For some struggling with addiction, the pain of detox is only one hurdle. Many in need of rehab have work and family commitments that make in-patient rehab impossible. For those with small children, professional commitments or other family burdens, outpatient rehab may be the better choice. Why Is outpatient alcohol rehab the choice for me? Because you can start rehab sooner and protect your health.
Outpatient Rehab Flexes While It Supports You
The features of outpatient rehab are the same as inpatient rehab. You will undergo physical wellness checks to make sure your body is regaining strength. You will likely undergo counseling for
- emotional duress
- anxiety and depression
- trauma-related distress
Many undergoing outpatient rehab are also required to participate in group therapy sessions, undergo follow-up testing for drugs and receive legal support if their rehab was court-ordered. This legal support may include assistance in getting your license back, regaining custody of your children, repairing your marriage or coming up with a safe and healthy separation process in the event of divorce.
Often, rehab doesn’t seem the right choice until everything else is collapsing around you. If you can find a rehab that will help you focus on your spouse and children, rehab can save your family the trauma of divorce. Your counselors may be able to help you find a way to ask your spouse to allow you time in recovery to rebuild the relationship.
Benchmarks to Hit
As you work through outpatient therapy, you will have benchmarks or requirements that your counselors and medical team feel you need to achieve. For example, you may be required to undergo nutritional counseling or start maintenance medications for conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
Mental health care, up to and including family therapy, may also be part of your treatment program. Each person who enters rehab will have their own underlying conditions that may have contributed to addictive behaviors. As your body heals from the time you were using and the discomfort of detox, you will need regular assessments should factors such as chronic physical pain or undiagnosed mental illness crop up.
In many ways, outpatient rehab is harder than inpatient rehab. You still need to function in the world, dealing with family arguments, bad drivers and other annoyances that may trigger you. The pressure of life will continue. However, with the right support and therapy, you may be able to keep your job and prevent your family from a great deal of disruption by choosing to use an outpatient program.
Detox Must Be Inpatient
The first step of any rehab program is an initial assessment to determine the severity of your condition and any co-occurring disorders. After that, you will need to attend an inpatient detox.
Detox is very different from rehab. Rehab teaches you new ways of dealing with old stressors that doesn’t include reaching for alcohol or other drugs. You learn what tool to reach for when triggered, rather than reaching for a bottle. Detox is about getting alcohol out of your system while keeping your body alive.
Rehab allows you to grow back into the world; as an outpatient, you can put your new skills to work at once, which can be great for your confidence. Detox can feel as though you’re starving your brain and body for the drug you’ve been using.
The process of detox is quite dangerous. It can leave you nauseous, dehydrated, and with symptoms of shock. Because shock can be fatal, you should never undergo detox alone. The care team at an inpatient detox will be able to help you stay hydrated, eat when you’re able, and survive this very uncomfortable process. Never try to put yourself through detox or allow a loved one to help you. If the relationship wasn’t damaged by drinking, it can be destroyed by the pain of detox.
The sooner you start, the sooner you’re on the road to health. If you’ve been struggling to find the time to undergo inpatient rehab, outpatient rehab can be a more effective option. Our counselors are available 24 hours a day. Call 833.970.2054.
