Outpatient Drug Treatment
What is Outpatient Treatment?
Because not everyone is a candidate for residential drug rehab, there is outpatient treatment. Like residential programs, outpatient drug treatment focuses on helping the individual abstain from using drugs and alcohol for the rest of their lives. These long-term goals are achieved in a variety of ways within the outpatient treatment model.
Some outpatient treatment programs bring the addict in regularly during the week for education and counseling programs. Some outpatient treatment programs last for only a few hours a week, while others require the individual to come in for full day treatments several times a week. These all-day treatment programs are more intense and may be more appropriate for those individuals who require a greater level of care as they attempt to rehab from drug or alcohol use.
Despite the differences between outpatient treatment programs, the goal is always the same: help individuals recover from drug or alcohol addiction so that they may re-enter society and lead a self-sufficient, drug-free life.
What services are offered in outpatient treatment?
There are a variety of services available via outpatient treatment, including:
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- 12-step work
- Alcohol and drug education
- Spirituality group
- Men's group
- Women's group
- Relapse prevention
- Short and long-term aftercare
- Life skills
- Re-socialization skills
- Pharmacological treatment
- Mental health treatment
- Drug screening
- Legal system advocacy
- Affiliations with sober living houses
The advantages of Outpatient Treatment
There are several advantages to outpatient treatment that may appeal to certain individuals recovering from drug or alcohol addiction. For one, the cost of an outpatient program is generally less than that of a residential drug treatment program. Also, for those who are to maintain their careers and family life during the recovery period, outpatient treatment provides a chance to get help while not completely disrupting the flow of an individual's life. And for some, there is a negative stigma associated with residential care that may be hard to overcome. Simply put, if an individual is uncomfortable in the residential program, it might take longer or be more difficult to achieve rehab success.
