When looking for an option to treat substance abuse and addictive behavior, there are plenty of treatment options to pursue, from traditional inpatient sessions on a months-long residential scale to occasional in-and-out sessions on an outpatient basis. But there are also programs that fit between such approaches, and one of those is an IOP.. But what’s it like to go to an IOP (intensive outpatient program)?
First, it’s necessary to know what an intensive outpatient program is.
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.
For those who enter an IOP, this means they can stay at home and attend sessions on a more permissive schedule, while still taking care of everyday activities such as going to work, attending school or dealing with family responsibilities.
Still, though, intensive 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.
This is, of course, why it’s called intensive.
Many IOPs use the familiar cadences of 12-step programs or other similar approaches as seen in other programs, just on a more manageable schedule for those with outside engagements.
Such programs can also transition to similar programs to help patients deal with the ongoing care and treatment they might need to help maintain their sobriety and keep their addiction at bay.
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 need such an approach to your addiction, or that of a loved one, give Good Landing a call and get the help you need through an IOP. While it’s not the correct approach for every patient – those in need of detox services usually need a more in-depth approach than even an IOP can provide – it can give many the lifeline they need to find true release and recovery from their addiction. See if it’s the right approach for you today.
