When the layperson thinks about drug and alcohol addiction treatment, they usually think in terms of someone going through residential treatment. After all, that is all we ever see in the movies. As a point of reference, residential or inpatient treatment requires that the client lives in the rehab facility 24/7 for as long as it takes for them to build a foundation of recovery. For most people, building a foundation of recovery takes 30 to 90 days, depending on the extent of each person’s addiction. As part of residential treatment, clients spend a lot of their time in individual therapy. In conjunction with a therapist, the client works on trying to figure out why they need to abuse drugs or alcohol. Finding the answers to that question serves as the basis for each client to develop better life and coping skills. While individual therapy occupies a majority of each client’s time in treatment, they will also spend time working in groups and taking part in family therapy. Both group and family therapy sessions give clients a chance to interact with other people. Hopefully, these interactions with lead to the client developing support resources they can use after leaving rehab. When not in therapy, residential clients do get to enjoy downtime for relaxation. They are usually given the opportunity to participate in recreational activities and partake of the rehab facility’s amenities. For clients with a significant addiction problem, residential treatment will always be the best treatment option. However, a lot of clients cannot or will not agree to attend a residential treatment program. Based on their preferences and personal circumstances, they show more interest in outpatient treatment. Here are some common reasons people prefer outpatient treatment:
- Financial burden due to the lack of compensation when missing work
- Too many responsibilities at work or school
- Needed at home for the care of other family members
- Residential treatment is too expensive
Assuming you would fall into one of these categories, you too might prefer outpatient treatment. To help you decide if outpatient treatment would be your best option, we will use the next sections to tell you about outpatient treatment.
What is Outpatient Drug Rehab?
Outpatient treatment in the addiction treatment community is a broad term. It is used to describe three different treatment options, including
- Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
- Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP)
- General Outpatient Program (OP)
Regarding the general outpatient option, it is generally something recovering addicts use as an aftercare option. They usually report for treatment a day or two a week for an hour or two per session. The emphasis of treatment as part of an OP option is to make sure the client is maintaining a good recovery program. Let’s now look at the other two options in more depth.
Partial Hospitalization
Of the three outpatient options, a PHP is by far the most restrictive option. Clients are expected to live at home and report for their scheduled therapy sessions almost every day of the week. Each day a client comes in for treatment, they might have to be in the facility for up to 8 hours a day. Much like residential treatment, most of the client’s work will be done in individual therapy. When time permits, some PHP clients get an opportunity to participate in group and family sessions. This will all continue for several months until the client has shown they have a solid foundation o recovery.
Intensive Outpatient
An intensive outpatient program option is a bit less restrictive than the PHP option. Still, the client is expected to report for treatment between 3 and 5 days a week, Each day, they might have to participate in therapy sessions and workshops for up to 6 hours a day. Again, a great majority of the client’s time will be devoted to individual therapy with a little group or family therapy offered when needed. When you are ready to get treatment for your addiction, that will be the time to think about the kind of treatment option you would want. For now, getting you into treatment is the goal. That is something with which we can help you. You have to make the first move by calling us at 772-266-5320. During that first call, we would be happy to tell you about our treatment facility and the addiction treatment options we offer.
