Is someone you love overcoming an addiction? Are you looking for the most suitable treatment to achieve a better state of mind? If so, you should learn about the differences between inpatient vs outpatient therapy.
No matter the addiction, everyone deserves a chance at healthy recovery. Learning the difference between inpatient and outpatient therapy can help you find a positive option to fit your needs.
Are you interested in taking the next steps for improved mental and physical health? Keep reading for the distinctions between both of these forms of therapy.
Inpatient vs Outpatient Therapy
Outpatient vs inpatient therapy can be hard to consider, especially if you have a 9-5 job and children to watch over.
Inpatient therapy is more intensive, requiring regular professional care and a facility. Outpatient therapy is less intensive and more flexible. Outpatient programs give recovering addicts the chance to be at the places they need to be.
The main difference between each form of therapy listed above is the consistent presence of a facility. Let’s look at the more detailed differences between inpatient and outpatient therapy.
Inpatient Therapy
Inpatient therapy requires that patients live in a facility. The average stay for most inpatient programs ranges from one week to several months. Some programs last much longer than others. All treatments depend on the severity of one’s addiction and one’s available funding.
A patient stays in a facility. Facility workers watch patients carefully and regularly. Moreover, if you have a loved one in an inpatient program, they might go to several 12-step meetings in a week. In fact, some facilities offer daily group-support meetings. This gives a place for an addict to talk about their problems with other people who share a similar story.
Unfortunately, parents or loved ones won’t have constant access to a patient, as they are meant to be free from worldly distractions. This is partly because facilities that are dedicated to resolving serious addictions want all members to be 100% focused on their recovery, leaving out triggers from the outside world.
Inpatient programs depend on diagnoses. If a patient is diagnosed with alcoholism, they will attend AA-related 12-step programs. If a patient is diagnosed with another form of narcotic addiction, they will likely attend NA 12-step meetings.
As a result, inpatient therapy is shaped to a patients addiction. All members of staff are trained medical professionals that include medical doctors, psychiatrists, and counselors.
Inpatient drug rehab can also include fun activities. Rehab facilities know that addicts need a healthy distraction from their addiction. As a result, some inpatient programs include music, art, and writing exercises to fill patients free time.
A potential con of inpatient therapy is the price and inflexibility. Inpatient treatment can be more costly, as it supports the housing, food, and medical care of a patient. Moreover, once an addicted is admitted they are obligated to stay and finish their treatment in a facility.
Outpatient Therapy
Outpatient therapy allows addicts to stay at home and live outside of a facility. However, this form of treatment obligates patients to receive monitored treatment throughout the week. One must go to meetings, potentially visit a facility, and receive checkups.
On the bright side, patients are given the freedom to live at their residence, go to work, and enrich their social circle. Outpatient therapy gives a roadmap for how to live in the outside world as a recovering substance abuser. The premise is that by receiving the right tools anyone can remain part of society and still recover from an addiction.
These programs tend to last longer than inpatient treatment options. An outpatient treatment plan might last from a couple of months to a full calendar year. During this time, trained professionals visit patients and help them through their recovery.
Still, outpatient therapy offers more rigorous options for treating addiction, such as outpatient detox programs. During this time, a patient visits a local hospital or facility several times a week as they undergo detox.
Furthermore, outpatient therapy gives patients the chance to be around their family and closest friends. However, many programs encourage healthy boundaries between a newly recovering addict and their emotional ties.
The primary function of outpatient therapy is for patients to get sober while losing no time on their bills or relationships. If one doesn’t know the path to take, there are dual-treatment options available.
A dual-treatment option might include flexible plans for patients. Thus providing a healthy balance between facility experience and in-home visits.
Move Onto A Better Life
In the U.S., over 15 million people above the age of 18 struggle with alcohol abuse. That statistic doesn’t include the countless teens and adults battling other forms of substance abuse. If you or your loved one is experiencing an addiction problem, it’s time you found a positive solution.
When you’re comparing inpatient vs outpatient therapy, you should weigh all of the facts first. Will you have the time for in-facility treatment? What about your job?
After reading this article, you’ve learned about the key differences in treatment and which are best for you. You gained the necessary knowledge to take the next step, to find a treatment program for addiction.
Your next step to action is simple and easy. Now that you know what therapy option suits you best, it’s time that you found a treatment service that you can trust. Go seize the day and start living a better life!