When someone reports to rehab for an addiction issue, they do so with the expectation they will get help recovering from their addiction. If you are submitting yourself into a rehab facility, you want to make sure you are doing so for the right reason. The right reason would be you want to return your life back to normal without relying on harmful substances. If you aren’t doing this for yourself, there is a chance you might not get what you need from treatment.
That could lead to relapse problems. As you go into treatment, you must do so with complete focus and commitment. That will make it easier for your therapists to guide you through the process. What you are looking for is the truth about the root causes of your addiction and a way to cope with those causes.
One of the things you will have to decide about treatment is how you will receive it. If your addiction problem is significant, the rehab’s staff will push hard for you to go through a residential treatment program. In all honesty, that would be your best option because it offers you the 24/7 structure you will need to avoid temptation and your personal triggers. If for any reason you cannot or might not be willing to commit to residential treatment, you could choose an outpatient program. If you were to go that route, you would have three choices from which to choose.
From most restrictive to least restrictive, your choices would be:
- Partial Hospitalization or PHP, which requires therapy for up to 50 hours a week
- Intensive Outpatient or IOP, which requires therapy for up to 30 hours per week
- General Outpatient or OP, which requires only 2 to 4 hours of therapy a week
Realistically, the last option is generally reserved for clients who have completed treatment but need a little follow-up counseling. You would need to settle on one of the other two choices with the severity of your addiction being your guide. Since outpatient treatment gives you enough freedom to continue managing your life while getting therapy, it will be harder for you and your therapists to gauge success. In the sections below, we will discuss the standard of success.
What is Considered a Successful Outpatient Drug Rehab Outcome?
While going through your outpatient treatment program, you and your therapists will be working towards one goal. That would be for you to walk out of treatment with a full recovery from your addiction disease. Furthermore, it should be a recovery that you could maintain for the rest of your life. Bottom line: That is what everyone should consider a successful outpatient outcome. To get there, there are several rules you would need to follow. Let’s look at the primary rules by which you will need to operate.
Zero Tolerance for Substance Abuse
While this one might seem obvious, it’s the most important rule. You cannot use any drugs without a doctor’s prescription. To ensure compliance, you must be willing to submit to random drug testing when you report for your scheduled therapy sessions.
Showing Up for Appointments
A big part of staying in good standing with the rehab is making sure you show up for all scheduled appointments. Not only do you need to show up for every appointment, but you need to show up on time. This is the way you can demonstrate to your therapists that you can manage responsibilities.
Must Show Progress
At certain intervals, your therapists will be evaluating your progress. One of the requirements you need to fulfill for the privilege of outpatient treatment is you must always show steady progress towards recovery. As long as you can demonstrate you are improving, there will be a sense that success is going to be yours. If you fail to show progress, there is a good chance the rehab’s administrative staff will request you think about residential treatment. Keeping in mind that recovery is the goal, you have to be willing to do what is necessary to reach that goal.
The first step towards a successful outpatient treatment program is admitting you have a problem and reaching out for help. If you can do that in earnest, you can start your journey towards recovery. We would like the opportunity to take you on that journey. If we can be of assistance, please pick up the phone and call one of our representatives at 866-963-7200.
