Is Outpatient Drug Rehab the Right Choice for You?

Outpatient drug rehab has some limitations. In my own situation, outpatient treatment did not really work as far as my own recovery went. But there are some benefits to it as well, and it seems to work for some.

Outpatient is essentially the day program at a residential treatment facility without actually staying in the facility overnight. So with outpatient rehab, you go home each night after attending the various meetings and counseling sessions at rehab all day.

So outpatient is really a step down from staying overnight in an inpatient setting.

Does outpatient drug rehab work?

Some people do find success in outpatient drug rehab, but the odds are lower than if they had checked into a residential program. The research seems to back this up.

Are there any benefits to outpatient treatment?

Of course outpatient is better in terms of convenience, because you get to return to your home after each day. So it does not disrupt your life as fully as if you were to go stay somewhere inpatient for a few weeks. The overall expense will be much lower, as you don't have to pay for an inpatient facility to put you up for a few weeks and provide meals.
Some might even be able to continue working while attending outpatient treatment, so there is added convenience there as well.

Who should go to outpatient drug rehab?

People who have never tried any treatment before might do well in outpatient treatment, so it might be worth a try for some. If it works for you, that’s great. Being sober is what is important. Outcomes are what is important.

On the other hand, if you’ve tried outpatient in the past and not had good long term results, you might want to take a look at other treatment options. Staying in a treatment center for a few weeks is just one possiblity. You might think about trying some AA or NA meetings or perhaps getting into some regular therapy sessions each week. There are many paths to sobriety.

If you attempt one strategy for recovery and it fails for you, my advice is to try again with a more structured environment next time. If outpatient fails for you, then step up to inpatient. If this also fails you, then you could step up to a long term facility. You get the picture.