Let the Recovery Process Begin: How Outpatient Drug Rehab Works

Around 21 million Americans have some kind of addiction. But only 10% of those people ever get treatment for it.

Getting help for an addiction, particularly for drugs, can be a life-changing decision. Going to rehab to get the care you need is the first step on your journey to recovery.

But what about after rehab? How do you move from this safe, nurturing facility and back into the real world? Luckily, there are places to help you.

Read on to learn more about outpatient drug rehab and how it can help you.

Why Do You Need Outpatient Rehab?

If you’re wondering ‘What is outpatient rehab?’, here’s everything you need to know.

When you’ve completed rehab, you’ve hit a huge milestone on your recovery journey. Rehab can help you detox from addictive substances and help you stop negative, self-sabotage behavior patterns. It provides you with the support to get over this first major hurdle.

But outside of rehab, things can become hard. You’re out in the world again and might be facing the same stresses of life that caused you to turn to substances in the first place. Of course, you have new coping mechanisms to help, but sometimes you need extra support.

This is where outpatient alcohol treatment or drug treatment comes in. It can help you ease back into your life without throwing you in the deep end. When you need help, you’ll have somewhere and/or someone to turn to.

How Does Outpatient Rehab Work?

To learn more about outpatient substance abuse support, you first have to look at the two different methods available.

  • Onsite Residences – These are alcohol and drug-free houses that you can stay in after rehab. They’re usually in safe, quiet neighborhoods where you can feel at home. You’ll have a strong peer-group to offer your support, and independence is encouraged. It’s a gentle way to re-enter life outside rehab.
  • Outpatient Services – Not everyone can stay at the residences, which is where outpatient services are helpful. Through these, you can have access to councilors and therapists as well as many treatments to help you rehabilitate. If you ever feel like you’re struggling, help is only a phone call away.

If you’re looking for drug rehab centers, take a look at the different options available to find what works for you.

You can opt for outpatient rehab for substance abuse without ever going into rehab or after inpatient treatment.

Outpatient Rehab Programs

If you’re an outpatient, alcohol and drugs can be hard to avoid, even after rehab. The programs offered all aim to keep you away from harmful substances, reduce your dependency on them, and help you learn coping mechanisms to stay on the right path. They can also help you discover the root cause of your addiction.

The first step (if you haven’t already) in outpatient programs is usually detoxing. This involves safely coming off of your substance. If you don’t detox correctly, it can be harmful to your health or not work, so this is a crucial step in recovery.

You’ll then move onto drug addiction treatment, which can involve the following therapies:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
  • Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT)
  • Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR)
  • Motivational Interviewing (MI)
  • Family Therapy

There’ll also be peer groups, holistic approaches to healing, and hospital or medical treatment. They may also follow the 12 step program, which is widely used for substance abuse.

Setting You up for a Better Life

Alongside outpatient substance abuse treatment, your facility will also help you try and get your life back on track. Or, perhaps, they’ll help you to create a new life that you can look forward to.

They may offer life skills training, for example. This can include lessons on how to cook, how to clean, and developing skills for jobs. If you have children, parenting classes are offered, too.

They can also help you find work. In fact, a lot of inhouse facilities are purposefully placed around industrious areas to make finding a job much easier. You’ll be helped with interview preparation, making sure you have the right clothes to wear, and supporting you as you go back to work.

A team of therapists can help you work on your outlook on life too. By reworking negative behavior, such as problems with anger or anxiety, they’ll better prepare for life amongst others. They’ll also help you tackle the causes of your drug addiction to heal past trauma.

All of these services can help you get back out into the world and make it your own. You’ll have the support, guidance, and love you need to start your life again.

Why Choose Outpatient Drug Rehab Centers?

Choosing outpatient substance abuse help is a big step in recovery. If you’re still not sure, here are just some of the benefits of this type of recovery program:

  • Keep Your Life – If you have kids, a job, or other commitments, rehab isn’t always possible. Outpatient services give you a way to get the treatment you need without putting the rest of your life on pause.
  • Choose Your Care – There are different levels of intensity with outpatient services, so you can choose the level of treatment you need.
  • Affordable – It’s often more budget-friendly than rehab, making it a great option if you don’t have the funds.
  • Continued support – If you’ve finished rehab, outpatient services provide a crutch to lean on as you restart your life without substance dependency.

Start Your Recovery Today

The road to recovery isn’t easy, but with the right services and support, such as outpatient drug rehab, you can live a drug-free life. So why not take the first step today?

For more on how you can create a more positive, successful life, take a look at our other articles.

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