Drug and alcohol addiction creates havoc in your life. It can strip you of all relationships, leave you broke, and leave you feeling broken. The remarkable thing is, addiction is a disease, and this disease can be treated. Millions of people every year embark on a recovery program with the help of outpatient treatment facilities and begin to regain their life again. With some clean time and some recovery, they started making preparations for their past and healed the pain leading them to drugs and alcohol in the first place.
Outpatient rehab is an option for recovery that allows for both individuals counseling services and group therapy and provides you the freedom to live in the “outside” work compared to inpatient therapy. Inpatient rehab is where you live in an institution for some time, one month to a year, and receive treatment around the clock. Outpatient rehab requires you to come to the facility several times a day, week, or month depending on your treatment plan to get the help you need to recover from addiction.
The First Step is Always the Hardest
There are three ways people get into outpatient rehab. Inpatient rehab can transfer an individual as the next step for their treatment plan. They can move back home, solidify the resources they need for housing, employment, or assistance to navigate the criminal justice system while continuing their treatment.
The second way is to refer yourself to outpatient rehab. This first step requires making a phone call for an evaluation and intake. Making the phone call can be the most challenging step to take because that phone can weigh a hundred pounds when it means you are finally admitting you have a problem and need help. The third way is to be referred by the criminal justice system, job, or other referring agency who believes that you need an evaluation because they think you may have a problem.
Regardless of how you get into an outpatient rehab, remember that now that you are taking the first step, you have a chance to recover and gain your life back.
Intake and Scheduling
Intake and evaluations will require three things: a lot of paperwork, many questions, and a drug screen. The amount of information gathered in the assessment is so the rehab can get some information about your history and drug use, find out what kind of support resources you currently have, and get a metric on where you are in your clean time. Based on the information you give them, they will evaluate what level of addiction you currently suffer from. Counselors can develop a treatment plan that will be the most effective.
Many individuals who attend outpatient rehabs have a reason they choose this option over inpatient. For some, it is because they have a family at home and can’t be away for an extended period. For others, they are trying to maintain a job and other productive means for their life. Counselors will offer you a variety of groups and counseling sessions available based on your schedule and their availability and provide you with information on additional resources like twelve-step programs in your local area. You will be assigned a primary counselor who will assist you in developing a person-centered plan, which will help increase your chances of success based on your life circumstances.
The First Stages of Recovery
Individual counseling sessions will take place. They are more than just a check-in; they are an opportunity to begin exploring some of the reasons you are using and to discuss any cravings that you may have to continue use. If you do the intake and have drugs or alcohol in your system, you may be periodically drug tested to see if you detox safely and abstain from use. Your counselor will help set you up with the additional resources you need and work with other agencies to help you secure and solve any lingering issues that may cause you to go back to your addiction.
Group sessions are another critical aspect of outpatient therapy. In group sessions, you will be able to discuss your addiction issues with other addicts. You will see that you are not alone in this struggle, and often, you will hear the things you need to hear from someone who has already been where you are. As you progress through rehab, you will eventually become that person who will help the newcomer come in for the first time with your own experience.
There are many benefits of outpatient rehabs, and it is an excellent transition into living a life free of drug and alcohol addiction. The most challenging thing is to make that first phone call and get the help you need to get the proper treatment for your disease. It is vital to call now at 833-680-0165 because one more use can be your last use, and you may not get another chance at recovery.