By Mashum Mollah
When it comes to drug or alcohol rehab, most patients fall under either inpatient or outpatient treatment programs.
Inpatient rehabs are residential treatment programs while outpatient rehabs are part-time programs that allow the user to juggle treatment with attending school or going to work.
Both inpatient and outpatient rehabs use similar approaches to treat addiction such as medicinal intervention and group therapy. The patient’s needs, dependence, and the severity of the addiction help to determine which type of program is ideal for the patient. None between the two delivers more effective or instantaneous results. If you’re looking for drug rehab, then you can click here to find the best programs for the ones in need.
Although both are equally focused on providing drug treatment and rehab services, each type of program has its own unique benefits and attributes.
Let’s take an in-depth look into inpatient and outpatient rehab facilities, what they entail, and what sets them apart.
Inpatient Drug Rehab:
Inpatient drug treatment involves the treatment of drug or alcohol use in a residential setting.
A patient engaged in an inpatient rehab program resides at the treatment facility full-time for the duration of the treatment. Depending on the needs and situation of the patient, an inpatient rehab program may last between 4 to 12 weeks.
After the inpatient treatment program is complete, they may step down to more flexible rehab options such as outpatient treatment centers.
The treatment process often begins with detoxification. In certain inpatient drug rehab centers, the detoxification process is done in a detox center that’s a different environment from that of the eventual treatment.
Medication is not necessary but it can be used to assist with possible withdrawal symptoms, especially in cases of severe addiction or dependency on more than a single substance.
Features of inpatient drug rehab centers include:
- Removal from environments can trigger a relapse.
- 24/7 healthcare support.
- Medicinal intervention if necessary.
- Individual, family, and group therapy sessions.
Outpatient Drug Rehab:
Outpatient rehab programs use the same treatment approach as inpatient programs, but the former is not as intensive.
Outpatient rehab programs are flexible enough to allow patients to receive high-quality healthcare while staying at home. This gives them the freedom to go about their normal day-to-day activities such as go to school or work and be with their family through the recovery process.
Another key benefit of outpatient rehab is that it costs less than inpatient rehab programs since there are no residential fees involved. The difference between both rehab approaches can fall in the thousands and even tens of thousands.
Some of the features you can expect from outpatient drug rehab include:
- A treatment period of about three months.
- Recreation therapy.
- Care for co-occurring mental health concerns.
- Ability to continue with normal life during treatment.
What Is the Better Option of the Two:
Recovery from a drug or alcohol addiction is a process. Every addict is in a unique situation and there’s no set timeline for recovery. A licensed healthcare professional can recommend either inpatient or outpatient drug rehab depending on the nature of your situation and individual needs.
No one approach to rehab is better than the other. Think of them as two roads leading to a common destination; recovery.
