What is an Outpatient Program for Addiction?

There are two different types of treatment programs for addiction: inpatient treatment and outpatient treatment. The level of care you need when you first get sober is dependent on the severity of your addiction. The best thing you can do when you first decide to get sober is see an addiction specialist who can evaluate you and let you know which treatment option is best for you.

Typically, an inpatient program is recommended for older people or those with a very severe addiction. In contrast, an outpatient program for addiction is a way to transition after inpatient or for young people and those with less severe addictions.

GETTING STARTED AT AN INPATIENT TREATMENT PROGRAM

Many addicts go to inpatient treatment before they go to an outpatient program. The disease of addiction is cunning, baffling and powerful, so it’s fairly risky for any addict in early recovery to have too much freedom.

Triggers are everywhere, no matter what city you go to for treatment. Therefore, it’s very beneficial to have a very structured and limited environment when you first get clean. Typically, after about 15 to 30 days of inpatient treatment, the rehab will look at your progress and may recommend that you go to an outpatient program.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN IOP AND OUTPATIENT PROGRAM?

You may have heard of an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and wondered what that is. An IOP is an excellent place to transition after inpatient treatment. In an IOP setting, you’ll typically attend three to five days a week all day. While you’re going to Intensive Outpatient Program, you may live in a sober living or some rehabs own recovery residences where you’ll live with other clients, but you’ll have a lot more freedom so you can come and go.

A standard outpatient program is the lowest level of care where patients come for a few hours a day, three to five days a week. Each of these steps are important because it can be too much for recovering addicts to go straight from an inpatient program back to their regular life. With each of these steps, you gradually get more freedoms so you’re not overwhelmed by getting back into the real world.

If you need help finding any type of treatment program, allow us to assist you. We’re passionate about helping people begin on the journey toward freedom from addiction. Call us today at 1 844 HELP NOW for more information.