Who Should Go To An Outpatient Treatment Center For Addiction?

While a stay at rehab is generally considered the best course of treatment for addiction, many people choose outpatient treatment centers. In outpatient treatment, you go through a similar treatment process, but it is usually limited to three days a week and you do not stay in the center overnight. Instead, you sleep at home and return the following day.

There are clear benefits to rehab in an inpatient treatment center, as you are kept away from triggers and substances. Your process will not be interrupted by potential missteps. But who benefits from outpatient treatment centers?

Outpatient treatment centers can be the right choice in certain situations. Here are some of the types of people who should go to an outpatient treatment center.

Parents

Most parents feel guilty about leaving their children to spend time in rehab, but the results are worth it. They learn to be the best people they can be in rehab and will return with a new lease of life that benefits everyone around them. Children will miss their parents during this time, but they will ultimately grow up in a far better environment.

However, parents of young children may not have the luxury of spending an extended period of time away. This is especially true for mothers of babies who are breastfeeding, parents of special needs kids, and other cases in which the child will struggle without them.

If inpatient treatment is not an option for these parents, they should try outpatient treatment rather than postponing it altogether.

Mild Addiction

It is difficult to classify addictions according to severity. Addiction is complex, and what seems like a mild addiction may be severe in other ways. However, in certain cases the severity demands inpatient treatment.

This is true of people who will need to go through long and painful detoxes, as well as those who are heavy users of substances every day.

If someone is able to commit to outpatient treatment without putting themselves in danger due to the nature of their addiction, it can be the best option, especially if the person is unable or unwilling to take time off from a business they run.

Returnees

Relapse is relatively common in the world of addiction treatment. This does not mean treatment has been a failure, as the time spent off drugs and alcohol is not retroactively voided. But it can mean having to go through the process of rehab all over again.

While some returnees will benefit most from an inpatient program, others may feel that they are well positioned to do the work as they go about their daily lives. Transitioning from living in rehab to the outside world can be tough, and attending rehab in conjunction with everyday life can be a useful experience.

These are some of the types of people who will benefit from outpatient treatment centers. Inpatient treatment is almost always going to be ideal, but in certain cases it may not be possible or simply does not fit.