It is always a step in the right direction when a drug or alcohol user decides to quit using or drinking. They are to be commended for making such a decision because of the courage it takes to do so. Of course, making the decision to stop is just the first step in the recovery process. The next step is just as important.
What is the next step? Showing a willingness to ask for help. When you are ready to seek help for your addiction problem, you will soon come to realize you only have one viable option. Setting aside self-help solutions that don’t really work, the only option you really have is attending an addiction treatment program from a reputable addiction treatment facility like ours. After making the decision to get help and locating a treatment facility, you will have to figure out what type of treatment program you are willing to accept.
In most cases, residential treatment is preferable because it offers more protection for clients during treatment. For better or worse, not all clients find residential treatment to be an acceptable solution. Why? Here are common reasons clients choose outpatient treatment over the residential treatment option:
- Client has to pay for rehab out of their pockets, and outpatient treatment is more affordable
- Work or school responsibilities make it impossible to attend residential treatment
- Financial concerns make it impossible to miss time from work
- Client has responsibility for the daily care of other family members
Even if someone really needs residential treatment, it is hard to argue that these aren’t viable reasons to choose outpatient treatment over residential treatment. After deciding on outpatient treatment, there is one more critical decision that the client needs to make in conjunction with the rehab’s administrative staff.
That would be the type of outpatient program that will best fit the client’s needs and circumstances. FYI: Here are the three basic outpatient options:
- Partial Hospitalization Program or PHP
- Intensive Outpatient Program or IOP
- General Outpatient Program or OP
In all three of the outpatient options, the primary focus is on individual therapy. What differentiates these programs from each other is the time commitment the client has to make. At 5 to 7 days a week for at least 6 hours a day, PHP is by far the most restrictive option. At the lower end is OP, which requires the client to come in for therapy one or two days a week for a couple of hours each appointment. That leaves the IOP option, which we will discuss in the next section.
what is intensive outpatient treatment?
The IOP option is the middle-of-the-road option. It is an outpatient treatment option that is suitable for clients with a moderate to a significant addiction problem. From a time commitment standpoint, clients are generally required to attend therapy sessions 3 to 5 days a week for at least 4 hours a day. That would need to continue until the client represents they have a solid recovery foundation in place. Most of the time clients spend in an IOP is spent focusing on individual therapy. Hence, the title Intensive Outpatient Program.
While working with a therapist, each client gets a chance to identify the root causes of their addiction. Knowing this information is important because the reality of their addiction becomes the target of the solution process. The solution process usually focuses on helping clients develop better life and coping skills. These are the skills we all need to help us deal with stress and life’s disappointments.
Without these skills, a lifetime of chronic relapses becomes a near certainty for addiction sufferers. When not attending individual therapy sessions, clients sometimes get a chance to work in groups. This allows them to interact with other clients who are facing the same obstacles in life. It also gives clients a chance to build relationships they can use as support resources after finishing treatment. At this point, your primary focus should be on getting yourself into treatment.
That is something with which we can help. If we work together and determine an intensive outpatient program is your best option, we will do all we can to push you in that direction. Before we can start, we need you to call one of our representatives at 833-820-2922. From that initial call, we will be able to tell you about our facility and invite you in for the treatment you need.