Inpatient vs Outpatient Addiction Centers
Every person is different and when it comes to treating addiction it is important to remember that. Choosing an addiction treatment program, whether for yourself or a friend or family member, is a big decision. There are many options for treatment, and understanding what kind of help is available will help you decide what type of program will help you or your family member or friend get through their struggle with drugs, alcohol, or other addictions.
When you hear people talk about drug rehab centers, they are usually referring to inpatient treatment centers. While these are the most widely publicized, because of their popularity with celebrity rehab stories, both inpatient and outpatient treatments can be effective. For some people, the cost of entering an inpatient rehabilitation combined with the waiting lists can be discouraging for those who need help immediately. Enrolling in an outpatient treatment is always an option to begin recovery. There are some medical reasons why an addict may need to spend time in an inpatient facility and the only people who can advise you on your need for inpatient treatment is a medical professional with experience dealing with addicts. Sometimes just understanding the difference between inpatient care and outpatient care will help you decide what type of treatment is right for you.
For people who have extreme addiction, particularly those addicted to highly damaging drugs like heroin or Meth, there are many steps involved in recovery. These types of addiction almost always require an addict to spend time in an inpatient rehabilitation facility. The first step an addict must go through when they check into a facility is detoxification. This process is painful and requires that the addict be monitored by health care professionals. During this part of the process, the addict will go through a physical change as their body’s comedown off of the drugs they have been dependent upon. During this time, most of the focus is on stabilizing the patients’ health and observing their actions. After the initial detox, an intensive program usually begins to help the addict begin to discover their own weaknesses and try to understand what lead initially to their drug use. Individual and group therapy are usually a major part of this step. Every treatment center is different but most require a patient to stay several weeks or even months at this step of the program. After completing this step, some patients are released into a highly supervised outpatient program, while others move into residential rehabilitation.
Some rehabilitation centers offer partial hospitalization programs that give addicts a place to go and be monitored while they come down off of drugs. These types of programs are never meant to take the place of a complete impatient care program. One of the most effective types or outpatient addiction treatment is the intensive programs. These groups meet several times a week and some of them meet every day for several hours. They are meant to help support addicts who have been through the beginning stages of their recovery and still require regular meetings to maintain their sober condition.
The most flexible form of addiction treatment is the traditional outpatient program. This type of treatment is generally not recommended for people who are just beginning to deal with addiction. Meeting with a counselor, psychiatrist, or social worker once a week, or once a month for traditional outpatient therapy, should only be considered if an addict has completed a more extensive program to help keep them focused on sobriety for the rest of their life.
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Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: Health, Medical, Addicition, Rehab, Drug Abuse