Recovery from addiction is a process. There are diverse types of addiction recovery treatment programs for individuals suffering from substance abuse and addiction. Typically these different addiction recovery programs can be divided into two main categories – inpatient and outpatient addiction treatment.
The main aim of both approaches is to not only help you stop using alcohol, drugs, or addictive behaviours, but to also achieve long-term, sustainable – recovery.
At Armour Addiction Services we will provide you with a discovery session to determine if our Intensive Recovery Program is a suitable option to help you on the path of healing from addiction.
The Differences between Inpatient and Outpatient Addiction Treatment
The main difference between outpatient and inpatient addiction rehab treatment is the setting. Inpatient rehabilitation programs are also known as residential treatment, as they require a patient to live at the rehab facility. On the other hand, outpatient treatments are part-time programs that involve treatment, such as counselling, therapy (individual or in a group), and recovery coaching, while the patient continues to live at home during the recovery process.Intensive Outpatient Addiction Treatment
If you choose outpatient recovery treatment, you will be able to continue to live in your home and maintain your daily routine as you recover from addiction. Most outpatient programs involve individual or group counselling sessions. In addition, the majority of outpatient treatments are based on a step-down approach, which means that your counselling sessions become less frequent and intensive as you are getting better. The main aim of outpatient treatment is to help a patient overcome their alcohol or drug addiction and then maintain their recovery over the long-term. There are numerous benefits to outpatient recovery treatment that make it the best rehab choice for many people:- Outpatient addiction treatment allows you to continue with your lifestyle – you can be with your loved ones as you stay and live at your home during recovery. This works best for people who find a strong support system in their family and friends.
- You can keep up with your job or school, because your treatment is part-time and doesn’t require your presence and participation 24 hours a day. In addition, you can schedule your appointments on the weekends or in the evenings to accommodate your work or school schedules.
- There is a great variety of counselling and therapy options offered in outpatient setting – this gives you the freedom to choose the intensity, type, and level of care that works best for your needs.
- Some outpatient programs provide treatment for patients with accompanying mental health disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, eating disorders, or PTSD.
- Outpatient addiction recovery treatment usually costs much less than inpatient treatment.
Inpatient Addiction Treatment
Inpatient and residential addiction treatment programs are intensive and usually best suitable for individuals who require medical detox, psychiatric support, or are unable to manage aspects of daily living. The patient who decides to undergo inpatient or residential treatment is required to check in and stay in a rehab facility 24 hours a day often for months at a time. In licensed residential rehab facilities, patients are provided 24/7 medical and psychological support and care. Treatment is highly structured and focuses on all aspects of addiction, from social factors to possible mental health issues. Counsellors, psychologists, and psychiatrists meet with the patient regularly individually or in group settings. The program incorporates three stages of recovery from addcition: detox, reflection, and growth. These phases are focused on helping the patient learn to adopt the alcohol-or-drug-free lifestyle. The patient’s family may play a role in the inpatient recovery program. Often, loved ones are also required to attend a family program at an additional cost. However, each residential center has its own policy when it comes to how or how often residents can communicate with their families. There are short-term (three to eight weeks) and long-term (six months to a year) inpatient rehab programs available. Although it may be very effective in the treatment of severe addictions, residential treatment may at the same time not be acceptable for a large number of users. Some of the major drawbacks of inpatient rehab programs include:- The need for detailed rehab preparation. Before you check in to a residential facility, you need to make arrangements at work, find living and care arrangements for your children and other family members, or take leave from school. This may represent a significant disadvantage if you are not ready or able to give up on their daily routine and lifestyle.
- Highly structured treatment may be very challenging – you are required to follow the schedule determined by the centre, have little free time, and family visits are very limited. Some people find the rigidity and intensity of inpatient approach very challenging.
- Given to the settings of the treatment, and 24/7 service available, costs are extremely high for inpatient therapy compared to an outpatient recovery program.
- It requires a larger commitment overall compared to an outpatient approach.
- Less opportunity for individualized programming and counselling. Inpatient treatment counsellors and therapists often have a large caseload, and do not have time to meet with their patients. Reliance is often put on peers in treatment to meet the needs of their patients.