Drug rehab tends to make people think of the seemingly standard inpatient approach, in which the addict spends a long period of time on campus, isolated from the outside while detoxing from drugs and undergoing treatment as a residential patient. But that's not the only option. For some, intensive outpatient services are the way to go. Assuming, that is, you know what intensive outpatient services are.
So, you may ask, what ARE intensive outpatient services?
Glad you asked!
Intensive outpatient services are designed to treat addictions that do not require detox, and therefore can be done on a part-time basis without the need for residential care or isolation.
Outpatient services still use many of the same tools as a standard 45- to 90-day inpatient treatment program – including group therapy sessions, counseling sessions and other strategies – but without the non-stop, immersive approach of inpatient treatment.
Outpatient treatment can be done on a smaller scale than inpatient services, requiring less than even partial-day programs. Instead, the typical intensive outpatient services program can be done from anywhere to a few hours each week to nearly 30 in a week, depending on the needs of the patient.
Intensive outpatient services are more flexible, allowing patients to still undertake their daily routines, such as employment or in-home needs, and then receive treatment at a more convenient time to their schedule, such as early morning or after-hours sessions.
Still, though, outpatient services must be adhered to strictly to be effective. Various sessions and treatments must be attended when scheduled to ensure the patient is getting the best possible care. Absences are not tolerated.
Many such programs use variations on the 12-step program or similar curricula to augment their own sessions. Intensive outpatient services can transition patients to a 12-step program for ongoing care even after clinical treatment is done to ensure the patient continues to monitor their wellness and maintains recovery.
Intensive outpatient services can also be used as a transition from the other direction. Some residential treatment programs will place patients in outpatient services rather than release patients cold turkey to ensure they continue to receive treatment even when done with inpatient programs.
Good Landing Recovery offers intensive outpatient services among the many approaches to addiction treatment in its repertoire. Combined with its traditional faith-based approach to recovery, this gives it great flexibility in giving patients exactly the type of treatment they need at any given point in their recovery process to find true release from addiction.
If you’re looking for addiction treatment, for you or a loved one, and need additional flexibility traditional residential care can’t offer, see if intensive inpatient services can work for you. It’s not always a possibility – detox nearly always requires inpatient care, for instance – but for those who can adapt to the rhythms of intensive outpatient services, it can be an excellent tool to find true recovery from addiction. Good Landing Recovery can answer questions on what approach will best fit any needs and see if outpatient services can help you where you most need it.