Outpatient Addiction Treatment

Outpatient Addiction Treatment Options

There are some good reasons for why a residential addiction treatment programme can be the ideal option, but this is not something that everybody will be able to commit to. There are advantages and disadvantages to the outpatient programmes, and it is important to be aware of these before making a choice. In order to get the most out of these non-residential programmes, the individual will need to highly self motivated and willing to take charge of their own recovery right from the beginning. The person who chooses this type of programme will have less support from the programme, and they will need to take steps to make up for this.

Types of Outpatient Addiction Treatment Programmes

There are a number of different types of outpatient addiction treatment programmes including:

• Outpatient detox – this is where the individual will be supervised through detox in their own home.
• Outpatient rehab – this is similar to the standard rehab, but the individual will return to his or her own home in the evenings.
• Therapy or counselling sessions
• Recovery fellowships such as Alcoholics Anonymous
• Outpatient group therapy sessions

Advantages and Disadvantages of Outpatient Programmes for Treating Addiction

The advantages of choosing an outpatient programme will include:

• In some cases, it may mean that the individual will be able to carry on with their work responsibilities as normal.
• The person will be able to stay in his or her own home at nighttime. Some people are very put off by the idea of staying in a strange place and living with people they do not know.
• It should mean that the person would be able to continue with their family responsibilities.
• The individual will not have to worry about the tricky transition from rehab to home. They will already be used to dealing with their home environment. This is arguably the most important advantage of an outpatient programme.

There are certainly disadvantages to the outpatient programme, which would include:

• The fact that the person still has their usual responsibilities will mean that they will not be able to focus fully on getting better. This can be problematic because if the individual is distracted it will make it harder for them to break away from addiction.
• The person will be lacking the level of support that they would benefit from in a residential programme. They will not have somebody there to support them 24 hours of the day.
• The person who is using outpatient treatment options will probably be faced with far more temptation than the person in rehab. It will be far easier for them to relapse back to addiction.
• The individual may try to add this outpatient programme on top of their current life, and this will mean that they are taking too much on. If the person feels overwhelmed, they are not going to get the most out of the programme.
• There are usually fewer resources available to those individuals who choose this type of programme.
• They will probably miss out on many of the benefits that will come from staying in a therapeutic environment of a residential programme.

Who Should Choose Outpatient Treatment Options?

Outpatient treatment options are probably only really going to be a good choice for those who will be unable to enter a residential programme. If the individual is able to enter rehab, they should choose this option. Some of the reasons for why the person might feel that the outpatient programme is their best option would include:

• They have dependents that would be without a carer if they went into rehab. It is important to keep in mind though, that there are now some rehabs that allow mothers to take their young kids with them.
• The individual is unable to take a break from their career.
• The person is so resistant to a residential programme that they will not even consider it.
• The individual has a solid plan for their recovery, and they only need a limited degree of support.

How to Get the Most from an Outpatient Addiction Treatment Programme

It will be up to the individual to get the most out of any outpatient addiction treatment programme. They way that they will be able to do this will include:

• The individual has to take charge of his or her own recovery right from the beginning. They need to find the appropriate resources and make use of these.
• They need to make staying sober their number one priority in life.
• While undergoing these treatment programmes, the individual needs to reorganise their life, so that they will be able to give it their full attention.
• The person needs to be proactive in moving their recovery forward. This means doing their own research and seeking out the appropriate professionals that will be able to help them.
• The individual who is in an outpatient programme will need to begin building his or her own support network right away. This can include people in recovery or sober friends.
• The person will need to break away from their drinking or drug using peers. They need to limit temptation as much as possible.