Substance abuse treatment comes in many forms. People with substance use disorders often need to pursue treatment while maintaining other responsibilities, such as school, work, and family commitments. Many treatment programs provide first-class medical and therapeutic treatment during the day while allowing clients to return home at night. During daily sessions, clients learn more about addiction and practice healthy coping skills they can transfer to the real world. For some clients, the structure of a partial hospitalization program in Tampa, FL may provide the right level of support. Others may benefit from an intensive outpatient program with more flexibility. Still, finding compassionate, effective outpatient treatment programs in Florida is the first step.
Who Should Consider Outpatient Rehab?
Outpatient treatment is best for individuals who need to recover from substance use disorders but still have some stability in their environment. If the following situations apply to you or someone you care about, outpatient treatment may be the best choice.
- You’ve completed an inpatient or residential program
- You want accountability and structure in your treatment plan, but you don’t want an inpatient environment
- You plan to work or attend school while undergoing treatment
- You don’t have strong withdrawal symptoms or dependence but are concerned about your substance use
- You have co-occurring disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, or anxiety
- You have a supportive, stable home environment where you can live while receiving treatment
- You can commit to attending therapy most days of the week
One of the benefits of outpatient treatment is that outpatient programs treat many kinds of addictions. Whether you need treatment for alcohol, opiates, heroin, cocaine, or other substances, you should be able to find a program that meets your needs.
Depending on the severity of your addiction, you may need to attend inpatient rehabilitation before transitioning to an outpatient program. If you need consistent daily medical monitoring or are in the early stages of detox, a residential treatment program may be required first.
Types of Outpatient Treatment Programs
Different outpatient treatment models are geared towards different levels of recovery. The most common types of outpatient rehab are partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs.
Partial hospitalization is usually the first “step down” after a residential program. They are best for clients in the early stages of recovery. Clients attend daytime or evening sessions at a treatment center for several hours daily. They receive a high level of medical assistance and monitoring from medical professionals, but they don’t need to stay overnight in the hospital for 24/7 care. The program’s structure allows them to build on life skills and coping mechanisms they learned in residential treatment. Clients in partial hospitalization programs may attend daily one-on-one therapy sessions and participate in group counseling.
Intensive outpatient programs follow a similar model and offer similar services but require less time than partial hospitalization programs. An intensive outpatient program may be scheduled around a client’s other responsibilities at work or school. These programs are designed for clients who are more independent and further along in their recovery. Clients may focus on preventing relapse or working towards specific goals.
The length of outpatient programs varies since everyone progresses at their own pace through treatment and recovery. An outpatient rehab program can be short-term (for a few months) or long-term (up to a year or longer).
Benefits of Outpatient Treatment
- Programs are tailored to each client’s individual needs.
- Outpatient treatment usually costs less than inpatient treatment.
- The frequency of sessions can be “stepped up” or “stepped down” as clients progress through recovery.
- Group therapy offers a range of options, including 12-step meetings, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
- Clients can benefit from a strong support network at home and in their program.
- Clients can have private home lives and flexibility to maintain other responsibilities.
- Outpatient rehab helps clients achieve long-term recovery as they live their lives outside of the program.
Sustaining sobriety is rewarding but challenging. There can be many temptations to relapse outside of a rehab setting. That’s why picking the right outpatient program is vital; outpatient treatment is critical to a long-term sober life.