Addiction Recovery Series 1: Types of Addiction Treatment
By Eriach Fox, LPC, LCADC (he/him)
Navigating addiction recovery can be extremely difficult, as many opinions, biases and misinformed belief systems can inhibit one’s ability to not only find proper treatment but truly recover from the grips that addiction has over them. Choosing the path to recovery is extremely overwhelming and you might have asked yourself…
Do I need to go to detox? Maybe a rehab facility?
Could partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient services be more appropriate?
Could I do 12-step meetings?
What’s the difference between all these options anyway? I am just confused.
The right path for you is likely going to be different compared to another for a myriad of reasons.
Some people may need to go through a medically supervised detox (especially if there is a physical dependency to alcohol or benzodiazepines). For some people, leaving their home environment and going to a residential rehabilitation program may be the answer whereas for others they may not have the opportunity to do that due to obligations in the home such as work or childcare.
Finding an effective path for your substance use requires one to take space to understand the options that are available to you. Learning about the different types of addiction treatment is the first step in understanding what is going to work best for you!
Residential Treatment allows individuals to take a step back by spending time away from the triggers that caused the substance use. This type of treatment allows an individual to focus on recovery without everyday life distractions. While in a residential program, individuals are supported by a healthcare team that helps manage detox, withdrawal symptoms and provides group/individual therapy sessions.
Outpatient Treatment may be an option for individuals who are unable to take extended time off from work or home responsibilities. When enrolling in an outpatient treatment program, an individual will receive substance use treatment during the day or the evening and return home. These treatment centers usually have an individual meet with the treatment team for 2-3 hours a day and offer the same types of treatment that residential offers.
Day Treatment/Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) is quite similar to outpatient treatment as you are able to live at home, work and attend treatment. However, a day program/PHP is a bigger time commitment as patients often attend programs 6-8 hours a day in addition to receiving the same detox, withdrawal and counseling support.
Sober Living is a wonderful option for individuals who have just successfully finished residential treatment and potentially do not have a safe home environment to return home to. Sober living programs provide individuals with a transition space to continue to focus and maintain sobriety in a safe environment while learning healthy living and coping skills, attending therapy and meetings.
Addiction and addiction treatment is complex. Oftentimes, there is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to choosing a path for your own recovery as it is going to depend on who you are, what type of substance you are addicted to and the needs that you have. No matter what type of treatment you choose, the most important thing is that you have chosen to put yourself first and committed yourself to getting help…which is often the hardest part!
Recovery is by no means easy, so give yourself grace on the journey.
