Outpatient drug rehab can be an invaluable tool for those struggling with a substance abuse problem. But how do you know if it's the right fit for you compared to the other treatment options that are available? Well, there are a couple different things to consider when answering that question. If you have an active addiction which means that you are currently abusing and dependent on illicit drugs or alcohol, typically a residential treatment program would be recommended for you. This level of care provides the 24 hours a day supervision that you need. If you are a recovering drug addict who still needs assistance staying sober while transitioning back to your pre-rehab life, then outpatient drug rehab will often be the recommendation.
What Do You Learn in Outpatient Drug Rehab?
Outpatient drug rehab is a great follow up to a residential program. It's often not realistic to think that a recovering addict can leave rehab and jump headfirst into their old life without a serious risk of relapse. While inpatient treatment will help us learn why we started abusing drugs or alcohol, outpatient drug rehab places the vast majority of their focus on relapse prevention.
If you are in an outpatient drug rehab then you are most likely living at home, possibly heading back to work and are therefore exposed to all of the old risk factors that influenced your substance abuse in the first place. A large part of relapse prevention is learning additional and fine-tuning existing coping strategies. Coping strategies are what we as individuals utilize to help us deal with stress and anxiety. For many former addicts, drugs and alcohol were their coping strategies so they need to learn new, healthier ways to process their emotions. Inpatient treatment will help start that education but outpatient drug rehab is really where those concepts are expanded on and put into practice.
Are There Any Drawbacks to Outpatient Drug Rehab?
The plus side to outpatient treatment is that the recovering addict gets to go back home and start assimilating back into their old routines. In this instance however, the plus side is also the risk factor as these individuals now have access to all of the substances that they used to abuse. They also have access to their old friends and acquaintances they used to abuse with. In outpatient drug rehab, the individual is not under any sort of supervision (other than possibly family) after they leave their scheduled meetings at the facility which is why their risk for relapse is increased. It's because of this that a recovering addict should have a very organized and scheduled life for the first several months after they leave residential treatment and should absolutely enter an outpatient program to support their recovery efforts.
Ben Brafman, LMHC, CAP is the President and CEO of Destination Hope, a licensed dual diagnosis substance abuse treatment center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ben has more than 20 years of experience in the addiction and mental health fields, which led him to develop a combination of innovative treatment protocols at Destination Hope. He has been published on various topics including dual diagnosis and chemical dependency, and gives back to the community by educating other addiction counselors at his Academy for Addiction Professionals. Destination Hope offers 30, 60 and 90 day residential treatment programs as well as intensive outpatient drug rehab and aftercare as well.
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