The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that among people aged 12 or older in 2023, 47.5 percent drank alcohol in the past month and 16.8 percent used an illicit drug in the past month.[1]
With substance abuse being so common in the United States, it’s easy to understand the importance of quality addiction treatment. If you are suffering from a substance use disorder, it’s time to consider attending a drug and alcohol rehab center.
When you think of rehab, you probably imagine residential treatment, which requires you to live at the facility for 30 to 90 days. If you have other responsibilities to care for, this might be unattainable for you. Thankfully, outpatient treatment programs offer flexibility in scheduling, allowing you to live at home and complete outside responsibilities while you receive addiction care.
Other benefits of outpatient rehab programs include living in the comfort of your own home, access to a recovery community, a variety of options for level of care, an easier transition out of treatment, and they tend to be cheaper than inpatient rehab programs.
What are the Top 6 Outpatient Rehab Benefits?
Inpatient and outpatient programs differ in a few ways. While inpatient treatment programs require you to live at the facility, outpatient allows you to live at home. Additionally, outpatient programs require you to be accountable for yourself, as you’ll have time away from the facility where you are expected to stay sober without supervision.
That said, there are several benefits to choosing outpatient treatment, including:
1. Living in the Comfort of Your Own Home
While some people benefit from being separated from the outside world during treatment, that might not be right for you. If you have a supportive home to live in, you might want access to your family members during treatment. Outpatient allows you to live at home and receive support from your loved ones while you recover from drug and alcohol addiction.
2. Flexible Scheduling
Outpatient programs offer flexibility in scheduling that is not possible during inpatient treatment. You’ll attend treatment and therapy sessions 3 to 5 days per week for a few hours at a time. If you have to continue working a part-time job or attend school, you’ll have the free time you need to make this possible.
3. Cheaper Than Inpatient Care
Outpatient rehab programs do not provide housing, meals, or 24/7 supervision from professionals. Because all of those perks cost money, outpatient programs tend to be much cheaper than inpatient care. That said, you’ll have to provide your own housing, and meals, and be able to stay sober without constant supervision.
4. Access to a Recovery Community
When you attend an outpatient treatment facility, you’ll have some free time on your hands. This allows you to engage in your local recovery community. You should attend recovery support groups like 12-step meetings while participating in an outpatient rehab program.
By starting your participation in a recovery community early on, you’ll have a head start on things like completing the 12 steps and creating supportive relationships with other people in recovery from addiction.
5. Options for Level of Care
There are several different levels of care when it comes to outpatient addiction treatment. You can choose between:
- Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHPs)- This is the highest level of outpatient care and offers many of the same evidence-based services as inpatient treatment. You usually have to attend treatment sessions 5 days per week.
- Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs)– IOPs are considered a step down from PHPs. You’ll receive individual therapy, group counseling, and relapse prevention. Most IOPs meet 3 to 5 days per week.
- Outpatient Programs (OPs)- Outpatient programs are the most relaxed form of outpatient care and typically meet 3 times per week. They are ideal for people who have a busy work schedule but still need addiction recovery services.
Having options for the level of care you receive allows you to choose your path to recovery. You can also attend all three types of outpatient care in succession, allowing you to increase the amount of care you receive and lessen your risk of relapsing.
6. Easier Transition Out of Treatment
Inpatient treatment separates you from the outside world while you are recovering from addiction. While this can be beneficial, it also makes the transition out of treatment harder. When you complete inpatient rehab, you’ll have to learn how to cope with triggers in your daily life that you didn’t experience during treatment.
Outpatient rehab allows you to experience outside triggers while you have support from the addiction and mental health professionals at the facility. This eliminates the risk of relapsing during a transitional period from facility living to independence.
Learn More About the Benefits of Outpatient Rehab
If you are interested in attending an outpatient treatment center, you’ve come to the right place. At New Jersey Behavioral Health Center, we offer a highly-rated outpatient program that includes individualized treatment plans and evidence-based services.
Contact us today to learn more about how attending an outpatient addiction treatment center can benefit you.
References:
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health