Thirty-three-year-old Whitefish resident Melanie Seefeldt has decided to stop drinking before. But, like many Montanans, Seefeldt knows a core truth about alcohol addiction. Wanting to stop is the easy part.
For many, the excruciation comes later. When she prepares to extricate alcohol from her body, Seefeldt ticks through a very short list of strategies.
She can taper her alcohol intake on her own, with the hope of avoiding the deliriousness, tremors and blackouts that can accompany withdrawal. She can find a doctor willing to prescribe take-home medications to manage her symptoms, or an inpatient rehab facility that takes her insurance…