It can be a daunting task to find the right type of drug treatment plan for yourself or a loved one.
There are many different treatment options available, ranging from inpatient care to staying home and going to meetings. If the addiction has gotten so severe that withdrawal symptoms are intense, medically assisted detox may be necessary to ease the pain and ensure safety. Detox is usually offered as part of inpatient addiction treatment, but not in partial hospitalization. If you or your loved one have tried repeatedly to stop on your own while living at home and have not been able to, some type of hospitalization may be necessary to get a good jump-start toward recovery. In less severe cases, partial hospitalization may be the best course to take.
Many people use the terms inpatient and residential synonymously, but they are not exactly the same. Below is a breakdown of inpatient, residential and partial hospitalization.
Inpatient treatment:
- Medically assisted detox
- Twenty-four-hour care
- Strict environment (no cell phone use, restrictions on visitations, etc.)
- A doctor or psychiatrist sees the client daily
- Substance abuse must be excessive
- Length of stay is usually five to seven days
Residential treatment:
- A less restrictive, more home-like setting
- Utilization of a medical staff, although not always on a twenty-four-hour basis
- Additional services available depending upon the center (such as yoga, art therapy, a gym, classes, religious services, etc.)
- Provides both individual and group therapy
- Length of stay is usually twenty-eight days but can last as long as ninety days depending upon the severity of the addiction
Partial Hospitalization:
- Structured program that does not require staying overnight
- Classes and groups usually meet three to five days a week for up to five hours each day
- Provides individual and group therapy
- Provides the opportunity to work with social workers and other mental health practitioners
- Usually provides family therapy
- Can be a good transition from inpatient or residential treatment
The first step in finding the care that is right for you or your loved one is to speak with a health care professional and have a mental health assessment. It is important to be honest when answering the questions so that you can get the care that is appropriate for you. For instance, if you report that you drink a few times a week when you actually drink daily, the assessment will not yield an accurate outcome. Withdrawal from certain chemicals such as alcohol and heroin can be fatal. When seeking help, being honest with yourself and the health care provider will give you the best opportunity of getting the help that is right for you so that you can be on your way to a sober life.
