Have you seriously considered checking yourself into an intensive outpatient for alcohol abuse? If this is the case, you have just made a very serious step forward towards your sobriety. Nobody can seek help for you when you are an alcoholic. The final decision to go into treatment must be your own. There are many things you will need to take into consideration before you make a decision about where you will attend rehab. There are both inpatient and outpatient rehab facilities that you can choose from. Here are the differences between these two types of facilities so you can make up your mind.
1. You will be able to keep working while you are attending an outpatient rehab program.
One of the biggest problems for people who want to go to rehab is finding the time to do it. Going to an inpatient rehab facility will require these people to take four or five weeks off from their jobs. This loss of income is something that many people cannot afford. Some of the employers of these people will not be thrilled that one of their employees is not going to be available for an extended period of time. This is especially true if the person has a very important job and he or she will be difficult to replace while the person is in rehab. Outpatient treatment allows the addict to attend meetings several times each week. He can still keep working a full-time job with no disruption to his schedule. Therefore, there will be no loss of income for the patient. Inpatient rehab facilities require the patients to live full-time in the facility for the duration of treatment. They are not allowed to go home while treatment is still underway.
2. Outpatient rehabs are often much more affordable to attend than inpatient facilities.
You might be on a very tight budget. You do not have insurance that will pay for part of the cost of your alcohol rehab treatment. However, you still need professional help overcoming your alcohol addiction. Outpatient rehab facilities are a great choice for people who want to go to rehab and do not have a lot of money to spend. Inpatient facilities are always going to be more expensive than their outpatient counterparts. This is because the patient is living at the inpatient facility. It is basically like a hotel. The facility also provides all of the food that patients eat while attending inpatient rehab. These facilities often have luxury amenities that are similar to a vacation resort. Outpatient treatment is a way of getting rehab with no frills. The patient sleeps in his own bed and eats his own food. You can find out the alcohol addiction rates in your area by looking online.
3. Outpatient treatment will allow you to attend rehab while still taking care of your kids.
Another big issue for people who want to attend an inpatient rehab facility is what they are going to do with their kids while they are receiving treatment. Who will be taking care of them? This is a real concern for single parents. However, outpatient treatment will enable a person to only be out of the house for a few hours at a time. This means that only a babysitter will be needed. The schedule for outpatient treatment is very manageable. People who work full-time and have children should not have a problem finding the time needed to meet with their counselor and attend group therapy.
4. You will not need to have a roommate if you attend outpatient treatment.
A common complaint among people who attend inpatient rehab facilities is the fact that many of them require patients to have a roommate. It bothers many people to sleep in the same room with an alcoholic who is a complete stranger for the entire time they are in rehab. People who are going to outpatient treatment will not need to be concerned about this. They will be sleeping at home in their own bed.
5. Outpatient treatment does not cut the patients off from friends and family.
One of the toughest things for people to deal with when they are going to an inpatient rehab facility is the lack of access they have to their friends and family members. These people can only visit the facility one time during treatment. Phone access is also restricted for all patients. Phone calls can only be made with permission. People who attend outpatient treatment can see their loved ones any time they choose.
