What is Outpatient Therapy Like? [Guide]

Outpatient therapy is a treatment plan that a patient can choose when entering rehab. If you have this option, you may be wondering, “what is outpatient treatment like?” Outpatient addiction treatment works to treat addiction outside of a facility. The patient lives out of a treatment facility in their own home. Some services that are within inpatient treatment are also in outpatient treatment. It is an excellent choice for those who have many obligations outside of therapy and rehab and suffer from addiction. The patient should have a support system if they want to go through outpatient therapy. There are some drawbacks to this type of treatment for some people. There isn’t as intensive care during outpatient as there is in inpatient treatment. The patient only commutes to the facility daily to receive treatment.
Addiction can be a challenging thing to go through. We want to help guide you towards the right treatment path for you. Call today at (385) 327-7418 for more information on outpatient therapy and what rehab has to offer.
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Keep reading on for more insight into if outpatient therapy is right for you.
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Understanding Outpatient Therapy
Outpatient treatment is a treatment plan that is at rehab centers. It allows the patient to remain living at home while also receiving treatment. This treatment is for people who have a dependency or less severe case of addiction. Because there isn’t intensive care like during inpatient treatment, or 24-hour support. However, patients can receive the same daily treatment as those who choose inpatient treatment, such as one-on-one therapy or educational programs.
Outpatient therapy can last anywhere between a few weeks to a few months, depending on the patient’s needs. To have the most successful treatment with outpatient therapy a patient needs a supportive family. Having love and support during hardships, such as addiction, can make all the difference. Oftentimes, patients will want to be close to family members while they achieve sobriety. Outpatient treatment for addiction makes that a reality.
Is it Right for Me?
Outpatient therapy is great for those who are suffering from dependency, such as alcohol dependency. Having support and care as well as social detox can often help cases of dependency or less severe addictions, such as outpatient treatment for alcohol abuse. Not every substance will require a medical detox, and if medical detox is not necessary, then outpatient therapy might be a good choice for you. If educational or job responsibilities are involved in the patient’s life and cannot be on hold, then they might want to choose outpatient treatment. Outpatient therapy can also cost less than inpatient treatment. Patients can expect the same services offered within inpatient therapy, such as therapies and support groups.
There is less intense care in outpatient therapy, however, patients can choose the intensity level of their therapies. A lot of outpatient approaches use a down-step program, which means the patient slowly goes through less and fewer rehab services. They slowly rely on themselves to keep away from triggers and learn how to live clean and sober.
Overview of Outpatient Treatment
There are many benefits to choosing outpatient therapy. Depending on your unique circumstances, staying at a facility may not be necessary or appropriate. If the patient has many obligations, such as family, kids, education, and a job, then outpatient treatment can make time for both their social life and rehab life. The patient can continue to fulfill daily responsibilities. It is important not to put life on hold, but it’s also important to not put treatment on hold either. Outpatient therapy makes room for both daily life and daily treatment. Less severe requirements for rehab services are implemented, while also giving patients choice within choosing the level of therapy, as well as specific services for every individual.
Everyone has unique needs during recovery, which is why not every treatment plan or service will work for every person. The patient must not mind commuting to daily treatment from home, and they also need to be able to keep the schedule they and their counselor decided. Contact us to find out if outpatient addiction treatment is right for you and find out more about what outpatient treatment is like.
Additional Factors
One of the biggest factors to consider when thinking about choosing outpatient treatment is whether or not you have a supportive family. Having support during challenges can help those who are suffering from addiction recover. A lot of the time, patients will want to remain close to friends and family members during recovery. Since outpatient therapy involves the patient living outside of the facility, patients can choose to live with loved ones. Having a toxic family can make recovery much more difficult and can cause relapse because of feelings of shame or guilt. Friends and family should want you to get better and improve relationships if improvement can be achieved. Family therapy might be a service the patient may choose, and a therapist can help loved ones achieve closure and heal from past mistakes together.
Payment might also be another aspect to be considered before choosing which treatment plan is right for you. Outpatient therapy is usually less expensive than inpatient treatment. However, payment plans and insurance can be worked out before treatment begins.
