Does Outpatient Alcohol Rehab Work

The popularity of outpatient alcohol rehab has grown over the years because of the lower price and perceived effectiveness. But does getting treatment during the day and then living at home the rest of the time really work?

The Pros Of Outpatients Alcohol Rehab

Outpatient alcohol rehab programs aim to provide people with alcohol dependency treatment and support that they need to get sober and improve their lives. Long-term alcohol dependence can lead to all sorts of serious health issues, breakdown of relationships, reduction in cognitive capacity, and liver toxicity. The success of outpatient programs is, therefore, paramount.

Continue Your Regular Daily Activities

Outpatient programs have the advantage of allowing people to continue with their regular, daily activities, with minimal interruption. Patients arrive at the treatment center, receive care, and then go back to their regular lives, remaining as functional members of the community. Outpatient programs are particularly popular among parents who still want to be able to collect their children from school.

Get Evening Counseling Services

Many outpatient programs run evening counseling services to fit in with patient schedules. These evening services allow patients to work during the day and then receive care in the evening.

Make Changes In Real Life Immediately

It can be difficult for some people on inpatient programs to translate what they learn at the rehab clinic into their regular lives. With an outpatient program, patients can begin immediately applying techniques learned during treatment to their home environment.

Outpatient Treatments May Be More Affordable

Outpatient treatments often cost less. Patients do not have to cover the cost of around-the-clock medical support, or bed and board.

The Cons Of Outpatient Alcohol Rehab

While there are many pros of outpatient alcohol rehab, there are also some serious issues you need to know about.

Not Suitable For People With A History Of Severe, Long-Term Alcohol Abuse

At Opus Health, we recommend a medically-supervised rehab program for individuals with a history of long-term, severe alcohol abuse. Alcohol can be difficult to detox from as withdrawal symptoms are highly uncomfortable and can even be fatal (strokes, delirium tremens, etc.). However, outpatient alcohol rehab can be useful for people who have already been through an inpatient program and want to ensure that they avoid relapse.

Continued Access To Alcohol

One of the benefits of checking into a rehab center is that a patient no longer has access to any substances of abuse, including alcohol. Rehab centers provide a safe environment where medical practitioners, not the patient, ensure that alcohol cannot be accessed.

But in the outpatient setting, patients are still free to travel to the liquor store or drink the contents of their drinks cabinet. Outpatient programs cannot deal with the temptation to drink.

Withdrawal symptoms from alcohol can be severe. During the withdrawal phases, it may be difficult, if not impossible, for a person to overcome the temptation to drink to relieve their pain. As good as the outpatient program might be, it can’t overcome this fundamental issue.

Limited Access To Counselors

When you are trying to come off alcohol, people never know when things will get emotionally or psychologically difficult. When patients are part of an inpatient program, they get access to counselors around the clock who can help them in their hour of need. But outpatient programs may restrict access to mental health professionals to certain times of the day which may not be suitable for patient needs.

Timely counseling and support are often essential for preventing relapse. If a patient cannot get help when they need it, then it may undermine the effectiveness of the outpatient program.

Lack Of Bonding With Other Patients

Getting off alcohol is as much a social as it is a personal battle. Many people on inpatient programs develop close bonds with those around them, helping to motivate them to stop drinking and focus on positive and productive things in their lives.

Outpatient programs are more disjointed. There aren’t as many opportunities for patients to develop camaraderie with others going through the same experience as them. And patients may find that this undermines their accountability and willingness to change their lives.

Patients find that having a supportive community of peers is the best way to get sober and stay that way. Building a network of support in an outpatient program isn’t impossible, but it is more difficult.

Does outpatient alcohol rehab work? The answer is complicated. While it may be an excellent option for some, it’s not suitable for everyone. At Opus, we’re committed to providing only the best programs that suit the needs of the individual.