Hi PawneeDew. I don't know how/why you would need to be penalized. Certainly a workplace need not know. Anyone in your personal life need not know, either, except those that could be of good support for you. AA or NA are both places where anonymity is a requirement. Hopefully there are no leaks. I've never had a problem, in the past.

If you think you need some detox, of sorts, a doctor really should be consulted. I'd start with a psychiatrist, if you have one. If not, a GP could help guide you. Really, a psychiatrist would be very helpful since you have a mental health issue. The two issues can feed off of each other. It's also important to know what to expect when stopping alcohol or another substance.

I have bipolar disorder and also abused alcohol, in the past. It was not easy to get either under control, but with persistence I did. I detoxed inpatient because I had a manic episode and because I had abused alcohol to such a degree that I needed medical intervention. When that is needed, many detox programs (which usually always have dual diagnosis treatment) are only a few days, at the most. They're not all 30 day deals. In fact, most insurance providers wouldn't even pay for a 30 day stint, for most. There are also daytime or evening Intensive Outpatient Programs, that offer intensive support, if a private doc thinks is necessary.