Discontinuing the use of alcohol and drugs is the most crucial step toward recovery—and it’s also the hardest. Treatment success requires complete withdrawal, which can be hard to attain without professional intervention.
Inpatient and outpatient medical detox for drug addiction can aid in recovery, but there are factors to consider before choosing a treatment plan. Read on to learn more about the inpatient vs. outpatient treatment debate and how each modality helps patients go on to live healthy, substance-free lives.
Medical Detoxification: What Is It?
During medical detox, trained staff members oversee patients’ health as they go through drug or alcohol withdrawal. Patients typically meet with medical providers throughout the day, during which time symptoms and vital signs are monitored.
Medical detox programs offer regular staff access in various settings, including partial hospitalization, inpatient, and outpatient environments. Inpatient programs are the most intensive, requiring the patient’s presence 24 hours a day, seven days a week, while outpatient medical detox programs often distribute medications that decrease withdrawal systems.
How Does Medication-Assisted Detox Work?
Medication-assisted treatment or MAT is a crucial part of recovery. It helps patients manage their cravings and withdrawal symptoms so they can direct their focus elsewhere. MAT is an inpatient or outpatient option for various substances, including alcohol and drugs. It’s typically combined with support services and counseling, and it reduces relapse risk. Medical detox is proven to:
- Decrease the frequency of substance use.
- Inhibit criminal activity.
- Raise employment rates.
- Improve social function.
If you are struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, medical detox and assisted treatment may be a viable option.
Inpatient vs. Outpatient Programs
Partial hospitalization programs, also known as PHP, are more time- and labor-intensive than outpatient programs, but allow patients to return home for part of the day. Inpatient programs, however, offer round-the-clock care while minimizing the pain and discomfort of withdrawal. Because symptoms may continue for several weeks after usage stops, follow-up care is essential.
What’s Next After Detox is Over?
Medical detox helps patients get through the toughest part of recovery, but it doesn’t provide counseling or therapy. While stopping the use of substances is crucial, additional treatment is just as important.
Whether you participate in an outpatient or inpatient medical detox program, your chances of continued sobriety increase. These programs help addicts learn how to manage cravings and triggers, decreasing relapse risk. After medical detox, consider:
- Residential or inpatient treatment
- Intensive outpatient therapy
- PHP
- Peer support groups like NA or AA
- Psychotherapy
- Sober living facilities/halfway houses
Finishing a drug or alcohol detox program gives patients the support they need to continue in recovery, while treatment programs offer additional assistance like job placement, vocational rehabilitation, and social services. When there’s something to return to, relapse risk decreases.
Finding the Right Drug and Alcohol Treatment Option is Tough, But Worthwhile
Recovering from drug or alcohol abuse starts with the detoxification process. Detox alone, however, isn’t enough to give an addict the support and assistance needed for long-term recovery and relapse prevention. Finding a treatment center with an inpatient or outpatient medical detox program, along with individualized care options, is the key to lasting recovery and a life free from drugs and alcohol. Learn more about Everlast Recovery’s programs online or call to schedule a consultation with a recovery specialist.
We are not doctors and this is in no way intended to be used as medical advice and we cannot be held responsible for your results. As with any product, service or supplement, use at your own risk. Always do your own research before using.
Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.