Deciding to seek help to overcome addiction is the first step on your journey to sobriety and lasting recovery. Unfortunately, deciding where to go can quickly become confusing and overwhelming. With hundreds of addiction treatment centers in California, how do you choose? Each program offers different levels of care, varying treatment models, and unique treatment specialties. It is essential to select a drug and alcohol rehab that can address your unique treatment needs and goals. Addiction is a disease-specific to the individual. Each person who struggles with addiction and chooses to get sober will experience symptoms that may differ from someone else. For this reason, successful addiction treatment, whether inpatient or outpatient, must be designed around your needs and the level of care you require.
The level of care you require to get sober and stay sober long-term depends on various factors. If you struggle with an addiction to specific substances such as (alcohol, opioids, or benzodiazepines) or have completed treatment before and experienced relapse, it is often better to seek addiction treatment at an inpatient residential treatment center. In the inpatient setting, you will have access to 24/7 care and support. Also, the residential setting offers extensive detox support and monitoring. Medically supported detox care can be highly beneficial in cases where withdrawal symptoms may be challenging to manage.
Suppose your addiction is considered mild, or you have recently completed a treatment program at a higher level of care but are not yet ready to transition to an unsupported environment. In that case, an outpatient program may be the best fit for your needs. If you are motivated to get sober and healthy, but personal, or employment obligations hinder your ability to be away from home, an outpatient drug and alcohol rehab can help.
Inpatient and outpatient drug and alcohol rehab programs share the same goal: helping you achieve and maintain lasting sobriety. Each level of care, inpatient, or outpatient has unique positives and negative aspects that may influence which program is right for you. Inpatient programs, often called residential programs, are intensive treatment programs that require patients to stay on-site at the facility throughout the duration of their treatment program. These programs are often well suited for someone struggling with a severe addiction, someone who requires extensive detox support, or someone who has completed treatment before and experienced a relapse.
When you choose an inpatient program, you will “live” at the rehab while working closely with your treatment team to overcome addiction. A key benefit to inpatient programs is 24/7 access to emotional, medical, and nutritional support. The residential nature of inpatient programs often leads to a higher treatment success rate as remaining at the facility instead of living at home helps reduce the potential for triggering situations or relapse during the treatment process.
Outpatient drug and alcohol programs allow you to seek potentially life-saving addiction treatment without the “residential” requirement. Outpatient programs are structured around your specific treatment needs. They also provide a highly flexible structure allowing patients to choose when it is most convenient to attend therapy sessions. Outpatient rehabs provide opportunities to attend group therapy and peer support groups in the evening to accommodate those who have work or family obligations during the day. Because of the less intensive nature of many outpatient programs, it may take longer to achieve your sobriety goals.
Our outpatient drug rehab programs allow you to live at home while still receiving comprehensive addiction treatment care. The structure of the outpatient program at Valley Recovery and Treatment will enable you to remain immersed in your home and community environments while working towards sobriety. At an outpatient drug and alcohol rehab, you will attend therapy on a set schedule, often a few days per week for a few hours each day. The number of hours and overall duration of your treatment program will depend on your specific treatment needs and goals. Our outpatient treatment program provides the same evidence-based care offered in the inpatient environment but with the flexibility of an outpatient treatment environment. You will work with your treatment team to design a treatment plan and therapy schedule that allows you to start and complete treatment without having to change your day-to-day routine or leave your family to get well. Another benefit to outpatient care is a seamless transition into our aftercare programs. Aftercare is a vital component of comprehensive addiction treatment. Achieving and maintaining sobriety is a lifelong process, and our guidance does not end when the treatment program does.
The outpatient treatment programs at Valley Recovery and Treatment ensure you have access to a lifetime of aftercare. Because you remain at home in your community during treatment, you learn how to integrate what you’ve learned in treatment into your day-to-day life from the very beginning of your treatment program. This means you are practicing vital coping and relapse prevention skills throughout your treatment, so when faced with a triggering event in the future, you are prepared to manage it in a safe and healthy way.
Most outpatient addiction programs begin with an intake process. During intake, you will meet with members of the treatment team at one of the Valley Recovery and Treatment facilities so they can learn more about you, and you can learn more about their program. Intake generally consists of many questions. Your treatment team will want to learn more about you, your addiction, the substances you use, and how long you’ve struggled with addiction. They will also ask questions about your physical and mental health. Many who struggle with addiction also have a co-occurring mental health disorder or an underlying medical condition. Treatment is the most successful when both conditions (co-occurring disorders) are treated simultaneously. A comprehensive intake evaluation allows the treatment team to design a treatment plan unique to your needs and goals.
Outpatient drug and alcohol rehabs use a range of therapy models in both individual and group settings. Outpatient rehab aims to help participants get to the root of the emotional and behavioral challenges that led to addiction. It is not uncommon for those struggling with addiction to struggle with other mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. To best address your addiction and eventually achieve sobriety and recovery, it is essential to confront emotions and learn how to change them to lead to more positive outcomes.
Throughout treatment, you should expect to participate in different types of therapy, including individual and group work. Although group therapy can be challenging, it is important to recovery. Group sessions provide an opportunity to learn from and benefit from the experiences of those who share a similar addiction history. Group therapy also offers the chance to forge friendships with like-minded peers who can provide a shoulder to lean on after treatment when triggering events or situations occur.
Although there are many benefits to outpatient rehab, there are challenges as well. The most significant challenge is setting and adhering to boundaries to protect yourself from potential relapse triggers. For some, remaining sober in an outpatient program can be more challenging. Outpatient programs provide less supervision and more freedom, which can lead to an increased potential for relapse. Unlike an inpatient program, where all potential for triggering situations is removed, outpatient programs allow you to remain at home. This aspect of outpatient care inevitably increases the risk of trigger exposure and, in some cases, may increase the likelihood of relapse. Because of this, it is essential to examine your personal relationship with addiction (past and present) to determine if outpatient treatment is best for you.
An outpatient drug rehab program in California can provide the opportunity you need to seek and receive addiction treatment without having to postpone or forgo your daily obligations. Our outpatient treatment programs at Valley Recovery and Treatment provide the comprehensive, evidence-based care you need to begin your sobriety journey. The caring and compassionate treatment staff at our outpatient rehabs can help you take the first steps towards recovery in a safe, supported, and flexible treatment environment. Acknowledging that you need help is a challenging step. Members of our admissions and treatment teams are here to provide support and guidance from the first step and throughout your recovery journey. Contact us today to learn more about how an outpatient addiction treatment program can help you get and stay sober.
