Choosing to go to rehab is a big decision. This is the first step towards reclaiming your health and personal independence. However, it’s important to find the right treatment environment. There are many facilities, treatment modalities, and program types available.
As you consider your options, you’ll have to decide whether you want to attend inpatient or outpatient rehab. With outpatient rehab, it’s only necessary to spend a set number of hours on campus each week. Depending upon the intensity of your program, this commitment can range between just 12 hours and 35 hours. Once your daily therapy and onsite activities are done, you can return home. Outpatient addiction treatment gives people the freedom and flexibility to continue going to work or school, and to continue spending time with their loved ones.
Despite the obvious appeal of outpatient treatment, for many recovering addicts, inpatient rehab provides the highest likelihood of success. In inpatient rehab, you’ll be spending all of your time on a secure, closed campus. Depending upon your preferences, you can attend inpatient treatment right near your home or in another state.
Inpatient programs typically last one to three months, and they give patients access to around-the-clock support. In inpatient rehab, you’ll be completely removed from any outside influences that might throw your recovery off track. These include:
- Enabling relationships
- In-home trauma
- High-risk social environments
- Outside triggers and stressors
More importantly, you’ll have the opportunity to place your entire focus on getting better. Your daily activities will be all about building a stable, healthy lifestyle, and developing the coping skills you’ll need to maintain it post-treatment. Inpatient rehab is frequently recommended for people who’ve been using highly addictive substances and those who’ve been struggling with addiction for a long time. Inpatient rehab is also a great choice for anyone who’s attempted recovery before and has relapsed multiple times.
Inpatient Treatment Makes Recovery Your Top Priority
One of the most important benefits of inpatient rehab is the fact that it makes recovery your top priority. You don’t have to worry about juggling professional or family responsibilities during treatment. Instead, you can spend all of your waking hours accessing resources that help you understand your addiction and manage it.
Although the thought of spending weeks or even months away from your loved ones might seem daunting now, this is often the fresh start that people need as they deal with physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms. In inpatient rehab, you can escape the guilt, shame, or other negative emotions that are associated with your current environment.
With physical separation and increased peace of mind, you’ll have the best ability to improve your self-esteem and to address difficult emotions head-on. Inpatient rehab also offers far better withdrawal support than many outpatient rehab centers. In an inpatient rehab, you can start receiving detox support as soon as you check in. Moreover, once you’ve completed your initial detox, you can seamlessly transfer into more in-depth addiction treatment services including:
- Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Group therapy
- Stress management workshops and activities
- Life-planning services
While many of these same services are available at outpatient centers, experiencing their full benefits isn’t always possible for patients who aren’t getting adequate mental health support.
Although initial detox support is largely about the mitigating the early, physical symptoms of withdrawal, ongoing support is often necessary for addressing post-acute withdrawal symptoms or PAWS. PAWS frequently develop just one to two weeks after physical withdrawal is complete. These symptoms can include:
- Lack of motivation
- Restlessness
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Insomnia
- General malaise
When you’re in an inpatient program, you’re far less likely to be overwhelmed by PAWS. In inpatient rehab, you’ll have continuous access to medical and mental health support throughout the entirety of your treatment. As new problems or concerns arise, onsite staff members can address them right away.
This allows people in inpatient rehab to enjoy better mood balance, better focus, and an all-around easier time staying the course. It also enables them to take full advantage of the treatment options and tools at their disposal. Inpatient services can be especially beneficial for anyone living with co-occurring disorders.
If you require dual diagnosis treatment or treatment for underlying mental health issues such as bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, or schizophrenia among others, taking part in addiction treatment on a closed and fully staffed campus may be the best decision. When additional mental health support is needed, it will always be right at hand.
Outpatient rehab can be significantly cheaper than inpatient addiction treatment. It also has the appeal of allowing people to continue spending time with their loved ones and continue handling their professional or school-related responsibilities. However, if you want the best chance at getting sober and staying that way, you’ll likely find that inpatient treatment is the best choice. If you or your loved one is considering addiction treatment, we can help you determine which program types are right for your needs. Get in touch with us today by calling 833-610-1174.