Outpatient treatment is best suited for those who have mild to moderate cases of alcoholism. It’s also suitable for those who can’t ignore their prior responsibilities at work or school, as this approach gives the person flexibility in the treatment schedule.
What Is Outpatient Treatment For Alcohol?
An alcohol outpatient programme is provided to people who are struggling with their drinking habits. The client is scheduled to attend sessions for several days a week. During the session, they receive therapy or counselling, which is aimed at helping them manage or stop their alcohol addiction.
There’s also an intensive outpatient programme where the client stays at home and only comes out to do sessions in a rehab facility.
What Difference Is There Between Inpatient And Outpatient Treatment?
The difference between inpatient rehab and outpatient rehab is that the latter form of treatment allows the person to go in and out of the centre to receive treatment. This approach will enable them to care for their family and work while in treatment.
Inpatient treatment, on the other hand, is held full-time in a rehab facility, where they are momentarily not allowed to go out or talk to friends or family unless there’s an emergency. This approach enables the client to focus on the recovery process entirely.
Can Anyone Access Outpatient Rehab?
Not everyone is recommended to have an outpatient treatment for alcohol addiction. The most significant reason for that is the severity of alcohol addiction. Individuals with severe alcohol addiction are advised to have inpatient treatment, where they stay inside the centre for a longer time and receive a higher level of care.
Mental health experts conduct a series of assessments to determine whether an individual should receive inpatient or outpatient treatment. If outpatient treatment is suitable, they recommend that approach to their clients.
Another critical factor is the cost of outpatient rehab. Some people who have problems with alcohol can find themselves in a difficult financial situation because of their addiction. This situation can make it hard for them to receive treatment. Although some can financially access it through insurance or financing, there is still a demographic where they don’t have access to these services.
What to Expect From Outpatient Alcohol Rehab Centres
When you get into an outpatient treatment, you can expect to receive a structured treatment service for your alcohol addiction. Depending on the assessment and the treatment plan, you may receive therapy, counselling, detox, and outpatient care.
Outpatient Alcohol Rehab Programmes
An outpatient alcohol rehab programme may include various forms of therapy (psychotherapy or group therapy), counselling, and educational workshops.
Psychotherapy or talking therapy is conducted to help the person sort out their psychology healthily. The majority of people who have problems with alcohol have co-occurring mental health issues. Through this kind of therapy, the client can have a more accurate view of the world and better manage their negative emotions.
In group therapy, sessions are held with other clients in rehab. During the meeting, everyone is free to chip in their unique perspective on alcohol addiction and advice on how to recover from it.
Counselling is a lighter version of talking therapy where the client is taught practical strategies on how to manage triggers and cravings or quit alcohol.
In educational workshops, a mental health expert will conduct psychoeducation related to alcohol abuse. This approach aims to help the clients have a broader understanding of the condition that they’re dealing with.
Outpatient Detox
Detox is a process where the client stops taking the alcohol and goes through the adverse effects of withdrawal symptoms. The goal is to stay sober until their bodies stabilise back to normal, to a point where they don’t need to retake alcohol to feel normal. Psychiatrists or medical experts will prescribe medicines to lessen the adverse effects of the withdrawal process.
In an outpatient detox, the client is free to go in and out of the centre as they receive their detox treatment. This approach can only be used after an educated decision from a mental health expert has been finalised.
Most detoxes are usually done in an inpatient treatment, as the withdrawal phase can pose a risk to the person’s health and life.
However, there are also instances where outpatient detox is possible. For example, an individual may need immediate care for their alcohol addiction, and they may be free from complex medical issues that could be obstacles in the detox process. They may also afford to have access to medical services at home.
Outpatient Care
In outpatient care, the client receives alcohol treatment without momentarily suspending their responsibilities at school, work, or family. This is a significant advantage of outpatient care that an inpatient doesn’t have.
However, these are usually only recommended to individuals who have mild to moderate levels of alcohol addiction. This ‘lighter’ treatment option is already enough to help a person in this category make a change in their drinking habits.
The Benefits Of Outpatient Rehab
The benefits of outpatient treatment revolve around its therapeutic modalities, levels of care, and a client’s scheduled attendance.
Therapies
In outpatient treatment, the client can receive various therapeutic modalities such as CBT, DTB, ACT, contingency management (CM), motivational interviewing (MI), group therapy, family therapy, 12-step facilitation, and medication-assisted treatment (MAT).
Each of these approaches is tailored to address a specific issue that a client might have.
Level Of Care
The client has a regular, scheduled appointment that they attend several times a week. This approach gives them the leeway to fulfil their obligations outside treatment.
Attendance
Attendance for outpatient treatment largely depends on the client’s free time. The attending personnel will determine what works best for the client and the rehab facility.
How Long Does Outpatient Care Last?
The duration of outpatient care depends on the client’s case, but you can generally expect it to last three to six months. Depending on how the individual responds to treatment, this can take longer or shorter.
How Effective Is Outpatient Treatment For Alcoholism?
Outpatient treatment is effective for mild to moderate alcoholism. However, there are still other factors that need to be accounted for. The first one is that the client cannot suspend their work obligations. In this case, outpatient treatment is preferable.
Some variables can make a person respond less to outpatient treatment. Those can include a history of relapse during outpatient treatment, suicide attempts, co-occurring disorders, lengthy duration of relapse, and having dropped out of an outpatient treatment programme.
Who Decides On The Types Of Outpatient Or Inpatient Treatment?
A multidisciplinary mental health professional team discusses and decides whether someone goes to outpatient or inpatient treatment. The team usually includes a psychiatrist, psychologist, substance use counsellor, and case managers.
They will discuss each client’s history and current condition and collaborate on the best path for them.
What Happens After Completing Outpatient Treatment?
Once the outpatient treatment has concluded, the facility will conduct aftercare sessions to see how their clients are doing. They will check on their recovery and how they have been adapting to life after treatment.
The facility might also connect its clients to 12-step support groups outside of the facility so that they can receive help whenever they need it or offer assistance to others who are also in need.
Where To Find Help For Alcohol Addiction
If you are looking for a rehab centre for your alcohol use disorder, we at Sierra Recovery have been helping people manage and quit their alcohol abuse. While we do not offer outpatient treatment, we offer other levels of alcohol addiction treatment. Reach out to us so we can start helping you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What treatment options are available for an individual who has a drinking problem?
There are a wide variety of available treatment options for someone who has a drinking problem. That includes medically assisted detox, psychological counselling, oral medications, injected medications, support groups, therapy, and medicine for co-occurring health conditions.
Which is considered the most effective alcoholism treatment?
There is not one single treatment that can solely treat someone's alcohol misuse. It takes a combined, careful approach that addresses the client's specific needs.
