Outpatient rehabilitation is when a person suffering from alcohol or drug abuse attends treatment during the day but returns home in the evening. That is unlike inpatient rehabilitation, whereby the person has to live at the rehab facility for a specific period. Outpatient rehabilitation involves intensive treatment that can happen every day for five days or maybe 20hours spread over three days. The conventional outpatient rehabilitation therapy is usually one or two sessions per week for three months.

The sessions in outpatient rehab programs involve counseling and group therapy, whereby participants are guided on how to recognize their triggers and how to adapt coping mechanisms. Many participants choose group sessions as it allows them to interact and witness the recovery process of others. There are several reasons why people choose outpatient rehab programs over inpatient rehab programs. Lets us look at some of them below.

Retaining employment

Some people claim that employment deters them from seeking rehabilitation for alcohol or drug abuse. However, outpatient rehabilitation is one way of seeking rehabilitation while still working. Depending on your work schedule, you can visit in the morning or evening hours. Although a leave of absence to attend drug rehabilitation is protected by the Family and Medical Leave Act, meaning that you cannot be fired for taking a break to seek addiction treatment, the time off is usually unpaid. That means it can be difficult for a family’s breadwinner to enroll in inpatient rehabilitation. Again, if you are the sole caregiver of your children and need addiction treatment, outpatient rehab programs are beneficial.

Affordability

Another reason to choose outpatient rehabilitation is affordability. Generally, outpatient rehabilitation programs are less expensive than inpatient rehabilitation programs. Although rehab facilities’ costs vary depending on the center, location, services offered, the treatment provided, and medications during treatment, on average, the cost of an inpatient rehab program ranges at $20,000. On the other hand, outpatient rehabilitation for three months may cost around $5000. For those who are paying for their rehabilitation out of pocket, outpatient rehabilitation is cost-friendly.

Outpatient detoxification

Even for someone with a mild addiction, detoxing from alcohol or drugs is an unpleasant health experience. It is a challenging part of the rehabilitation process. Depression, nausea, anxiety, and body aches are some of the many effects associated with detoxification. That is because the body was already used to the substances. However, detoxification is necessary before focused treatment begins, and it is not safe to try detoxing on your own.

Detoxing through an outpatient rehabilitation facility is safe as the doctor can monitor your body’s response and give you medication to reduce the side effects. It is beneficial for detox patients to maintain social relationships with family and friends during the process instead of being isolated from them. Also, detoxification care costs less in outpatient rehabilitation.

Family support

Outpatient rehabilitation allows you to have more family support than people in inpatient rehab programs. Family therapy can be integrated into outpatient rehabilitation to offer guidance to the entire family instead of the individual alone. That presents an opportunity to educate the whole family about their loved one’s addiction and teach them how to help him/her overcome the problem.

The takeaway

Outpatient therapy is advantageous but not for everyone. It depends on the severity of the addiction. Also, the participant must be committed and determined to see the treatment through. Outpatient rehabilitation may be suitable for persons with mild to moderate addiction, while inpatient rehabilitation is best for people with severe addiction.