Going into a rehabilitation centre is never an easy thing, so when you do, you want to make sure that you’ve chosen the right type of treatment. Inpatient or residential and outpatient rehabilitation are the two most common treatment methods, and for the most part, the one you choose should depend on your history of substance abuse, as well as the results of your consultation with a doctor of physician. If you want to try to make the decision now, here are a few real facts and statistics about inpatient and outpatient rehab.
Outpatient Rehabilitation
For many, outpatient rehabilitation is the first recovery option because it is the easiest in terms of dedication and time. Outpatient clinics treat patients while allowing them access to their homes, work and family, so that they can continue on with their lives, with no one else the wiser should they choose. These programs are beneficial to anyone who does not want to make a major month long dedication to rehabilitation, but instead prefers to voluntarily abstain from substances without giving up any of their normal activities. Most outpatient rehabilitation includes a system of structured meetings and check-ups to help participants stay on track and typically include peer support groups like the NA or Alcoholics Anonymous. Because outpatient rehabilitation relies mostly on the patient, it is most successful for persons in the early stages of addiction.
Effectiveness – Outpatient rehabilitation has a varying success rate as the success of the program depends on the determination of the participant. One study involving 122 veteran patients showed that 78% of outpatients complete the program, and 22% were continuing to take treatment or help for remaining ‘clean’ 90 days after the program termination. At one year after the program, approximately 20 per cent of the outpatient clients had been re-admitted for detoxification for a second time. Essentially, outpatient rehab usually has a 60-75% success rate depending on the particular person involved.
Inpatient Rehab
Inpatient drug rehab is a slightly more extreme form of rehabilitation because it requires the patient to drop everything for a minimum of 28 days in order to fully recover from an addiction. Many patients stay much longer and the median stay is usually around 53 days. Depending on the clinic, the rehab centre will use a number of different techniques to remove both mental and physical addiction while essentially keeping the patient locked up in a safe environment with no access to drugs. The process typically involves assisted withdrawal, medical monitoring, physical and mental therapy and group support through peer and doctor meetings. There are two basic types of inpatient rehabilitation include 12-step rehab provided by many traditional clinics and non-step rehab such as that provided by non12steprehabs.org, both are effective to some extent, although the latter is considered to be better for longer-term results.
Effectiveness – Inpatient rehabilitation has been proven successful at treating all stages of addiction. Because the residential rehab essentially removes any risk or chance of the patient slipping and going back to substance abuse, it gives most people an ‘easier’ way to get past the initial stages of withdrawal in order to begin focusing on mental health and recovery. However, most inpatient clients are not tracked after being released, so most statistical data is inaccurate.
Inpatient vs. Outpatient Rehab
While the average dropout rate for all types of rehabilitation is somewhere around 24%, only 11.2 % of patients actually go into inpatient rehabilitation, and inpatient rehab typically has a much higher success rate than outpatient. However, outpatient and inpatient rehabilitation each have pros and cons.
Outpatient rehab requires less time per day. For the most part, people participating in a program can also keep the knowledge from their friends, family and co-workers. Outpatient programs involve specific meetings and obligations that allow patients to retain their jobs and their lives and are considerably more affordable than inpatient programs.
Inpatient rehabilitation offers multiple advantages and disadvantages. Because the success rate is higher, and there is no temptation during the process, it is the best option for anyone with a severe addiction. However, inpatient rehab is expensive and requires the patient to leave their job for at least 30 days in order to take part in it. For this reason, there is no hiding it from friends and family or co-workers.
It is always important to sit down and have a discussion with your primary care provider, or a rehabilitation physician to discuss your options and which treatment methods are better for you. Being honest at this point can help you to come to the right decision concerning your care. If you’ve been asked by a court of law to take a rehab program then they will most likely choose the best option for you based on history and the circumstances. Otherwise, you can make a decision based on how the facts apply to your situation.
Ben Grant is a rehabilitation specialist with years of experience in helping patients through addiciton. Contact him today to find out more, or visit his blog to find out why he recommends inpatient drug rehab.
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