If this is your first time seeking treatment for addiction, you may be curious to know more about outpatient treatment. Finding out why people make use of this type of service will help you determine if this is a good approach for you to take with your own recovery. It’s certainly not for everyone, so you should discuss this possibility with your addiction counselor after going through an evaluation of your addiction and health. If you’re suffering from a severe addiction, you will likely need the resources and strict supervision that an intensive inpatient program offers. Outpatient treatment programs offer a great deal more freedom than you would have in an inpatient program. While this can be beneficial in some ways, it can also work against you if there’s a higher risk of relapse. If you’re going to start using when you’re on your own, starting an outpatient program will only waste your time and money. If you’re unsure about whether or not you can stay clean, you may be better off to enter into an inpatient program where counselors and the facility’s staff can keep a closer eye on you.
However, if you’re motivated to quit using and want to try an outpatient treatment program, it can offer you an opportunity to continue meeting your personal and professional obligations. Since this type of program is designed to be flexible, you can go through the addiction treatment process without forsaking your other obligations. The downside to inpatient rehab is that it requires you to abandon your life for a short period. While that helps with the recovery process, it’s not always a feasible option. Outpatient treatment programs still include the same types of therapy and counseling, but you can schedule sessions for the days and times that are most convenient for you. This gives you the time to meet parenting obligations, attend classroom lectures if you’re in college, or meet attendance requirements at work. As long as you can make it to your appointments on time, outpatient treatment can be a useful means of getting the help you need on better terms.
How Can You Tell if Outpatient Treatment is Right For You?
The benefits of outpatient treatment make it a desirable option for most addicts seeking treatment, but many individuals won’t qualify for this type of treatment. For example, you’ll have to determine the severity of your withdrawal symptoms and cravings. If they are severe or frequent, you may need closer supervision. In addition to keeping you from relapsing, the supervision provided in an intensive inpatient treatment program will help ensure your safety as you go through recovery. After detoxing, withdrawal symptoms can be severe enough to pose health risks. If you have a weakened heart or other types of cardiovascular disease, you may be at a higher risk for heart failure or stroke. Having access to caregivers 24 hours a day will be beneficial if your withdrawal symptoms lead to a medical emergency. When you’re participating in an outpatient treatment program, it will be up to you to call for help as needed. In some cases, you may not get professional help as quickly as you would receive it from the caregivers in an inpatient facility.
Another factor to consider is whether or not you’ll need treatment for an emotional health problem or other form of mental illness. Very often, people become addicted to drugs or alcohol because they’re trying to self-medicate for an undiagnosed mental illness. You may not know you suffer from mental illness until you undergo a complete evaluation from an addiction treatment professional. They can identify any condition affecting you and determine the severity of the condition. If it’s a mild form of depression or anxiety, you may be able to undergo therapy as a part of an outpatient treatment program. However, more serious forms of mental or emotional illness will require more intensive treatment. In that case, you would have to enter into an inpatient treatment program that provides you with more intensive psychological therapy in addition to addiction counseling. This is the best way to ensure your risks of relapse are as low as possible once you complete the treatment program.
If you want to learn more about your addiction treatment options, call us at 833-846-5669. Our counselors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer your questions. We can help you find the treatment option that’s right for you, so you can begin a path to recovery.