Addiction often has the power to wreck an individual’s life while making them immensely dependent on the use of substances. This is a challenge for family members and friends and something the individual struggles with. In many cases, people with an addiction do make a successful recovery thanks to the range of available treatment options. Hence, choosing a treatment that suits your needs and financial position is important.
Outpatient addiction treatment is a commonly opted method due to the many benefits and features it offers. But the real question is, is it the right treatment option for you? A treatment method that doesn’t adequately address the root cause of addiction can lead to frustrations, not feeling helped enough, and, in the worst cases, trigger a relapse.
If you are considering outpatient treatment for addiction recovery, you must know the following things:
What is an outpatient treatment?
An outpatient program is a structured approach to helping an individual with addiction to undergo treatment without requiring 24-hour hospitalization. In most of these programs, commonly seen elements include:
- Individual and group therapy (one at a time or a combination)
- Different types of therapy methods include Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), Contingency management (CM), and Motivational Interviewing (MI).
- Sessions with the family to help them understand or work through challenges that could have possibly caused the addiction.
- Medication management to help overcome withdrawal symptoms and progress toward recovery.
What issues can be addressed with outpatient treatment?
Outpatient treatment is versatile to ensure the person with addiction gets care and therapy that helps them heal. Due to this, the method can be used to treat as well as manage substance abuse disorder alongside other underlying issues such as anxiety, paranoia, depression, and trauma.
These methods provide an individual with addiction adequate resources and support to help them overcome their dependency on substances and retake control of their lives.
Outpatient Treatment Intensity
The program is often robust, with weekly sessions between 2-3 to 5-6 days a week (depending on the program’s intensity). Weekend sessions can also be included, depending on the extent of intervention required.
The facility experts determine the duration after thorough counseling to ensure consistent care and support throughout the treatment.
Aside from helping individuals uncover the root causes of their substance dependency, skills that support recovery are also taught to ensure the individual can support themselves through the thick and thin of life. Assertiveness, stress management, and relapse prevention are often the critical skills taught.
How to Know if Outpatient Addiction Treatment is Right for You
While the road to recovery is unique for everyone, these are some signs that make outpatient treatment right for you:
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Cost-effectiveness
As the outpatient treatment doesn’t require full-time admission into the facility, you will save on transportation, accommodation, and other miscellaneous expenses that may occur during the stay. Some programs even receive government funding, making them more accessible to anyone in need. That said, it is still crucial to create a monthly budget to ensure you have enough resources to sustain yourself throughout the treatment and the future.
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Flexibility
Managing work, life, and academic commitments can become challenging if the treatment plan takes up most of one’s time. Fortunately, that is not the case with outpatient treatment, which requires only a few hours a day. It allows the individual to manage other responsibilities while simultaneously working on themselves.
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Customized to Your Challenges
Addiction recovery is different for everyone, and outpatient treatment aims to honor it. The treatment plans are customized to enable healing from within, eventually resulting in recovery that lasts against the test of time.
Bottomline
Outpatient addiction treatment’s versatility has made it a go-to choice for people looking to recover while staying consistent with their responsibilities. After counseling, there’s always a chance that more than one type of therapy can be used to achieve the desired goals. Being transparent and receptive is crucial. Remembering that recovery is possible and asking for help whenever you feel stuck will only benefit your healing in the long run. It is time to choose yourself.
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