For many people, the psychological side of addiction is just as strong and just as difficult to overcome as the physical dependence. Many addicts have become accustomed to turning to drugs or alcohol to cope with problems, have fun, or relax. In a professional treatment program, professionals can help recovering addicts learn to live their lives without abusing a substance.
During rehab, patients will meet with therapists and possibly other patients as they attempt to learn what to do instead of abusing a substance. The goal of therapy is always to learn to cope without drugs or alcohol. There are different styles of rehab that work towards this goal in different ways.
Inpatient rehab is probably what you picture when you hear the word rehab. This treatment style involves the recovering addict moving into a treatment center while they recovery. They will sleep, eat, and attend therapy sessions all in one place.
Outpatient rehab is different. For outpatient treatment, the recovering alcoholic still attends therapy and other activities. Meanwhile, they live at home, away from the rehab facility.
Overall, inpatient addiction treatment is usually most effective. This means that of all recovering addicts who complete a treatment program, those who opted for an inpatient program are least likely to relapse. However, both kinds of treatment can be successful for different people. It’s important to think about what’s right for you and your addiction before deciding which to take part in.
Consider the pros and cons of each kind of treatment.
The pros of inpatient treatment are:
- Constant supervision. Constant supervision of recovering addicts decreases the risk of medical emergencies during withdrawal. It also lowers the likelihood of a relapse during recovery, because there is always someone nearby to hold recovering addicts accountable and ensure that no drugs or alcohol are around.
- Structure. Most inpatient rehab facilities provide their patients with a full schedule of activities, including different forms of counseling and activities with other patients. This full schedule means that patients have less time to think about the substance they’ve been using. It allows them to learn healthy coping strategies for cravings once they return to normal life outside of the facility.
- Time away. Often, addicts recover best by spending time away from their normal life. Inpatient rehab allows the patient to focus on themself and not be influenced to use again by friends, family, or environment.
- Support. Inpatient rehab facilities offer constant support for those going through withdrawals or cravings. This decreases the chance of a relapse because someone is always there to encourage and enforce sobriety.
The pros of outpatient treatment are:
- Time. It is possible for someone to go through outpatient rehab and continue to go to work or school and otherwise continue their normal life.
- Money. Outpatient rehab is usually cheaper than inpatient rehab because the patient is only paying for treatment.
- Support System. For those who are close with their friends and families, outpatient treatment can be a good option because they can continue to be around these supportive people while they recover from their addiction.
The potential cons to inpatient rehab can include:
- Time. Those staying at an inpatient rehab facility while they recover must have the time to take off of work or school to recover. They are almost never allowed to leave the treatment facility during their stay.
- Removal from Support System. For many people, being away from their loved ones during treatment can be difficult. In inpatient facilities, patients have limited contact with anyone outside the facility. For those with supportive family and friends, this can be difficult.
- Money. Because inpatient treatment is all-inclusive, it is usually the most expensive treatment option. The price includes treatment, but also room and board, food, and other normal living costs. It’s important to keep in mind that you’ll likely be paying many of these costs regardless.
The potential cons to outpatient treatment can include:
- Unsupervised Time. Any time during treatment that’s spent away from the treatment facility puts the recovering addict at risk for a relapse. Outpatient treatment means that the patient has a lot of unsupervised time that could be spent using drugs or alcohol again.
- Unenforced Appointments. Once a patient has missed an appointment, they’re much more likely to relapse. Living away from the facility where they’re receiving treatment makes this more possible and more likely.
Outpatient treatment can be broken down even further, too. Intensive Outpatient Programs, or IOPs, are outpatient programs that require the patient to spend much more time on campus than traditional outpatient programs.