Residential vs. Outpatient Treatment: Choosing the best plan

Choosing the right program for addiction treatment is a critical step in successful recovery. When deciding which treatment suits the given circumstances, consider the current state of the addict’s health, living situation, attitudes, and behaviors.

What level of support and supervision does the addict need? How do they perceive their addiction? How severe is their current substance abuse? Answering these questions will help determine the best course of action.

Enrolling in a treatment program can mark the first step toward creating a new, sober lifestyle. Read on to learn the differences between residential and outpatient treatment.

Residential treatment

The Walker Center’s residential program is a fully-immersive treatment experience, typically lasting a minimum of 28 days. This type of format is for addicts who will see the best outcomes by removing themselves from their current lifestyle for supervised treatment and support.

This program is highly structured with 24-hour supervision with the goal of stabilizing the person from acute addiction and other co-occurring issues. Throughout this experience, clients participate in Cognitive Behavioral Group counseling to get a clearer, more realistic grasp on how addiction has impacted their lives and their families.

If someone enters residential treatment intoxicated or suffering from withdrawal symptoms, they are offered medically-monitored withdrawal management during their detox program. The goal of the detoxification period is to keep the client safe and lessen the pain of unpleasant symptoms in preparation for treatment.

Throughout treatment, clients work on individual treatment issues while they attend classes and counseling sessions that grow their self-awareness and remind them that they are not alone. They develop a camaraderie with others who have experienced the trenches of addiction and understand the wreckage that their disease has caused in their relationships.

People learn to see each other’s similarities above their differences and walk away with tools to be successful in recovery. Clients’ families are expected to attend Family Program and learn about addiction, their own difficulties, and how to recover.

Outpatient treatment

Outpatient treatment begins with a comprehensive assessment of a person’s environment, history, substance use, medical conditions, and other factors surrounding their addiction. The Walker Center partners with the client to create a treatment plan that adheres to the client’s outside commitments, including employment, housing, and childcare circumstances.

The purpose is to provide the client with the best treatment experience possible while the client continues fulfilling their daily work or family commitments. The best candidates for outpatient treatment live in environments that support their sobriety.

Having stable housing and healthy influences will help an addict succeed through treatment and avoid relapsing. Clients typically attend group or individual counseling sessions multiple times per week for therapy, coaching, and medication.

Outpatient treatment offers a variety of services, including Family Group, Relapse Prevention, Moral Reconation Therapy, and Cognitive Self Change. In each area of focus, The Walker Center provides clients and their families with tools to rebuild their self-confidence and move toward a substance-free lifestyle.

Taking next steps

As you process the differences in treatment options, avoid letting cost be a prohibitive factor in getting help. Making the decision to start treatment can be intimidating, but the outcome outweighs the costs that substance dependency incurs on a person’s health. Learn more tips for navigating addiction treatment.

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