Understanding Substance Abuse: How Does Outpatient Rehab Work?

Overcoming substance abuse requires a comprehensive treatment plan that offers a full continuance of care throughout the process. Patients trying to overcome addiction can’t be expected to remain living in a facility for months or years as they work through the recovery process. This is why outpatient rehab is such a vital part of addiction treatment, but how does outpatient rehab work? We’ll delve into the various aspects of outpatient treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, including how it benefits patients and whether it is more effective than traditional inpatient treatment.

What Is the Meaning of Outpatient Rehabilitation Services?

Outpatient rehabilitation services entail a range of therapy programs provided to patients who do not require or have completed inpatient or detox treatments. Outpatient rehab in California helps residents receive addiction treatment therapy while allowing them to maintain their daily routines and live at home. Outpatient rehab for addiction provides professional medical care and supervision while being more cost-effective and convenient than inpatient programs. Patients typically visit outpatient facilities a few times a week, with sessions lasting one to three hours, depending on their specific needs and treatment protocols. This format lets patients immediately apply what they learn in treatment in the real world, making the addiction treatment process more effective.

Is Outpatient the Same as Therapy?

While outpatient treatment and therapy are similar, they are different in their offerings and approach. Outpatient addiction treatment is a structured program designed to address substance use disorders involving multiple aspects beyond traditional therapy. An outpatient program for addiction typically involves addiction education, relapse prevention training, coping skills management, and mental health exercises. These are all designed to help patients learn how to overcome the issues and triggers affecting their addiction.

On the other hand, therapy typically consists of one-on-one and group sessions with a therapist, usually occurring a few times per week. While therapy can address substance use issues, it generally takes a broader approach to mental health and emotional well-being by focusing on the life challenges, relationships, trauma, anxiety, depression, or personal demons causing the addiction. Therapy is often more flexible and less structured than outpatient addiction treatment, with the therapist and patient working together to determine the pace of therapy.

Is Outpatient Better Than Inpatient?

The type of treatment and its effectiveness, whether outpatient or inpatient, will depend on each patient’s needs. However, between 2011 and 2020, the number of patients receiving outpatient treatment increased from 90% to 94%, while the number of people in residential treatment declined from 9% to 5%, according to the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services. The rise in popularity of outpatient treatment demonstrates its flexibility and effectiveness in treating addiction.

Outpatient drug rehab in Los Angeles can be more suitable for residents with milder addiction issues, strong support systems, and stable home environments. It allows patients to maintain their work, school, or family responsibilities while receiving treatment, making it more practical and less disruptive to daily life. The lower cost of outpatient treatment also makes it more accessible to many people. It can also serve as an effective transition option after completing an inpatient program.

Why Do People Go to Outpatient Therapy?

Studies have shown that more than 95% of people who needed drug rehab in 2021 didn’t receive it, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). While the reasoning behind this will vary for each person, having access to treatment is often the biggest barrier. Attending inpatient rehab treatment for alcohol or drug addiction means taking time off work and leaving friends and family behind. Outpatient therapy removes these issues by letting patients receive treatment according to their work and life schedules.

Outpatient is ideal for those with less intense addictions. While inpatient rehab is an intensive level of care that can be helpful during the early stages of recovery or for those who have experienced multiple relapses, it’s not suited for those with stable home environments and a less problematic addiction. Outpatient rehab allows the patient to still receive the support needed to maintain recovery but in a less structured and more flexible manner.

Learn How Does Outpatient Rehab Work at Resurgence Behavioral Health

Many people struggling with addiction but wanting to keep their work-life schedules often wonder how does outpatient rehab work for their treatment needs. At Resurgence Behavioral Health, our outpatient addiction treatment services are designed to provide flexible but effective treatment for addiction recovery. Our outpatient rehab program provides the continuous support, therapy, and education necessary to overcome addiction while enabling patients to return home daily and fulfill their various responsibilities.

Studies on addiction science and the treatment of substance use disorders have led to the use of evidence-based treatment that helps patients overcome drug addiction and return to a productive lifestyle, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Resurgence Behavioral Health uses evidence-based treatment methods to ensure each patient can access effective treatment plans during outpatient rehab. To learn more about our treatment approaches for outpatient rehab for addiction, please contact Resurgence Behavioral Health by calling us at 855-455-0050 today.

External Sources

• Department of Health and Human Services – National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – 2021 National Survey of Drug Use and Health
• National Insitute on Drug Abuse – Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction Treatment and Recovery

David Rofofsky
After growing up in New York, David chose to get help with substance abuse in California because of the state's reputation for top-tier treatment. There, he found the treatment he needed to achieve more than nine years of recovery. He's been in the drug and alcohol addiction rehab industry for eight years and now serves as the Director of Admissions for Resurgence Behavioral Health. David remains passionate about the field because he understands how hard it is to pick up the phone and ask for help. However, once the call is made, someone's life can be saved.

Research | Editorial