. For a crisis, call or text 988.
- Call or text (800) 653-9376 to talk through alcohol treatment options with a specialist, or use this form:
Calling is free; the referral service is paid for by treatment providers, and we check your benefits before you commit.
- If you drink heavily every day, do not stop cold on your own - call first and detox under supervision. Other Alcohol treatment in Ohio: Alcohol treatment and detox in Akron, Ohio, Alcohol treatment and detox in Canton, Ohio, Alcohol treatment and detox in Chillicothe, Ohio, Alcohol treatment and detox in Cincinnati, Ohio, Alcohol treatment and detox in Cleveland, Ohio, Alcohol treatment and detox in Columbus, Ohio, Alcohol treatment and detox in Dayton, Ohio, Alcohol treatment and detox in Hamilton, Ohio, Alcohol treatment and detox in Kettering, Ohio, Alcohol treatment and detox in Lorain, Ohio, Alcohol treatment and detox in Springfield, Ohio, Alcohol treatment and detox in Steubenville, Ohio.
Last updated: Fri Oct 23 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Frequently asked questions
Is quitting alcohol cold turkey dangerous?
It can be. For someone who drinks heavily every day, stopping suddenly can bring tremors, sweating, and anxiety within hours, and in a serious minority of cases seizures and delirium tremens, which can be fatal without medical care. Medical supervision is the standard of care for heavy daily drinkers. If someone is seizing or unresponsive, call 911 first.
Where can I detox from alcohol near Portsmouth?
Per the SAMHSA treatment locator, a 30-mile radius around central Portsmouth lists 37 substance use treatment facilities, including 8 offering detoxification, 8 with residential programs, and 23 providing intensive outpatient care, in a pull dated October 2026. Counts change as programs open and close, so confirm current options on the locator.
What medications treat alcohol use disorder?
Three are FDA-approved: naltrexone, which reduces the reward from drinking; acamprosate, which eases the brain's rebound after quitting; and disulfiram, which produces an unpleasant reaction if you drink. A prescriber can match the medication to your situation, and counseling strengthens either path.
How big is the alcohol problem in Ohio?
Ohio's 2024 overdose report counted alcohol present in 12% of the state's fatal drug overdoses - 363 deaths - usually alongside other drugs. Alcohol kills far more Ohioans through chronic disease - liver disease, heart disease, and cancer - than through overdose.
Who can help me pay for treatment in Scioto County?
Ohio Medicaid covers medically necessary substance use treatment, including withdrawal management, outpatient counseling, and residential care, for eligible members. All 37 facilities in the Portsmouth radius report accepting Medicaid, and 25 offer a sliding fee scale. The ADAMHS Board of Adams, Lawrence and Scioto Counties (740-354-5648) can point you to funded providers.