If you’re considering detox treatment for addiction but feel unsure about your options, know that treatment has come a long way. Thanks to ongoing research, there are now evidence-based therapies and medications that can ease withdrawal symptoms, making the process more manageable. If you’re thinking about inpatient vs. outpatient care, know that you can take the next step toward recovery with confidence.
To make an informed decision about an inpatient detox center program, you need to have an answer to the question: What is the difference between inpatient and outpatient treatment? At Tides Edge inpatient detox center and rehab in Jacksonville, FL, we are a full-service center that offers a high level of care to anyone who needs it.
Choosing a drug treatment center
Making an informed choice about where to begin your recovery from substance misuse is important to your well-being and recovery outcomes. But don’t let it cause too much stress. Remember, if you begin rehab in one program and it doesn’t feel right, you can move into another one, for example, from outpatient to inpatient treatment.
Things to consider when deciding between outpatient and inpatient rehab:
- Do you have a co-occurring mental health condition?
- Is your home environment safe and can it be made substance-free?
- Do you have a reliable support network at home?
- Have you experienced a relapse in the past?
- Is cost a factor for you?
- Does your insurance cover both options?
- Do you have work, school, or family commitments that would be very hard to leave for a month or more?
- Can you get yourself to and from an outpatient program?
- How long have you struggled with an SUD?
- Do you have a poly substance disorder, meaning you are dependent on or addicted to more than one substance?
Have a conversation with one of our staff at Tides Edge. We can help you navigate the outpatient vs. inpatient decision based on these and other questions.
What is outpatient treatment like?
Outpatient treatment can be offered at three levels of intensity: a regular, or low-intensity outpatient program (OP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP), and a partial hospitalization program (PHP), which is the highest level of care available outside an inpatient addiction treatment program.
When you and your treatment team agree that outpatient treatment is best for you and you feel confident and meet the requirements for this level of care, you’ll experience:
- Between six hours (OP) to 25 hours (PHP) of time at the rehab center each week
- The chance to meet peers going through the same thing you are, while staying connected to your family and friends at home
- A balance between treatment and work or school that you’ll work out with your care team and your own calendar
- The opportunity to practice your new sobriety skills in real time, with the chance to discuss your experiences in therapy each day
- Peer support groups, individual therapy, group therapy, and family therapy, just as you would in an inpatient setting
- The risk of relapse due to the availability of alcohol and drugs outside the walls of the rehab center
- Your familiar and safe surroundings and people to support you in your journey
If you choose an outpatient program, you’ll have a positive experience, be able to work just as hard as you would as an inpatient, and meet your sobriety benchmarks.
What is inpatient treatment like?
Inpatient addiction treatment is the highest level of care you can receive because you are surrounded by therapists, doctors, and other addiction specialists 24 hours a day. Most programs last either 30 or 60 days, but can go longer. If you qualify for inpatient care and have the flexibility in your life to commit the time needed, you’ll experience:
- Wrap-around day or night care
- Accountability partners throughout your stay—your peers who also support your recovery
- A trigger- and substance-free setting making relapse impossible
- The time to focus exclusively on your recovery treatment and self-care
- The freedom of having your daily schedule set
Some people have very strong feelings for or against one option or the other. Others are open to both, and make the decision based on personal and practical considerations. Regardless of which option you choose, you’ll have therapy sessions with licensed, master level clinicians, learn sober skills, practice mindfulness, and other holistic practices to support your recovery, and be supported by your peers.
Start your recovery journey at Tides Edge’s inpatient detox center today
Talk to one of our staff about your thoughts on whether outpatient or inpatient treatment is best for you. You can reach us using our convenient online contact form or by calling 866.723.3127. We’ll usher you onto the path of recovery and partner with you as you make important decisions and choices along the way.
Regardless of whether you choose outpatient or inpatient treatment, we’ve got your back.