Deciding Between Treatment Options
While some people will benefit from outpatient therapy, it won’t work for everyone in every case. Everyone is different and will have unique needs and pasts. It is a rehab center’s job to cater to and consider every aspect of the patient before treatment starts, and according to you and your needs, a treatment plan will be decided upon.
How Do I Know if I Need Inpatient Therapy?
Some people’s situations fit better with inpatient treatment, where the patient remains in the facility for six months to a year with intense care and 24-hour support. Some people who will need this type of treatment are those who:
- Have a severe addiction
- Multiple addictions
- Needs medical detox
- Has mental illnesses on top of an addiction
- Needs constant medical attention
- Needs 24-hour support
- Cannot keep a schedule
- Has little support outside the rehab facility
- Little social obligations or obligations that can wait
- Wants more peer interaction
- Wants more intense and involved rehab
For those with a severe addiction, they should stick with an inpatient treatment plan. This is because these people need 24-hour support. Maybe they need medication control, emotional support, withdrawal, or relapse support. These requirements are not met in outpatient therapy programs and should not be used by these people. Outpatient treatment is excellent for those who suffer from less severe addiction or even a dependency. This is when social detox is appropriate, whereas medical detox would be necessary for inpatient treatment. Outpatient therapy is also suitable for those with a lot going on outside of rehab. However, inpatient treatment tries to make rehab the main, if not, the only focus of the patients.
You can find the right choice for you with a counselor. Together you can communicate concerns and needs, and which services will be best for you. Depending on the length of substance abuse, and even how long you used the substance, will play a significant role in determining if outpatient treatment is right for you. If you would like to discuss your treatment options, then call us today. Our experts will help you select the best option for you and your needs.
Services Within Outpatient Therapy
Many rehabs offer multiple types of services and activities for patients to participate in to help with addiction and dependency. The services work to treat psychological addiction, which takes longer to form and is harder to treat. This is the part of addiction that will be focused on once medical detox takes place. However, when dealing with outpatient treatment, medical detox is not necessary. Instead, support and social detox are appropriate for the patient. In this case, psychological addiction or dependency is to be treated, and the main focus.
Social detox is the first step, which is where the patient foregoes any use of substances and speaks with a counselor about how they are going to go through rehab. The patient can express their concerns and their schedules, and rehab can work around other daily activities. Outpatient therapy and its services are just as carefully selected as the needs arise for each individual.
Aside from social detox, other services that are provided in inpatient treatment are also available for those who are seeking outpatient treatment. Some services include:
- One-on-one therapy
- Group therapy
- Family therapy
- Support groups
- Peer activities
- Individualized treatment planning
- Educational programs
Patients can choose the intensity of their therapy appointments, and choose which types of therapy they attend. Because outpatient therapy caters to work around life’s other obligations, appointments and activities can be scheduled in the evenings and on the weekends. Some patients might find that group therapy does not work for them, but one-on-one therapy does, or vice versa. Others may enjoy both types of therapies and will participate in them.
Many activities can be enjoyed at the same time, and work to help and support each other. All of these services can be both enjoyed in inpatient treatment and outpatient treatment for drug abuse.
Getting Help Through Outpatient Treatment
Outpatient treatment is a beautiful treatment plan that works for many people. Its focus is to offer excellent rehabilitation services, all while working around the obligations of daily life. It provides the same personalization when it comes to customizing your recovery process, as well as exceptional services.
Outpatient therapy helps patients continue with their usual schedule and live out their daily lives. Patients can live at home or with family and commute to daily rehab treatments. Outpatient helps treat a less severe addiction or dependency, not severe addictions or multiple addictions. Outpatient also costs less than inpatient treatment and has become more popular over the years. Most people choose outpatient therapy over inpatient treatment. While not every form of treatment will work for everyone, a particular treatment will work for specific individuals. The job of the rehab center is to cater to all aspects of your life.
Contact us Today
While addiction can be a challenging hill to climb over, some people care. Those who are employed by rehab centers are not only qualified to help you adjust to treatment life, but they are compassionate and understanding. Often, they have struggled with addiction themselves so that they can offer support throughout your journey.
You can receive treatment today by contacting us. Call today at (385) 327-7418 for more information on how we can guide you towards the perfect treatment plan and recovery services. We want to help you reach sobriety and live out a clean, productive life. Outpatient addiction treatment may be right for you.
Written by: Hailey Sartain
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