Today, 10% of American adults get drug use disorder during their lives. Substance abuse is a very real problem, especially since many of us lead such high-stress lifestyles. What started off as casual use can quickly become dependence and addiction.
While it might feel like you’re trapped in a hopeless cycle, don’t lose hope. There are many options out there for you, such as rehabilitation.
There are 2 main types: outpatient and inpatient rehab. But what’s the difference? And which one’s right for you? Read on to find out more.
What Is Inpatient Rehab?
Inpatient rehab is where you spend all your time at a facility for treatment. So, this means you have to pack your bags and travel to the rehab center. You’re given a room and a schedule you have to adhere to, including when you eat your meals and go to sleep.
During your time in rehab, you’ll participate in several programs. Many rehab centers have a detox program so you can cleanse your body before proceeding to the next steps.
Once you’re through with detox, you’ll immerse yourself in therapy sessions, with the types including:
- Individual
- Group
- Alternative
For many people, this rigid schedule is good for recovery since they have some direction. However, there are some drawbacks that come with inpatient rehab.
The main concern is the expenses. Because you have to live full-time at the center, you’ll have to pay for room and board, as well as the use of their facilities.
Not only that, but you’ll have to take time off of work. Not only can this be highly disruptive to your life, but you’ll also lose a considerable amount of income.
Also, you’ll have to put your other responsibilities on hold. For those who have to go to college, take care of children or elderly relatives, or have other responsibilities that simply can’t lapse, going to inpatient rehab is simply impossible or very tough to arrange.
What Is Outpatient Rehab?
If you’re seeking counseling for addiction but find inpatient rehab not feasible, don’t despair. In fact, there are some wonderful alternatives that’ll work even better for you!
For example, there’s outpatient rehab. You won’t have to “live” at the center at all. Instead, you’ll go in to attend therapy sessions and take medications if applicable.
There are actually different levels of outpatient rehab. Read on to find out more about each one.
Partial Hospitalization (PHP)
The partial hospitalization program (PHP) is the most intensive one, which is why it’s recommended for people who are first entering rehab. It offers you a strong support system in what’s perhaps the most vulnerable time in your life.
With this program at Silicon Beach Treatment Center, you’ll go in 5 days a week for 5 hours a day. You’ll attend 4 group therapy sessions and 1 individual one.
If needed, you’ll also meet weekly with the medical director. Their role in your recovery is to help you with medication management so you’re set up for success with a smaller chance of relapse.
Because the daily schedule is so long, you’ll be served lunch, too.
Intensive Outpatient Rehab (IOP)
If you aren’t able to commit to PHP or have been in that program for a while, then the next step is intensive outpatient rehab (IOP).
While its name is “intensive,” you’ll actually spend less time in this program than in the PHP one. You’ll go 3 to 5 days a week, depending on what’s recommended for your personal situation. Each day will last just 3 hours long.
Every day you attend IOP, you’ll go to 2 group therapy sessions. You’ll also have 1 individual therapy session a week.
Outpatient Rehab
The last step of outpatient rehab is truly the definition of “outpatient.” This is the last step in recovery before you stop attending rehab altogether.
Here, you’ll have 3 group therapy sessions and 1 individual one a week. At this point, you’ll be far along enough in conquering your addiction that you should be back to work again. In fact, the addiction specialist you’re seeing will expect you to work at this point.
Not only that, but you’ll also be working toward transitioning back to normal life with your case manager. This might involve weekly meetings with the medical director to ensure you’ll be ok as far as medications go.
Having this transition period will greatly assist you in getting back to real life. This is because our staff will give you the right tools to handle cravings and triggers when they inevitably come up.
Which One Should You Choose?
Contrary to popular belief, inpatient rehab isn’t more effective than outpatient rehab. A 2014 study found that IOPs were just as effective as inpatient rehab programs for most people.
So, if you were leaning toward inpatient treatment because of this misconception, you might want to think again.
There’s no one “right” answer to which type of rehab you should choose. But in most cases, outpatient rehab is a lot more convenient and cost-effective for people.
Check Into Rehab Today
After reading this article, you should now hopefully know the difference between inpatient and outpatient rehab. While inpatient rehab is much more immersive, it’s simply not realistic for most people. Plus, outpatient rehab works just as well!
If you want to avoid disruption to your daily life, minimize wages lost, and still receive fantastic care for treating addiction, then outpatient treatment is ideal, considering that there are several options to choose from. Getting sober won’t be as much of a challenge, and you’ll have an excellent chance of staying sober, too.
Would you like to get some help with healing from addiction? Then get in touch with us today. Our contact form is confidential.
