Inpatient vs. Outpatient Addiction Treatment: Which is Better?

The process of acknowledging that you need help to treat your addiction can be difficult but once you do, your road to recovery will start. Choosing the right rehab facility that will fit you is where you start. Regardless of the substance abused, such as alcohol, opioids, or cannabis, there are various treatment institutions out there to choose from. It may seem daunting and overwhelming at first but by doing research, you’ll be on your recovery journey in no time. The first thing that you must identify is whether you should go for inpatient or outpatient treatment.

Inpatient or outpatient are the most commonly used treatments today for drug and alcohol rehab. These two differ primarily in the setting and level of monitoring and care provided to the client. However, both are effective means to recover from addiction. These are also largely affected by several factors such as the client’s willingness to participate and severity of the addiction.

Inpatient Rehab and Treatment

Inpatient treatment involves a patient checked-in a live-in facility. 24-hour care with physical, emotional and psychological health assistance is provided and generally takes 28 days to complete the rehabilitation program. It is a high maintenance and intensive treatment that needs careful assessment.

To those who will go to an inpatient rehabilitation center, it is best to settle family obligations. If you have kids and pets, your spouse may need extra help in taking care of them. In addition, you can request for your parents, siblings, and even friends to watch over them from time to time while you are away.

For working individuals, you will most likely be allowed to talk to human resources, so you can settle all pending work responsibilities and how you and the company can cover your tasks while you are away. This may also apply to those who will undergo outpatient rehabilitation treatment because your schedule might affect your work.

Before admission, a thorough assessment and evaluation are conducted. This will give the healthcare providers the necessary information that is relevant for the treatment program, such as severity of addiction and medical conditions. With this information, the healthcare provider will be able to choose the best treatment program, as well as its length.

For inpatient programs, the duration largely depends on the person in rehab. Your inpatient treatment program may be short-term or long-term. It may take as little as a week or less for short-term inpatient. Some of the programs with a short-term stay are detoxification and process of stabilization.

On the other hand, long-term treatment may take one month to a year. On average, most inpatient stays are for 28 days. This length of treatment will give the patient enough time to let its body to get rid of the harmful substances, break from the habit, and become productive again.

Here are some of the inpatient rehab and treatment programs:

Cognitive behavioral therapy:

In CBT sessions, the patient’s behavioral patterns are discussed further. It is mostly done through one-on-one counseling. This provides the patient with a safe space to open up freely and not hesitate to talk about their issues and concerns.

Family session:

The aim of the session is not only to resolve issues within the family but also to teach ways on how to support you as you deal with your inner struggles and as you aim for recovery.

Group therapy

Group therapy is characterized by the sharing of personal experiences of participants which is essential for emotional healing. As deep-seated emotions and vulnerability are exposed, trust, compassion, and fellowship eventually develop within the group.

Specialized therapy

Some rehabilitation facilities offer specialized therapy sessions. These are customized on every patient’s needs such as stress management, anger management, and grief counseling.

Choosing an inpatient program has many benefits, such as:

  • A stable environment that will keep you sober and focused on your recovery.
  • Careful supervision from trained specialists that will reduce any chance of relapse.
  • Psychiatric and medical monitoring which fits best for patients who are undergoing withdrawal symptoms.
  • Individual therapy and focus groups.
  • Substance-free and relaxed atmosphere that will keep you away from triggers.
  • You will become a part of a community along with other patients in the facility who are going through the same journey as you.

Although it has a number of benefits, some people may choose other treatment options because of its drawbacks, here are some of them:

  • Limited access and time with family and friends since you will be away for a while.
  • You won’t be allowed to go outside anytime you want.
  • Time away from home, school, and work are necessary.
  • More expensive than outpatient treatment.
  • Not always covered by insurance or health plans.

After acknowledging that you need professional help in recovering from addiction, you now have to prepare yourself for the treatment, both physically and mentally. Here are some tips that can guide you as you prepare for rehabilitation:

  1. Talk to your family: Your family is a part of your support system, so it is important to make them a part of the initial stage of your recovery.
  2. Settle pending financial obligations: You can set up automatic payments or ask someone who you trust to settle monthly bills on your behalf.
  3. Be open:Kicking a bad habit will require you to strip yourself of your faulty beliefs and behavior. It will definitely be challenging but it will be rewarding in the end.
  4. Bring items that will make you feel close to home:It will help you beat that unpleasant feeling of terribly missing your home if you bring small personal items that will keep motivated.
  5. Discuss your plans with your employer: Instead of resigning, it might be good to tell your boss about your plans and discuss options.

Recovery from addiction can be difficult. It is important that one has a strong support system composed of family, friends and focus group who struggled with the same problem.

Rehabilitation treatment alone is not enough. Addiction is a progressive illness which means continuous treatment is needed. To succeed, you will need more people who can help you and give support especially your family.

In inpatient rehab treatment, the facility usually sets a schedule for visitations. Family and friends can also call for an appointment. You will not be deprived of your need to communicate with your loved ones.

If you are more inclined to choose an inpatient rehab facility, expect to follow a strict daily routine that will start by waking up early in the morning. Some facilities include special yoga sessions and meditation classes after being served with a healthy breakfast. This will give you both the energy and the right state of mind as you go about your treatment program each day.

Part of the process of recovery that rehabilitation centers want to teach patients, is developing a strong sense of discipline and forming healthy and productive habits. These habits are expected to be practiced when you’re done with the program and ready to embark on a sober life outside of the facility.

