Going to rehab is beneficial if you want to recover from addiction quickly and reduce the chances of relapse. Depending on your needs and the severity of your addiction, a specialist may recommend inpatient or outpatient rehab. Here’s what you should know about these two rehab options:
What Is Inpatient Rehab?
Inpatient rehab programs provide accommodation for clients during recovery. They offer round-the-clock onsite assistance and follow strict regimens to help patients focus on their treatments.
People who’ve been using drugs for a long time or in large quantities need the structured environment and 24-hour support provided in these facilities. Healthcare professionals can recommend inpatient rehab for people whose environments contribute to their drug use. Removing the patient from damaging environments can improve their chances of getting through recovery.
Depending on your addiction’s intensity, you can join a short-term or long-term facility. Short-term rehab can take a few weeks, whereas long-term rehab can take months. After treatment, some inpatient rehab patients transition to outpatient facilities for additional support. Others join programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA).
What Is Outpatient Rehab?
Outpatient rehab allows you to maintain normalcy in your life during treatment. Depending on your needs, you can attend face-to-face sessions with your counselor several times a week or conduct the sessions online. Your counselor may be willing to allow online sessions if you live too far away from your chosen facility.
Outpatient facilities are perfect for short-term drug users as they may not need the strict structure and guidance offered in inpatient facilities. They’re also ideal for patients who need to maintain a full-time work schedule since the flexible nature of outpatient treatment allows them to continue working.
Key Differences
The main difference between outpatient and inpatient rehab is that the former allows you to live at home, whereas the latter requires you to stay in a treatment facility. Outpatient treatment seeks to give you as much normalcy as possible, to make adjusting to your environment when sober easier. It also aims to maximize the benefits of family or peer support by allowing you to interact with your loved ones as often as you’d like.
Inpatient rehab focuses on structured treatments in a controlled environment. You have to make adjustments to your lifestyle to undergo treatment. You may need to take time off from work and even stay away from your loved ones for some time.
The two rehab options also differ in terms of treatment intensity. With outpatient rehabilitation, you only need to attend treatment sessions for a few hours per week. It can be ideal for you if you have responsibilities like work or family. Inpatient rehab involves 24-hour supervision and longer counseling sessions. This makes inpatient treatments ideal for individuals with serious drug abuse challenges.
Outpatient and inpatient rehab also differ in affordability. Outpatient rehab can be more affordable than inpatient rehab since outpatient facilities incur fewer overhead costs. Inpatient facilities incur additional expenses in providing food, managing living facilities, and hiring round-the-clock staff to supervise patients.
Which Option Is Best for You?
Choosing the most appropriate treatment option requires careful consideration. You can consult a medical professional to guide you or make the decision yourself after considering the following factors:
The Extent of Drug Use
Heavy drug users benefit from constant recovery support, making inpatient rehab the ideal choice. Short-term users don’t typically need as much supervision, so they’d fit in an outpatient setting.
Existing Responsibilities
Inpatient rehab requires round-the-clock commitment, so it can be suitable for people who delegate their responsibilities at work and home. If you can’t, the outpatient option is more convenient, as it’s flexible and can fit into your schedule.
Willingness To Attend Sessions
The success of outpatient treatment depends a lot on your self-motivation. You can choose outpatient treatment if you’re motivated enough to attend all your therapy sessions.
Urge To Use Drugs
Inpatient rehab can be suitable for individuals with constant aggressive urges to use drugs. Outpatient treatment can suit you if your cravings are infrequent.
Co-Occurring Disorders
Co-occurring disorders like depression and anxiety can be difficult to manage alongside drug addiction. Patients with co-occurring disorders could benefit from the constant support and resources of inpatient rehab.
Take Steps Towards Freedom
Outpatient and inpatient rehab programs can help you recover from drug abuse and regain control of your life. Inpatient rehab is intense, involves 24-hour supervision, and follows structured treatment plans. It can be ideal for heavy drug users who might need a controlled environment to recover.
Outpatient rehab is less intense and more flexible. It can be suitable for self-motivated individuals who want to lead a normal life during treatment.
