The toughest decision most addicts or alcoholics will ever make is usually the choice to turn off the road of self-destruction and accept help. After that initial consent is made, the next question is almost always this: How much help do I need and what type? The treatment landscape can seem a bit overwhelming to many at first. Jump on Google and type ‘drug treatment’ and the list and variety of options can seem like an assault on the senses. Relax. The help you or your loved one needs is out there, it’s just a matter of finding the right fit. The best way to do this is to first understand the basic types of treatment that exist for drug and alcohol dependency.
Here are the basic categories:
Medical Detox
This is where most patients will start, regardless of their future plans. First things first, we have to get off of the drugs and alcohol safely and comfortably under medical supervision.
Inpatient or Residential Treatment
This is the traditional drug rehab model, usually 28-30 days in a facility with 24/7 medically trained staff. The downsides are that cost without insurance are usually in the 5 figures, with insurance it can be manageable for many, if not most, but it all depends on your benefits. It’s a good idea to find out what your benefits cover. All Harmony facilities can provide you with a free, no obligation verification of benefits.
Partial Hospitalization and/or Intensive Outpatient
Here is where it gets a little more complex. These are technically “levels of care” which may be provided at different types of facilities. Often patients will choose to receive this type of day treatment at a facility that also has an affiliation with a good sober living program. The benefit here is the patient gets most of the features of the inpatient program including individual and group therapy. But these programs are often more affordable with or without insurance.
Outpatient Treatment
This is the least intensive type of care. Outpatient treatment typically occurs no more than 2 times a week and only for an hour or two at a time. For most patients this is not nearly enough to start with. Theoretically, one could just get detoxed and jump right into outpatient. Most patients will have far better results however if they commit to something much more substantial. Outpatient treatment is ideal as a follow up to the more intense levels of care, it is rarely an adequate substitute though. This is especially true for someone who has never attended a full treatment program.
The decision on which types of care to pursue should be made carefully. The best practice is to rely on professional medical advice when making this decision. Remember that there is no such thing as getting “too much help” for a problem. But it is possible to get not enough help. We never know how many chances a person will get to attempt recovery, so when in doubt it is best to err on the side of caution. Get as much help as is available under your means and circumstances. You will never meet a healthy, recovered person who wishes they had gotten less help.
If you would like to discuss treatment options for yourself or someone you care about, please give us a call.