Making the commitment to overcome drug or alcohol addiction means carefully considering the professional services available to help you. Numerous options exist, but not all are the same in terms of the type and amount of care they offer. It’s essential to consider all of your options when beginning your search for addiction treatment. So, how do you know which outpatient program is right for you?
Determining Which Outpatient Program Is Right for You
First, be sure that an outpatient treatment program is a suitable option for your needs. Some people need more advanced care. You’ll need to have a full assessment and exam to determine where you stand and what you are facing when it comes to the treatment of your addiction. Your therapist and often a doctor will consider factors such as the following to determine what may work for your needs:
- Do you have a safe place to live with people who will support your recovery?
- Do you have underlying mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, trauma, or bipolar disorder that need to be treated as well?
- How severe is your addiction right now? How much is it impacting your daily life?
- What are your goals, including health goals through treatment?
- Have you met any of those goals to this point? Do you need to create a plan for achieving those goals before decisions are made?
During an assessment, you’ll learn more about each one of the numerous types of therapy and treatment available to you. This enables you to gain a better idea of what to expect during therapy, as well. Here are a few of the more commonly available outpatient programs:
Intensive Outpatient Program
An intensive outpatient program is a type of treatment program that involves spending a significant amount of time in treatment. You’ll go home in the evening, but you’ll spend numerous hours a day several days of the week in treatment. As its name implies, this type of care is intense as it works to support you as you re-engage with your life around you.
Partial Hospitalization Program
A partial hospitalization program is also an intense therapy program. Most people spend several hours a day in treatment three to five days per week. Often, this type of therapy is a step down from a 24-hour residential program but can be more rigorous than an intensive outpatient program. It helps to ease you back into life and allows you to avoid a relapse that lands you back into a residential treatment program. It may also include mental health support for many people.
Outpatient Treatment
A traditional outpatient addiction treatment program is a step down from either of these programs. It’s less defined in what it provides. However, the goal is to help people as much as they need it. That may mean you’ll start with 3 days a week and go down to 2 and then to 1.
The rate at which you reduce the amount of time you are in any of these programs is dependent on how well you work to achieve your goals. As you adjust to life and gain confidence, the amount of time you spend daily, as well as the number of times you come in for treatment, will drop. This enables you to get the right amount of care for your needs right now.
How to Get Help with Different Types of Outpatient Addiction Treatment
Having a thorough understanding of the different types of outpatient treatment available is a good start. However, what’s most important right now is to seek help. Call treatment centers in your area and ask about the availability of treatment and how you can get started. They’ll provide an assessment to determine the right amount of care for your needs. Don’t wait, call today.
