If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, it can be difficult to settle on a treatment plan. This is especially true when considering the commitment of a residential inpatient stay. Although you don’t have to pick a treatment plan before talking to a medical provider, it can be difficult to get an addict to agree to the commitment of an inpatient program. By learning the unique benefits of these plans, you can better convince someone that they should opt for an inpatient treatment and rehab program in Tennessee.
The Benefits of Inpatient Treatment
With addiction, there’s no such thing as too much care—the more treatment, the better. Most addicts need at least three months of treatment to fully recover, and while only a month of that time is spent in inpatient treatment usually, that month is the foundation of a successful road to recovery. An inpatient stay generally involves three to four weeks in a residential treatment facility, where patients receive round the clock supervision and care.
Initially, addicts undergo supervised inpatient detox; this is standard for outpatient programs as well. Treatment facilities can offer medication-assisted treatment, which helps curb the symptoms of withdrawal to minimize discomfort and urges to abuse. In some cases, this is just symptomatic treatment, but at other times (and especially in the case of opioid addicts), patients may be given an alternative drug, similar to the one they abused prior. This allows doctors to wean off more dependent addicts with controlled dosages, further minimizing the severity of withdrawal; an inpatient stay is especially important after this type of treatment to make sure that one addiction isn’t substituted for another.
From there, a mix of support groups, therapy, traditional 12 step plans, and life skills training works to give an inpatient a plan for staying clean after release. With 24 hour supervision, there’s no chance for a resident to continue to abuse privately, and they’ll receive comprehensive care for both their addiction and for any co-occurring disorders they might have.
Let’s address the downsides of inpatient treatment—simply put, from a treatment perspective, there are none. Inpatient treatment is overall more effective for a wider array of people than many other treatment plans and doesn’t carry any risk of exacerbating a substance abuse problem. However, inpatient treatment is generally somewhat expensive, as the level and duration of care provided, medications used, and specialized facility usage starts to add up. Additionally, individuals can’t work while undergoing treatment, which can cause additional financial strain.
Picking the Right Addiction Treatment Plan For You
Inpatient treatment isn’t for everybody, but it’s a great choice for most addicts with moderate to severe substance abuse problems. For those who don’t qualify for inpatient programs or who need extra treatment after completing a residential stay, intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) are usually just as effective as inpatient treatment. Note that IOPs are not to be confused for standard outpatient programs, as they instead find a middle ground between the intensiveness of a residential stay and the flexibility of outpatient visits.
Discovery Place’s alternative treatment center offers a Long-Term Drug and Alcohol Addiction Recovery Program in Tennessee which has been proven to minimize relapse, so if someone you know is struggling with addiction, contact us at 1-800-725-0922 at any time of day to talk more about whether inpatient treatment is right for them.
