Are You Ready For Recovery? Understanding Each Part Of Treatment

Congratulations on choosing recovery! This is surely an exciting but overwhelming time, and if this is your first trip through the addiction rehabilitation system, you may not know what to expect. 

This is understandable and while programs vary, there is a general sequence designed to help you move through the recovery process as you become more medically and psychologically stable and begin to transition back into a more typical, independent lifestyle. 

Whether you are dealing with drug addiction, alcoholism, or even require a dual-diagnosis program for addiction and other mental health issues, the general arc of treatment works as follows:

Medical Stabilization

For many people dealing with addiction, the first step to recovery is medical stabilization. Though not all people require this step, withdrawal can be physiologically dangerous and may require close monitoring. 

Medical stabilization may be done in a traditional hospital setting or an inpatient rehabilitation facility with 24-hour medical supervision. This is vital due to the risk of seizures, cardiac complications, and respiratory distress during drug and alcohol withdrawal. 

Individuals withdrawing from benzodiazepines may also be at a high risk of psychosis, and serious psychological symptoms are a common issue in detox from just about all substances.

At our outpatient rehab in Austin, TX, we do not offer medical stabilization as this is not a residential center. We do, however, work with those who are ready for intensive outpatient care after they’ve medically detoxed.

Inpatient Or Outpatient?

If you have gone through the medical stabilization process or are not in a position where that is necessary, then your next step is intensive treatment. This is often done in an inpatient setting, and while that’s necessary for some individuals, others do very well in a high-intensity outpatient program. 

This is the view we take at Oakview Recovery Center, and that’s why we offer a Partial Care Program, sometimes referred to as a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP). PHP can be a good choice if you have sufficient support at home to feel like you can safely avoid cravings overnight, if you live in a sober living facility, or if you have already completed some time in inpatient treatment.

In both inpatient and PHP programs, you’ll begin participating in a variety of treatment modalities, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, twelve-step programs, and family therapy. It’s common to try various treatment approaches, as each person responds differently to different approaches. One-on-one therapy is also vital to successful treatment. At Oakview Recovery Center, you can also receive medication-assisted treatment.

Intensive Outpatient Treatment

PHP programs involve at least 20 hours a week of highly structured treatment programming, but over time that degree of structure will no longer serve you in your recovery. In fact, increased flexibility is vital to patients learning more independence and learning to cope with their emotions and cravings on their own. That’s why the next phase of treatment is intensive outpatient treatment (IOP). 

During IOP, you’ll engage in many of the same forms of treatment as you did during PHP, but with steadily decreasing structure and hours. In collaboration with your individual therapist, IOP helps you begin taking steps back toward fully independent living. At this point, you will likely be beyond the first ninety days of sobriety, what is known as early abstinence, and will have begun the work of maintaining that abstinence. 

During this intermediate period, it’s important that you are spending less time in direct treatment and that you are starting to work on rebuilding a lifestyle that will keep you off of drugs or your substance of choice. You may begin programming that helps you work on pursuing employment or education, or develop money management skills, as many people who developed their addictions during their teens or young adult years lack important skills that will help them to be successful. 

This is also an important period for addressing any anger management issues, continuing to work on underlying trauma, and otherwise exploring the root causes of your addiction and what comes next in your life.

General Outpatient Treatment

As you steadily reduce your hours in IOP and build independent coping skills, you will eventually move on, with support from your therapist, to the General Outpatient Program. These are not always tied to your primary treatment center, but because Oakvine is specifically focused on offering outpatient rehab in Austin, TX, general outpatient care is a key part of our treatment process. 

Entering general outpatient treatment is, however, an excellent sign because it indicates your your addiction is now understood to be less severe and you have the support and self-management skills to live independently, get yourself to meetings on a regular schedule, and even work full-time.

If you’re familiar with the general scope of addiction treatment – and nearly every addict who decides to take their recovery seriously has at some point been to an AA or NA meeting – you may think that outpatient rehab sounds a lot like just going to meetings, but it’s still much more involved than that. Unlike simply attending a meeting in your community, general outpatient treatment allows you to continue behavioral and family therapy and any co-occurring treatment for mental health issues. While most people in recovery can benefit from receiving this kind of treatment on an ongoing basis, we consider it to be a top priority and aim to provide maintenance care of this type rather than discharging patients too soon.

What If I Relapse?

Relapse is a normal part of the recovery process and it happens to almost everyone. While it can be an indication that you require more intensive treatment again for a period, for many people it is actually essential to recovery. Relapse can put your priorities in perspective and help patients to become more serious about staying sober. 

Embrace Recovery Today

Just thinking about recovery is a major transitional moment for anyone who has been struggling with addiction. In fact, it’s the first step towards taking back control over your life – so don’t let this moment pass you by. Contact Oakview Recovery Center today to learn more about outpatient rehab in Austin, Texas, and how seeking treatment can change your life. You don’t have to live in the grip of your addiction forever, and we’re here to help you take steps towards claiming a life you’ll love.