A recovery center or rehab center is a place where someone can go to receive treatment for drug or alcohol addiction. Many of these centers offer both inpatient and outpatient programs, although some offer one or the other. Many others offer a personalized blend of therapies and treatments that are intended to suit a patient’s unique needs.
Inpatient Programs
Inpatient programs are probably what most people think of when they imagine rehab or recovery centers. These centers provide a place for people to live while they receive treatment from a medical staff on-site. A stay at an inpatient rehab center typically lasts for a minimum of 30 days, although some programs will require patients to stay for as long as 90 days, especially if they have been abusing substances such as alcohol or heroin that have a higher potential for dependency. Inpatient recovery centers can feel like a luxury residential environment, or they can be a more sterile hospital-like setting. Most centers fall somewhere in between these two extremes while still allowing patients to feel comfortable during their stay.
Inpatient rehab programs typically begin with detox, especially when a patient has developed a physical dependency on a substance. This process can last anywhere from three days to two weeks and is completed under the supervision of trained medical staff. In some cases, patients are provided medications to relieve some of the withdrawal symptoms that they feel when they detox.
After detoxing and getting over the physical dependency, the rest of a patient’s time in treatment is spent in therapy to determine the underlying causes of their drug and alcohol abuse. These therapy sessions can last long after the program itself is complete and often involve support groups and other activities to keep patients healthy while they’re in recovery.
Outpatient Programs
An outpatient recovery program provides treatment to patients but not housing. There are several levels of outpatient rehab, including:
- Partial hospitalization
- Intensive outpatient programs
- Substance use counseling
Each of these programs requires less of a time commitment than inpatient recovery. Most programs require patients to commit to a few hours a day for several days. These schedules are fairly flexible, and they allow patients to stay in their own homes during treatment. Outpatient recovery programs can be just as effective as inpatient programs, although patients who have a strong physical dependency on a substance often need to detox under medical supervision in an inpatient clinic.
Which Program is Right For You?
There are probably as many different recovery programs as there are centers in the United States, and not all of them will be right for you. No two people experience addiction in the same way, even if they were using the same substances. People begin abusing drugs and alcohol for different reasons, and part of any treatment program is to find the underlying cause of their abuse. We recommend looking at different programs and speaking to your doctor to find a program that is best for you and suits your unique needs.
As for whether an inpatient program or outpatient program is best, that also depends on your situation. Inpatient programs are usually recommended for those who have been abusing drugs and alcohol for a longer period of time and who have developed a physical dependency on them. Withdrawal from substances such as alcohol, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine can be incredibly painful, even fatal in some cases. Simply quitting any of these substances without a medical professional on hand to supervise you is not advisable. If you don’t have to contend with a serious physical dependency and think staying home in a supportive household will help you recover, an outpatient program might be best for you. Then again, if you don’t live in a supportive household, staying in an inpatient facility may once again be a better option.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction to drugs and alcohol, know that there is always help available. Contact us today at 833-680-0165 to learn more about the programs that we have to offer and find out which one would be best for you or your loved one.