For those who suffer form mild to moderate cases of drug addiction or substance abuse problems and who do not have a lengthy history of attempting to stay sober, outpatient drug rehab can help. This type of drug rehab provides a safe place for treatment to take place without placing the patient under so many restrictions that he or she cannot live a normal life. Outpatient drug rehab is also a viable option of treatment for those who still have a job, go to school or are the primary caretakers in the home despite their struggle with addiction.
Although outpatient drug rehab is not for everyone, millions of people begin their journey to recovery in this setting. There are many reasons why the majority of addicts will first attempt an outpatient drug rehabilitation program before making their way to the more detailed inpatient programs but the most common reason has to do with a desire to stay close to home. Most recovering addicts initially want to stay out in the real world and make an attempt at recovery without being placed in a residential facility that takes them away from their day to day routines and family life. Unfortunately, outpatient drug rehab does not provide adequate supervision for some and many will require a more invasive treatment method in order to actually get & stay sober.
Outpatient drug rehab caters to a wide variety of those who require addiction treatment. Families often choose outpatient drug rehab to stay close at home, courts often require those who get in legal trouble as a result of their addiction to attend an outpatient drug rehabilitation program, and many employers will request that their employees attend outpatient treatment if they are caught with drugs in their system.
The Goal of Outpatient Drug Rehab
Regardless of how or why you end up in outpatient drug rehab, the primary goal is the same from one program to the next: to equip you with the life-skills and strength to abstain from drugs and alcohol while growing on a social, psychological, physical and behavioral level.
Each outpatient drug rehabilitation program is different but most achieve this goal by providing some combination of the following services:
- therapy sessions on an individual and group basis
- 12-step recovery and support groups
- education about addiction and recovery
- spiritual guidance and healing programs
- individualized groups for men, women, minorities and other groups
- life-skills classes that help ease the transition back into society as a sober individual
- medical treatment as needed
- drug screenings via urinalysis, blood test, swap or other methods
- treatment for mental illness
- therapy sessions on an individual and group basis