Deciding to enter treatment for a drug or alcohol addiction is a huge decision. It’s also a brave step toward recovery that will bring with it many positive changes to your life and the lives of your family members. For many, taking this step only comes after they feel that they no longer have any choice left – that they have hit rock bottom. That isn’t always true. If you feel that you need help with your drug or alcohol problem, the time to get help is now. You do not have to suffer any more negative consequences due to your addiction.
Once you have decided that treatment is the way you want to go, you have to consider all of your treatment options and decide which one is best for you. There are many recovery options that are open to you, but unless you have someone who understands addiction and recovery to help you, it may be difficult to decide which route to take.
Some addicts are able to get and stay clean and sober with 12-step or other recovery support groups, hearing the experience, strength, and hope of others and getting a sponsor to guide them. But most need to attend a rehab facility that offers inpatient and outpatient treatment programs. Some choose to attend an intensive outpatient program (IOP) that meets a few times a week, for a few hours, where they learn about addiction, receive support, and learn coping skills for living sober. Others decide to go to residential rehab, where they are fully immersed in recovery for 30 days or longer before returning to normal life.
Inpatient and Outpatient Drug Rehab Treatment Programs in Fresno
There are pros and cons to both outpatient and inpatient programs. The following will help you consider which one is right for you.
Outpatient Treatment
The pros of outpatient treatment include:
- Cost – Outpatient treatment is much less expensive than inpatient, and insurance usually covers a good amount.
- Live at Home – You don’t have to live somewhere else while attending.
- Continue with Work or School – You can continue with your normal activities, as most IOP programs offer schedules that are outside of normal work hours.
- Therapy – You will receive therapy (mostly in groups) with a licensed therapist.
- Addiction Education – You will receive the latest in addiction education and relapse prevention techniques.
The cons of outpatient treatment include:
- No Substance-free Environment – Because you will not be away from your daily life, you will still have access to drugs or alcohol.
- No Medical Assisted Detox – You will have to attend detox separately or get sober on your own before attending.
- Exposure to Triggers – You will still be exposed to the same triggers that caused you to use in the first place.
- Distraction – Daily life can become a distraction to your recovery efforts.
Residential, or Inpatient Treatment
The pros of residential treatment include:
You Are Never Alone – Because you live-in at a residential rehab, there are always addiction professionals to talk to for support, you never have to be alone
A sense of community – When you are living with a group of others who are going through the same thoughts and feeling that you are, bonding happens quickly.
Therapy – You will receive both individual and group therapy.
Psychiatric Care – If you have underlying mental health issues, they will be addressed and you will be provided medication if needed.
No Distractions – You are completely away from the outside world, so your focus can be on recovery.
Addiction Education – Lectures, classes, and other activities will help prepare you for living sober.
Medical Detox – Detox is typically part of residential rehab, so you will not have to do it unassisted.
Aftercare – Most rehabs have an aftercare or alumni program to continue to strengthen your recovery after you go home.
The cons of residential treatment include:
Closed Campus – You cannot come and go, you have to stay within the facility at all times (although there may be meetings or recovery-related activities that are held elsewhere, where you will go as a supervised group.)
Very Busy Days – The days in residential rehab are structured and busy, there isn’t a lot of downtimes.
Cannot Work or Attend School – You will have to stop working or going to school during your stay in rehab.
Childcare – If you have children, you will have to find someone to care for them while you are away.
Cost – Rehab can be expensive, even if you have insurance.
What You Need to Know Before You Choose Drug Rehab in Fresno
It’s important that you get as much information as you can about the treatment centers you are considering. Here are some of the questions you or your family members should ask before making a decision about which treatment program to attend.
How Long is the Drug Rehab Program?
Most addiction treatment programs are around 28 days long. Unfortunately, for many people that isn’t enough time to achieve stable sobriety. Whether a rehab center offers longer programs or at least has the option of doing so, is a consideration that is worth looking at.
Does Drug Rehab Provide Psychiatric Evaluations and Care?
Most people with addictions have underlying mental health issues that need to be addressed in order to achieve long-lasting recovery. Whether a facility offers access to psychiatric care can be a huge factor in deciding which drug rehab to attend.
Does the Program Include Learning Coping and Life Skills?
No matter how well a person does while they are in rehab, they eventually have to go back to their daily lives and deal with stressful situations. When you add that to the fear and anxiety that naturally come along with the days of early sobriety, it can be a disaster waiting to happen if they have not learned sufficient coping and life skills while in rehab. Education about dealing with life and coping with triggers is essential.
What is Drug Rehab’s Recovery Model?
Addiction treatment programs often believe in specific models of addiction recovery. Some believe that addiction is a disease and that it needs to be treated as such. Others believe that addiction is essentially a behavioral issue, a matter of choice, and it is treated accordingly. It’s important for you to find a facility that fits your beliefs and that you feel will benefit you the most.
Does the Rehab Program Make Promises That Seem Too Good to Be True?
Some treatment facilities make promises that seem illogical or offer some sort of “instant cure.” These are facilities that need to be avoided. Addiction is an extremely complex issue that has many factors in play, and it must be addressed as such. It is a process that requires education, therapy, support, life and coping skills, psychiatric evaluation, and relapse prevention in order to be successful. Quick fixes simply cannot offer that.
Choosing the Right Fresno Drug Treatment Center
The above questions are just a starting point for you in making your decision. There are many other considerations to think about like cost, insurance coverage, location, is it Christian or traditional, does it follow a 12-step model, is aftercare included, etc. All things should be considered when making a decision. Keep in mind that no rehab facility can offer guaranteed results, you have to be willing to do the work to maintain your sobriety after rehab. What we at My Time Recovery can promise is that we will provide you with all the tools that you need to maintain your sobriety. If you do the work, recovery is possible.
Have you had experience attending an addiction treatment center? If you have, please share your experience in the comments below. What you have to say may help others make the right decision for themselves.
