4 Reasons Why Outpatient Rehab May Be Right For You
Most people think of rehab as something that they have to go away from home for. Inpatient rehab centers are definitely helpful for many people, but they have their drawbacks as well. If you're considering rehab, you should know that there are outpatient options available as well. Take a look at some of the reasons why outpatient rehab might be the right choice for you.
Less Disruption In Your Life
Inpatient rehab means putting your life on hold while you're away. You'll need time off from your job, you'll need someone to maintain your home, and you'll need to make sure that the bills are paid while you're gone. While getting away from these everyday stresses can be therapeutic for some people, the reality is that not everyone can negotiate a month or more away from work, and not everyone can afford to go away for that long even if their job would allow it.
Parents who need rehab can face significant problems finding childcare for the extended period of time that they'd need for inpatient rehab. You may not be able to afford childcare for that long, you may run into legal or custody issues if you must send your child away for an extended period, or you may simply not want to disrupt your child's life in that way.
With outpatient rehab, you can continue to go to work, maintain your own home, and take care of your kids. Outpatient rehab is less disruptive to your life, and you may actually be better able to focus on your recovery if you're not worrying about whether you'll have a job to go back to or whether your kids are being well taken care of while you're gone.
Greater Affordability
Like everything else in healthcare, rehab can be expensive. Any type of rehab will cost money, but the difference between inpatient and outpatient rehab is comparable to the difference between a lengthy hospital stay and regular visits to your doctor's office. Inpatient tends to cost more. Inpatient rehab centers have greater overhead because they need to be operational 24-hours a day and employ staff 24-hours a day, so they necessarily cost more.
Even if your health insurance covers addiction treatment, it may not necessarily cover inpatient rehab. The question of affordability can make your choice simple – outpatient treatment that you can afford is better than not getting treatment because you can't afford inpatient treatment.
Less Waiting
Another drawback of inpatient treatment is that each facility can only hold so many people. If the inpatient treatment centers available to you are full, you may have to delay treatment until there's a space for you. And the longer you have to wait for treatment, the longer you have to contend with the risks of active addiction.
Outpatient treatment facilities can handle more patients at a time because it's not necessary to house them. That means that you're more likely to be able to start your treatment immediately, or at least with less of a wait. The sooner you begin treatment, the sooner you'll be on the road to recovery.
It's Just as Effective
One thing that may make some patients hesitate to choose outpatient treatment is the perception that it's less effective than inpatient treatment. It's true that inpatient treatment has some distinct advantages — the nature of inpatient treatment is that it isolates you from access to drugs and alcohol and separates you from acquaintances who may encourage you to use. But does that make inpatient treatment more effective?
Research says no. Studies show that outcomes are about the same for patients who undergo both inpatient and outpatient treatment. There are a few reasons why outpatient treatment can be just as effective. One reason is that you can begin applying lessons you learn in treatment immediately, rather than waiting until you're released from treatment to begin using the skills you learn in treatment. Another reason is duration of treatment — because outpatient treatment is more accessible and affordable, it's easier to continue the treatment for longer periods of time if necessary.
Choosing the right type of treatment for you is an important step on your path to sobriety. Research both inpatient and outpatient treatment options in your area and contact centers like Evergreen Recovery Centers to learn more.