Sentinel Alcohol DetoxThe First Weeks After Detox
Leaving detox can feel like a big change in routine. Meetings give the day some structure and put you among people who have been through the same thing.
A detox stay is short, so many programs help arrange what comes next before you leave.
- Before discharge, ask what follow-up care your detox program can set up for you.
- Online meetings are an option on days when getting to a room is hard.
- Write down a few meeting times for the coming week so the decision is already made.
- Seek medical care at once if withdrawal symptoms come back or worsen.
Your First Meeting
Open meetings welcome anyone, including family, friends and people who are simply curious. Closed meetings are only for people who share the group's purpose, such as wanting to stop drinking or using.
At a speaker meeting, one or two people tell their own story. At a discussion meeting, members take turns talking about a topic or a reading. Some meetings study the program's book or steps.
Many groups also meet online or by phone, which can help if you live far from a meeting, work unusual hours or want to try a meeting from home first.
- You do not have to speak. You can say you would rather listen, or simply pass.
- You do not have to give your full name.
- Meetings are free to attend. Many pass a basket for voluntary contributions, and you do not have to give.
- Arriving a few minutes early is fine, and so is leaving early.
Support Groups at a Glance
After detox, a support meeting is one of the simpler next steps to take in Texas. Meeting schedules differ by group and by area, and there is no cost to attend. Here is how the main groups differ.
Whichever group you try first, you can switch, or attend more than one.
- A.A. serves people with a drinking problem through twelve steps and peer sharing; the only requirement is a wish to stop drinking.
- SMART Recovery takes a non-spiritual approach, with discussion-based meetings built around self-management tools; it covers alcohol, drugs and addictive behaviors.
- Al-Anon is for the family side of a drinking problem: relatives and friends meet to share how it affects them, using twelve steps.
- Recovery Dharma meetings combine meditation with sharing and are open to people with any addiction.
- Refuge Recovery meetings center on mindfulness and meditation as tools for recovery.
- Celebrate Recovery offers a faith-based, Christ-centered path and meets in local churches.
- N.A. focuses on addiction to any drug rather than one substance, using the same twelve-step structure as A.A.
- Nar-Anon does for families of people using drugs what Al-Anon does for families affected by drinking.
Official Meeting Finders for Texas
Peer support groups and mutual-aid programs run their own meetings. The links below go to each organization's official pages for Texas, where you can search for meetings. We do not list, copy or vouch for individual meetings.
Alcoholics Anonymous
A peer fellowship for people who want to stop drinking.
Narcotics Anonymous
A peer fellowship for people who want to stop using drugs.
SMART Recovery
A science-informed, self-empowering program with in-person and online meetings.
Al-Anon Family Groups
A peer fellowship for relatives and friends of people with a drinking problem.
Nar-Anon Family Groups
A peer fellowship for relatives and friends of people with a drug problem.
Recovery Dharma
A peer-led program that draws on Buddhist practices and principles.
Refuge Recovery
A mindfulness-based recovery community that draws on Buddhist practices.
Celebrate Recovery
A Christ-centered recovery program run through local churches.
Sentinel Alcohol Detox is an independent directory. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Narcotics Anonymous World Services, SMART Recovery, Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Nar-Anon Family Groups, Recovery Dharma, Refuge Recovery World Services, Celebrate Recovery, or any other fellowship or support organisation named on this page, and none of them has reviewed or approved this page. Each link goes to the organisation's own official page, which controls its meeting information. Meetings move, close and change, so confirm the time and place with the source before you go. Links in this section are editorial. They are not paid, sponsored or referral placements, and no treatment provider can pay to be added to or reordered within this section. Support meetings are not a substitute for professional treatment.
If you or someone else is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). For treatment referral and information, SAMHSA's National Helpline is 1-800-662-4357, free, confidential and open 24 hours a day.
Attendance Slips and Court Requirements
Some people come to meetings because a judge or probation officer requires it. That is common, and open meetings welcome them like anyone else.
Signing an attendance slip is up to each group and whoever leads the meeting. Twelve-step groups have no link to the court system.
- Find out exactly what your order or program asks for.
- Check whether online meetings count and how they can be verified.
- Keep your own log of dates, times and meeting names.
- Raise any problem with proof of attendance with your officer early.
Your Requirements
This page cannot give legal advice. Follow the instructions of your court or probation officer.
Medication and Support Meetings
Some people take a medication for alcohol use disorder, such as naltrexone or acamprosate, or methadone or buprenorphine for opioid use disorder. You can go to support meetings while you take a medication as prescribed.
SMART Recovery states that it supports legally prescribed addiction medication and welcomes people who use it at its meetings.
Twelve-step groups such as A.A. and N.A. are run by their own members, and each group sets its own customs, so how a meeting talks about medication can differ from one group to the next.
- Before you go, ask the local intergroup, service office or group contact how the meeting views medication.
- Look for meetings described as medication-friendly or MAT-friendly. Some areas and online meeting lists use these labels.
- Try a few different meetings. If one does not feel right, another may.
- You do not have to tell anyone at a meeting about your medication.
Talk to Your Prescriber
Never stop, lower or change a medication because of something said at a meeting. Talk to your prescriber first. This is general information, not medical advice.
Meetings Plus Treatment
Support meetings help many people stay on track, but they are not treatment. They do not provide medical care, medication or a treatment plan.
If you or someone close to you needs detox, medication or a structured program, a treatment provider can assess which level of care fits. Many people go to meetings during and after treatment.
This site lists alcohol treatment programs in Texas. See the map and city pages below, or call the number on this page to talk through options.
This number connects to our central helpline, not directly to a listed facility.
Search and Map Facilities in Texas
Press Search to list facilities in Texas, or type a city or ZIP code.
Alcohol Treatment Programs in Texas
Only the facilities this site lists in Texas are shown. Choose a city to see them.
Support Meetings in Texas: Questions
Should I go to meetings right after detox?
Many people start going to meetings in the first days after detox, alongside the next step in care that their treatment team suggests.
Can family members go to a meeting?
Yes. Al-Anon and Nar-Anon are for relatives and friends, SMART Recovery runs family and friends meetings, and anyone can attend an open A.A. or N.A. meeting.
What is the difference between an open and a closed meeting?
Anyone can attend an open meeting, including family and friends. A closed meeting is only for people who share the group's purpose, such as wanting to stop drinking or using.
Will a meeting sign my court attendance slip?
Some groups will and some will not; each group decides. Ask your court or probation officer what proof of attendance they accept before you go.
Are support meetings the same as treatment?
No. Meetings are peer support and do not provide medical care. Many people use both, going to meetings during and after treatment.
Are there online meetings in Texas?
Yes. Most of the organizations linked on this page list online or phone meetings as well as in-person ones, so you can join from anywhere in Texas.