Many people who seek treatment for their drug addiction problem wonder if they should attend a residential treatment facility or an outpatient one. It’s true that residential treatment offers the following when compared to outpatient treatment:
- Higher accountability
- Reduced temptation to give in to drug cravings
- Greater support and continuity
- 24-hour supervision
- Comprehensive detox services
In some facilities, treatment of other medical problems is available.
On the other hand, outpatient care has some advantages, too. Not everyone can just drop their lives and go away to live in a residential facility for a month or more. Outpatient care requires the personal commitment to attend the required sessions, but it’s also far cheaper. Not everyone has insurance or can afford inpatient drug treatment. Single mothers may find that residential treatment is near impossible, especially if they have no family or trusted person who can care for their children in their absence.
Factors to Consider For Choosing a Rehab
It really just all depends on the circumstances. How long have you been using your drug of choice? Other factors include:
- Are you a poly drug abuser?
- Are you addicted to alcohol or sedative drugs such as benzodiazepines?
- Have you tried to quit before and failed?
- Have you relapsed, especially more than once?
- Do you inject your drug of choice?
- Are you dependent on methadone, especially in higher doses exceeding 50mg a day?
- Is your drug use causing or aggravating other health problems?
If your drug of choice causes physical withdrawal symptoms, you will need detox services. For moderate opioid habits that don’t involve injecting the drug, outpatient detox with buprenorphine or clonidine may be suitable. After the detox, outpatient treatment services can begin. However, injection of opioids not only creates a stronger addiction, but people become addicted to the process of using the syringe and needle. Those are powerful triggers that probably should be addressed in an inpatient setting.
Methadone is very, very difficult to quit on one’s own. The withdrawal symptoms are horrific and persist for many, many weeks on end. That’s because of the drug’s protracted half-life. It takes a long time for the body to metabolize it. Methadone addiction may require residential treatment for up to a year. If you’re using more than one drug or if you have repeatedly relapsed, then outpatient treatment is probably not the best choice for you at this time.
If you’re addicted to alcohol, benzodiazepines or barbiturates, you need supervised detox at the very least. After you have detoxed, then you can consult with professional staff members to assess your further needs as far as whether inpatient or outpatient treatment is best. Never, never attempt to withdraw from these types of drugs by yourself. It could kill you.
There is no right or wrong choice as far as residential or outpatient treatment is concerned. There are only recommendations. Everyone is different. If you’re ready to seek help, we are here to serve you. Our professional staff can help you select the right kind of treatment facility for you. Our number is 844-903-2111. We are here 24 hours a day, and we are here to serve you.
