Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment Centers

Alcohol and drug treatments may generally fall into two categories like outpatient or inpatient rehab. While these two are focused on healing and recovery, each of them has numerous benefits and attributes to offer. Inpatient rehab may offer a more intensive, focused, and prolonged treatment but an outpatient program can also do the job well. See more about outpatient treatment on this site.

Outpatient programs are part-time, and the drug abusers may still maintain their work or studies for most of the day. A person with a substance use disorder needs to understand the several types of treatment before going into one of them. Explore all the available options before making things right when it comes to long-term sobriety.

Inpatient Programs

In an inpatient recovery, people usually undergo treatment inside a residential facility, and the patients are going to check themselves in a substance-free environment. In a place where they cannot quickly get access to alcohol or drugs, they might find the answers to how they can overcome addictions. Others may stay inside the clinics that have 24-hour emotional and medical assistance.

You may want to prepare for the rehab before going into one. There is no set amount of time for the treatment, and sometimes, it might be a life-long road to healing. It is crucial that you set an entry date when you feel ready to leave for a rehab center and settle your things and affairs before this day. The things that you can do may include the following:

• Talking earnestly to your employer or school supervisors
• Finding living arrangements for family members or small kids
• Planning how to get to and from the facility
• Knowing the personal items that are allowed inside the centers

Many successful patients have the support of their families, which is a factor crucial for recovery. The family members can call their loved ones to encourage, give words of support, and listen to them while the patient is undergoing recovery.

Residents are often allowed to call their loved ones and bring their phones, but it is best to check these things with the facility first. Others may provide counseling for the entire family so each member will know how to support one another during a relapse period.

Life of People in Inpatient Rehab

During inpatient programs, the residents are often focused on getting sober and well without the distracting thoughts of everyday life. A typical day in Sunshine Behavioral Health Addiction Treatment may consist of carefully crafted and scheduled activities for each patient. Healthcare providers like psychiatrists, counselors, and psychologists conduct meetings with groups or individuals to guide them to recovery. Usually, the program may run anywhere from 30 days to 6 months, depending on each patient’s case.

The first step in the process is for the patient to undergo medically assisted detox. A doctor will examine the patient’s vital signs and monitor their condition while the drugs exit the body. The drug cravings are often the result of detox because the body might not get used to the absence of the substances. The craving alone is exceedingly difficult to overcome, which can lead to a relapse if the patient is not careful. This is where constant medical care will be helpful, and the medications may also decrease the withdrawal symptoms.

Everyone’s brain tends to react differently to addictive substances. The frequency of the use, time, age, reasons, and other factors may vary, but there is a considerable chance that a person may experience withdrawal symptoms. These are unpleasant, and you should never quit other substances without medical intervention.

Medications Used

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines are often used to decrease irritability and anxiety in many patients. Anxiety is often a more common symptom for people who are using cocaine, heroin, and other opiates. The benzos can sedate a patient and ease withdrawals related to alcohol. However, too much of the stuff can also lead to addiction, which is why they are only prescribed by a doctor.

Anti-depressants

Without the drugs, many people cannot produce hormones in their brains that are connected to happiness. Others have relied too much on the substances to keep them happy for a long time, so it is natural for them to experience depression during detox.

Anti-depressants like Prozac and Zoloft are medications that can help the brain relieve feelings of happiness until the brain can induce the hormones and chemicals once again. However, these are only taken upon the advice of a doctor because these anti-depressants can also cause adverse effects on long-term use.

Clonidine

Clonidine is used for the treatment of opiate withdrawals and alcohol. It reduces cramps, anxiety, muscle aches, and sweating in an individual and can also help stop seizures and tremors. Learn more about clonidine at this link: https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-11754-24/clonidine-hcl-oral/clonidine-oral/details.

Other people are advised against detoxing against Xanax or Valium as they can cause death when they just go with the “cold turkey” approach. Fortunately, withdrawals from specific drugs are not life-threatening, but there can be complications that may arise during the process. Medical intervention and help will ensure success and safety during the detox process, and this is often provided in inpatient rehab.

Outpatient Rehab

Outpatient treatments are less intensive and restrictive compared to inpatient programs. The patient must attend counseling and therapies for 10 to 14 hours a week, and they can go home to their loved ones and careers once the session is over.

These programs are often more focused on group counseling, education, and coping mechanisms. Many people can find that an outpatient program is a standalone option if they are suffering from a mild addiction and want to get out early. However, some start with the outpatient recovery programs as a precursor to a long-term treatment that can last up to six months or a year.

Most patients may experience mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms, and the average time for detox is about six days. Individuals may often visit a clinic or a hospital for medications, and they may also get help if they have mental illnesses on top of their addiction.