Focus group sessions will be conducted afterward and are facilitated by a therapist or a trained counselor. The main objective of focus group sessions is to clarify life issues that caused the substance abuse. In these meetings that are monitored and led by specialists, behavior patterns and triggers are also identified so they can be dealt with. In the afternoon, the most intensive part of the program happens wherein patients undergo therapeutic sessions.

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Outpatient Rehab and Treatment

Outpatient treatment, on the other hand, does not require the patient to stay within the rehabilitation facility. Therapy may be done through a number of sessions and work on a specific treatment schedule, while the patient is given the liberty to stay in their own home. This is particularly useful and suggested for those who wish to do their usual daily activities like attend school or go to work.

This treatment program is best for individuals who want to recover from their addiction but intend to continue working or perform their responsibilities. Unlike an inpatient program, with outpatient rehab, treatment programs such as counseling are scheduled and may take 1 to 3 months to complete.

If your addiction is severe, you might need to undergo medical detox before starting your outpatient treatment program. If that the case, it’s always recommended to do this in a detox clinic or a rehabilitation facility. Outpatient treatment will not require you to stay and live inside a rehabilitation facility as you complete the program. However, you will need to give more effort and a high degree of commitment to finish it successfully. There will be no intensive medical and psychiatric care but instead, a treatment schedule will be set weekly.

The treatment program includes:

The general types of outpatient rehabilitation therapy are:

Day Therapy Program: Day therapy programs for rehabilitation are structured and require a patient to attend sessions at least 5 times a week, for a few hours each day. Patients are allowed to go home afterward. They can either come home to their families or check-in in a sober living facility.

IOP or Intensive Outpatient Program: This type of outpatient treatment program involves milestones that become the yardstick to measure progress. During sessions, these milestones are aimed to be accomplished and as each one is completed, the time for each session may decrease. Like the day therapy program, multiple sessions are scheduled per week.

Continuing Care: This type of outpatient treatment program will work best for individuals who have already completed their therapy in an inpatient rehabilitation facility. The sessions are not as intensive as the other two types, and the aim is to continue their road to recovery as they apply what they have learned from their initial treatment program.

 

Choosing an outpatient program has many benefits, such as:

  • You can continue with your daily routine while undergoing therapy.
  • Treatment sessions may be scheduled according to your availability. Support group activities are usually done in the evening and on weekends.
  • Application of what you learn during therapy may be practiced immediately in a real-life setting.
  • More time to spend with your support systems such as family and friends.
  • Less costly.
  • Covered by most health plans.

Although it has a number of benefits, some people may choose other treatment options because of its drawbacks, here are some of them:

  • Lack of 24-hour medical and psychiatric care.
  • Exposure to stressors and triggers.
  • Relapse is more probable because of easy access to the substance of addiction.
  • Distractions are all around so the focus on recovery may be affected.
  • Less time spent to bond with co-patients who can potentially be an addition to your sober support group.

Support from family and friends is much needed at this point in your life. Treatment from addiction will take more than just determination and patience to fully recover, you will also need a strong support system.

There are a number of ways that families and friends of a recovering patient can show their support. Aside from regular conversations and giving of encouraging words, they can help them live a sober life by helping them stay away from stress and possible triggers.

In addition, when someone close is struggling with addiction, it’s impossible to not get affected. Addiction impacts their relationship with you and other people. As much as you can stay strong for them, you may also need the same support from someone else. There are support groups that are established for family members of recovering addicts. Do not hesitate to sign up and share your thoughts. Get to know other families who are going through the same thing and be each other’s strength.

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Costs

One of the ways in which you can pay for treatment is through health care plans. You will have to check yours to see their policies and how much they may cover. If you cannot figure out how your insurance policy will cover addiction rehab treatment or if your current plan can cover any or all of your rehabilitation requirements, at Mountain Springs Recovery we can verify it for you! Get in touch with us today for more information and a free consultation.

Success Rate

For inpatients, according to statistics, 73% of the addicted individual is able to complete their treatment program. 21% of them stay drug-free after 5 years of treatment. While for outpatient treatment, 43% of addicted patients are able to complete treatment, and 18% of them stay drug-free after 5 years.

As you choose the right type of treatment that will help you in your recovery, choose one that will address both your physical and psychological needs. These two go hand in hand and when dealt with properly, the chance of you overcoming your addiction increases. Make sure that you understand the whole point of rehabilitation before you begin with your treatment program. You need to stay clear on why you need to go through this, so you can be ready to face the hurdles ahead.

These success rates are affected by several factors. The most important factor is on the part of the patient. If they are cooperative and show a willingness to recover, they are more likely going to succeed.

Whatever the Decision, Recovery is Around the Corner

For some people, it may be easy to identify which type of treatment will work best for them. However, if you are unsure, you may ask for advice from a counseling professional, so you can make an assessment together. Honesty will play a big role in this decision-making process because only you can determine the degree of commitment you can give in your recovery.

Here are some questions that you can use as a reference:

  1. Is this your first time to undergo rehabilitation therapy for addiction?
  2. Can you handle the stress and possible triggers around you as you complete your treatment outside a rehabilitation facility?
  3. Will your current environment help you as you aim for a life of sobriety?
  4. How much are you willing to shell out for your treatment?
  5. Will your health insurance plan cover costs for your treatment?
  6. Will being away from your family and friends help you focus on recovery?
  7. How severe is your addiction?
  8. Will you be willing to fit the therapy sessions and other treatment-related activities in your daily schedule?
  9. Are you willing to leave your current lifestyle, including home duties and work to focus on your treatment?

The road to recovery takes more than time and money, it also requires a high level of dedication and relentless effort from you. It will challenge you and the journey will surely test your willpower, but never forget why you are doing all this, to begin with.