When it comes to addiction treatment, it’s important to consider your options. Which treatment is right for you will depend on the severity of your addiction, life obligations, and your support system. Each treatment option carries its own advantages, but knowing why outpatient addiction treatment can be beneficial can help you make an informed decision.
The Difference Between Outpatient and Inpatient Treatment
When you enter inpatient treatment, you will live at the facility. These programs are usually short term. They provide intensive services and medical monitoring. They are suitable for those who have a severe addiction, a toxic home environment, serious drug withdrawal symptoms, or other physical or medical conditions that require close treatment or monitoring. Many people with addiction find that beginning with the structured environment of an inpatient program is the best way to start their recovery.
Outpatient addiction treatment allows you to live at home and visit the facility for treatment. It is suitable for those with a stable home environment. They should also be mentally and physically healthy enough that constant monitoring isn’t required. Outpatient rehab provides many of the same addiction services as inpatient treatment with greater flexibility.
Reasons to Choose Outpatient Treatment
Some of the reasons to choose outpatient rehab include:
- Two treatment levels
- Maintain personal and financial responsibilities
- Apply the skills learned in real-time
- Remain in treatment while rejoining society
- A greater degree of privacy
1. Two Treatment Levels
The two treatment levels you can choose from are intensive outpatient or outpatient treatment. Intensive outpatient treatment requires you to spend time at the facility several days a week. You’ll learn more about addiction, healthy coping strategies, and participate in therapy. Outpatient is similar but requires you to spend less time at the facility. Intensive outpatient is often recommended for those who have completed an inpatient rehab or have an addiction that is causing disruption in their life.
An outpatient program is recommended for those who have completed an intensive outpatient treatment program or who have less severe addiction problems. It may also suitable if you are concerned that you are beginning to develop a problem with drugs or alcohol.
2. Maintain Personal and Financial Responsibilities
You may be reluctant to attend an inpatient program because of your responsibilities or obligations. If you have a family, a job, or attend school, it can be difficult to attend an inpatient program. Outpatient programs typically have day and evening programs so you can maintain your responsibilities while getting the treatment you need.
3. Remain in Treatment While Rejoining Society
If you’ve completed an inpatient rehab, you may be excited and apprehensive about returning to daily life. Those in recovery are most successful with long-term treatment. Outpatient treatment allows you to rejoin society while still receiving the support and treatment you need to make progress in your recovery. This incremental approach gives you the best chance of success.
4. Apply the Skills You Learn in Real-Time
A big part of recovery is learning new coping skills, and outpatient rehab gives you the ability to practice these skills as you learn. You’ll be encouraged to choose new hobbies and create new routines. You can put these into practice in real-time. You’ll have access to peers and professionals to help you work through concerns and issues as you make changes.
5. Greater Degree of Privacy
You may be concerned about telling your family or employer that you are in treatment. Inpatient treatment requires you to leave your life temporarily, which means you need to explain your absence to those involved in your life. Since you can maintain your responsibilities while participating in outpatient treatment, you have more flexibility with privacy. You aren’t required to ask for time off from your employer or explain your absence to friends and family.
Outpatient Treatment at Serenity Light Recovery
Outpatient treatment is a component of recovery for most people. If you are ready for outpatient treatment in Angleton, Texas, contact us at Serenity Light Recovery. Call us at (281) 431-6700 to learn if outpatient rehab is right for you.
As our CEO, Heather’s main calling is to stay true to the vision of the organization, which is saving lives and striving to redefine statistics by raising the standard of care with evolving treatment methods. Heather studied psychology at LSU and both the main and Clear Lake campuses of the University of Houston, and she is a certified IASIS provider and CPI instructor. She’s been helping people in recovery since 2011. Heather’s motto to live by is “I am not what I’ve done; I am what I’ve overcome.”
