Outpatient drug rehab can be perfect for a person who does not have a lot of money to afford an inexpensive inpatient rehab program, or a person who cannot be away from work for an extended period of time. Also, because inpatient drug rehab requires individuals to be away from their families for long periods at a time, these people have the option of doing all their rehab and treatment on their schedule, while receiving the constant love and support from their families. There are many different types of outpatient rehab programs including therapy, group counseling, group meetings, and addiction classes.
Definition of Outpatient Rehab
Outpatient drug rehabilitation means that an individual is not required to live at a drug treatment facility for an extended period of time, and can complete the entire duration of their treatment at their own discretion. Outpatient drug rehab is considered a more long term approach and patients can attend the programs for as long as they need treatment. Outpatient drug rehab centers offer a wide variety of treatments including intensive day treatment, group meetings, one-on-one counseling, addiction education classes, 12 step classes, behavioral counseling, and cognitive therapy. Some of these classes are even free of charge and are located throughout most American cities.
Benefits of Outpatient Rehab Centers
Besides the enormous flexibility that outpatient drug rehab offers, it has a number of other advantages. First of all, many outpatient programs are just as effective as lengthy inpatient programs, but only require a fraction of the cost. Another key benefit is that outpatient rehab offers a longer duration of treatment, giving the individuals more support over the long term to help prevent relapse. Outpatient rehab also gives in the individual the ability to be around their friends and family during treatment, instead of being completely isolated for months at a time. Sometimes this isolation can be beneficial to individuals who need this time away from their day to day lives, while others may benefit more by having access to this family support system.
What to Expect
Just like no two patients are exactly the same, no two outpatient drug rehab programs are exactly the same. Each outpatient program has their own philosophy when it comes to treating addiction, and their own methods of treating patients. However, most outpatient drug treatment centers offer similar programs including things like group therapy, one-on-one counseling, behavioral and cognitive therapy, and general addiction education classes.
Most outpatient programs will begin with an initial assessment of the individual’s health and addiction history. This tends to usually be a one-on-one meeting with a doctor or addiction therapist. After the addiction has been fully assessed, the doctor will develop a comprehensive treatment plan according to that patient’s own unique treatment needs.