A good-quality rehab facility lays a solid foundation for your drug and alcohol addiction recovery. Typical treatments include residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient program options. What are the differences? Most importantly, what are the characteristics of the best outpatient addiction treatment centers?
Inpatient vs. Outpatient Drug Rehab
As the name implies, inpatient or residential rehab allows you to live at the facility. You check in and stay for 30 to 90 days. It’s an excellent option when you need to put some distance between you and a peer group or household members. Similarly, it’s a good choice for program participants with severe addictions.
Outpatient drug and alcohol addiction treatment is the program of choice for clients with moderate substance abuse problems. If you have a high level of motivation and a safe living environment, it’s a good choice. You schedule therapies around a work or school calendar. The amount of time you spend at the facility varies.
For example the best Georgia intensive outpatient program offers are partial hospitalization options. The way this looks varies by state. In many cases, you spend a full day at the rehab center and return home at night. Some venues operate off-site housing venues for program participants.
What Treatments Do the Best Outpatient Addiction Treatment Centers Offer?
There shouldn’t be a difference in the quality of care between residential and outpatient programs. The only distinction is the intensity of the rehab experience. Typical modalities include:
- Behavioral therapies that focus on emotional regulation and the elimination of dysfunctional responses
- Holistic therapeutic approaches such as meditation, yoga, and acupuncture for whole-person wellness
- Dual diagnosis assessment and treatment that benefits clients with depression, PTSD, social anxiety, and similar conditions
- Family therapy, which explores role division and communication style with an eye on possible dysfunction
- Experiential therapeutic interventions that might include art, music, or equine therapy
Frequently, there are also life skills training. It helps you structure your day now that you’ve eliminated drug-seeking and usage. Because you have more free time than you realize, this step is vital. It prevents the boredom that can lead to relapse.
Relapse Prevention is Part of Treatment
Drug and alcohol intensive outpatient programs that succeed in their mission always include a relapse prevention program. For some, this means 12-Step program facilitation. Others specialize in non-12-Step support group meetings. Almost all include some type of aftercare.
It’s interesting to note that relapse prevention frequently starts on the first day of treatment. It incorporates goal-setting with group therapy participation. The latter is instrumental in encouraging peer support as well as the willingness to undergo accountability training.
Planning for living sober after graduating from an outpatient program calls for unique customization. Because you probably already have a support network in place, it may require its members to participate. This can occur during family therapy.
You now know what to look for in best outpatient addiction treatment centers. Are you ready to take the step that brings a lifetime of change?
