When you’re ready to get help for addiction, you can choose from many types of treatment. The most common is inpatient rehab, where you live at the facility for the duration of your treatment and don’t go home at night.
Outpatient drug rehab is another option for those who want to continue living at home while getting treatment. They are an excellent option for people who want to get clean, but for whom a complete commitment to therapy is impossible. This type of drug rehab can provide many benefits, including:
Benefits of Outpatient Drug Rehab Treatment
1. It Does Not Disrupt Daily Life
Some people feel they need to get away from everything that reminds them of drugs and alcohol. For some, that means leaving town and going into an inpatient facility for 30 days or more. This can be very disruptive for those who work and have families.
Outpatient drug rehab allows people to stay at home while attending the treatment center for sessions for a few hours a day. If a person has a job, they can keep working and keep their lives running smoothly without quitting their job and moving away from family and friends.
2. Less Expensive
Outpatient drug rehab is less expensive than an inpatient program. A significant reason for the reduced cost of outpatient drug rehab is that you don’t pay for boarding fees while in treatment. Many insurance companies will also cover all or some costs associated with outpatient care.
3. Accessibility
Another advantage of outpatient treatment is that more facilities offer this type of care than residential facilities. If you live near the facility, it may be easier to get into an outpatient program than an inpatient one since there are fewer restrictions on who can enter these programs.
4. Provides Real-World Experience
During inpatient treatment, staying sober is pretty easy. You’re surrounded by addiction experts, therapists, and other people who understand what you’re going through. However, dealing with everyday problems is challenging when you get back into the world. When this happens, it isn’t easy to stay sober.
On the other hand, outpatient treatment can be much less isolating than inpatient treatment. It exposes you to everyday life’s stress, but you get a lot of support and help to cope with that stress. This can help you learn ways to handle problems—and not get overwhelmed by them.
5. Different Levels of Treatment
There are many types of outpatient treatment available. For example, Intensive Outpatient treatment is a good option for those who want to be treated in a sober environment but don’t need the structure of a residential program. IOP is often followed by outpatient therapy, which comprises only one or two days per week of care and can be scheduled with little difficulty.
Summary
Outpatient drug rehab can be a good fit for many recovering addicts. The benefits of outpatient therapy are clear. One doesn’t have to sacrifice their job, home, education, or financial stability to get the help needed. Also, outpatient treatment allows addicts to learn relapse prevention skills to avoid relapsing after leaving rehab. This includes learning how to cope with stress, identifying triggers for relapse, and managing cravings for alcohol or drugs.
