Pros and Cons of Outpatient Drug Rehab

Is Outpatient Drug Rehab The Right Choice For Me?

When seeking treatment for substance use disorder or alcoholism, it is usually recommended that you seek inpatient, also known as residential, treatment. This form of immersive addiction therapy is considered best practice in most situations because it allows for total focus on recovery and frequent therapy sessions that contribute to a steady progression of recovery. 

Outpatient drug rehab is often considered a follow-up step to initial residential treatment, but it is possible to go right from detox to outpatient treatment. Depending on your lifestyle and obligations, outpatient rehab may be a more beneficial path to recovery for you. 

The Pros of Outpatient Rehab

The benefits of outpatient rehab are situational, so we’ll distinguish in what sort of cases outpatient rehab is beneficial. The same aspects of outpatient rehab in this list may show up in the following section when applied to a different line of thinking. 

 

Pros:

• The key difference between inpatient and outpatient rehab is that outpatient treatment provides more freedom and does not require living on-site at a facility for an extended 30-90 day period that inpatient drug rehab does. This means work, school, or family responsibilities can be maintained while still receiving treatment, lowering the stress associated with not being able to meet these obligations. 
• The lowered time commitment equates to a lower financial commitment. Versus 24 hours of rehab 7 days a week, you’ll be attending 3-5 hours of rehab 5 days a week. Outpatient addiction treatment is a more affordable option for those without the right insurance coverage and other means of financial support
• In inpatient treatment, there is a transitional period where graduated patients must test their recovery by leaving the structure and safety of rehab and withstand temptation and triggers on their own muster and practice what they have learned in treatment effectively. During outpatient treatment, you are practicing the entire time and there really is no transition period, which can expedite recovery in some ways.
• There are multiple types of outpatient rehab such as partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs which can provide different levels of care and offer further adaptability. Sober living is another form of outpatient care that incorporates some of the full time structure and accountability that is found at an inpatient treatment facility. 

The Cons of Outpatient Rehab

Depending on how you look at it, some of the pros mentioned before might not be helpful and can actually stand in the way of recovery. 

 

Cons:

• The freedom to come and go from treatment significantly increases the chance of relapsing, particularly in the early days of recovery when skills are not yet solidified. The constant system of support available at residential treatment is not so instantaneous when you are living at home or are stressed at work
• Many patients in recovery credit the distance they get from their old life for helping them fully accept a new life without drugs. As an outpatient participator, you may see the people from you past, or still be actively in that situation, while you are trying to fight through recovery. 
• Because outpatient rehab dedicates less hours to therapy, breakthroughs in therapy and milestones in recovery can take longer to reach than in rigorous inpatient treatment. 

 

What To Look For In An Outpatient Rehab

If you are still trying to decide whether outpatient rehab is right for you, no matter what you are going to need to attend the right facility for your needs. Aside from making sure the recovery center meets current rehab accreditation standards, different philosophies drive the types of treatment that are available to help you on the path to recovery. 

 

At TruPath Recovery, we pride ourselves on offering a comprehensive full continuum of care that utilizes both evidence based therapies and treatment methods along with trying newly researched approaches to make our recovery plans as unique as the person following it. 

 

Teamwork is one of the foundations of our philosophy and we share your goal of long term recovery and  a life free from drugs and alcohol. Our medical and professional staff will work to accommodate not just the requirements of your life but your own personal preferences, so you can feel empowered on your recovery journey. 

 

Any treatment center that is a part of the TruPath network, from Los Angeles to New Jersey, will offer the same high standard rehab facility, equipped with the latest tools and research into abuse treatment. Both inpatient rehab and outpatient care prioritize the same approach to mental health treatment as the necessary path to tackling addiction treatment. Drugs and alcohol treatment affects individuals in more than just physical ways, and the dual diagnosis approach to substance abuse has repeatedly shown improved rates of success in those recovering from drug or alcohol use. 

 

We at TruPath are ready to empower you to live your best life and succeed in recovery. Our expert staff is ready to take your call at any time 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and answer any questions you may have and begin the enrollment process.