Is Rehab for Me?

If you are struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, you should give serious consideration to rehab. Many addicts think that rehab isn’t for them, but rehab can really kick-start the healing process. While there are several different treatment types, one of the primary distinctions is between inpatient and outpatient. Let’s take a look at the merits of each.

Inpatient vs. Outpatient

Inpatient programs require that the patient reside at the treatment center 24 hours a day. Outpatient programs treat patients at the facility during the day. Patients leave the outpatient facility after treatment and spend their night hours at home. So there is a treatment solution available for you, regardless of your current employment or living situation. Addiction counselors in both types of treatment programs are available and flexible enough to help your overcome substance abuse. Most rehab programs work hand-in-hand with 12-step recovery groups to give you the tools that you’ll need to maintain sobriety and grow in health and healing.

Inpatient Rehab Programs

Those who choose to participate in an inpatient program will live at the treatment facility for a fixed period of time. It usually takes between one month and three months for the typical patient to pass through his withdrawal phase. Being away from one’s normal living environment and the accompanying bad influences can work wonders for an addict in recovery. There are even programs available that last longer than 3 months. These are called therapeutic communities. They typically last half a year. Inpatient programs do more than simply separate the addict from his former living environment. These programs help recovering addicts develop relationships with staff members and fellow patients. It is an opportunity for a patient to change his attitude toward drug use and get a fresh start.

Outpatient Rehab Programs

Outpatient treatment provides addicts with a number of helpful programs. This type of rehab program allows patients to visit treatment centers at regularly scheduled appointments for counseling with addiction specialists. There are usually group therapy sessions available as well. Other therapy approaches used in the outpatient setting are wide ranging. They include motivation incentives, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, and multidimensional family therapy. Especially in outpatient programs, recovering addicts are encouraged to participate in 12-step programs to build supportive, sober communities.

Outpatient multidimensional family therapy is designed to end addiction by including the addict’s family in the treatment sessions. It aims to improve the habits and attitudes of a recovering addict’s family members to create a living environment and relationships that are more conducive to sobriety. This type of outpatient treatment is typically utilized with adolescents who are struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. Cognitive behavioral therapy aims to help a patient handle sensitive situations that are likely to trigger a relapse. Motivation incentives use rewards to help a patient avoid drug use. The motivational interviewing approach attempts to reform a patient’s desire for drugs.

The type of outpatient therapy used will depend on the unique pieces of the recovering addict’s personal struggle. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There is a therapy solution available for everybody, whether he is addicted to alcohol, cocaine, pain killers, marijuana, or another substance.

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, you can find a rehab center in your area here. The best part is that it’s completely confidential.