Over 2 million people seek treatment for addictions through rehabilitation centers each year. Finding the right recovery program can make the difference between gaining and maintaining sobriety or relapsing. While both inpatient and outpatient treatment programs focus on rehabilitation, each kind has unique characteristics and benefits that addicted individuals and their families need to consider.
How Inpatient and Outpatient Rehab Programs Differ
Inpatient rehab centers, also referred to as residential treatment, are in-depth residential recovery programs devised to treat severe addictions. Patients submit to a controlled setting for an extended period of time to conquer their addictions. Patients live at a clinic under 24-hour medical supervision and emotional support. In this environment, every day is meticulously scheduled. Away from distractions and discouragement, residents can focus on healing.
Outpatient rehab programs are part-time, allowing recovering users to continue with their normal daily work and activities. Recovering addicts stay at home. Outpatient treatment centers normally hold meetings early in the morning or evening to accommodate participants’ schedules. Groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are often used in conjunction with outpatient treatment. Research indicates that engaging in groups such as AA and NA helps recovering users maintain sobriety.
While an outpatient program does offer invaluable support for recovering alcoholics, it does not provide a means to break away from familiar settings where triggers and temptations lurk. A residential treatment center provides a respite from the routine that enables the misuse of alcohol. The recovering users temporarily have no access to alcohol and are under medical care as they detox. All the while, they receive professional emotional support and cultivate relationships with fellow inpatients.
Overcoming unhealthy habits often requires a reboot — an intensive purging of the old and imparting of the new. An inpatient rehab center is an ideal place to reboot yourself. Outpatient programs can serve as effective maintenance tools. Once you have completed an inpatient program, you can continue treatment with outpatient programs such as AA or NA. You will benefit from the community and accountability which will confirm the insights you gained during residential treatment.
Recovery from addiction is a lifelong journey. Rehab can equip you with the skills you need to become and stay sober. Move in and move on to a better life. Call us at 844-903-2111