It can be such a relief to decide we need help for our drug or alcohol addiction. We spent months or years falling victim to our disease. The addiction takes hold of our life and it is all we think about. We do anything for the next high.
But when we decide to stop or get help, it can feel like a weight is lifted from our shoulders. We are ready to start our new life without drugs or alcohol. We have broken free from the bonds of addiction.
The next steps, though, can be hard because we don’t know where to turn. That is where rehab centers come in. There are different types of rehabs that can help stop an addiction to drugs and alcohol. There are even programs that can help professionals suffering from addiction. One is called an Intensive outpatient program, or an IOP.
Yet, many people don’t know what an IOP entails. Here is the breakdown of what happens in an IOP for drugs and alcohol.
Rehab Life
In an IOP, the set-up is a bit different than what many people envision in their minds when they think of “rehab.” Many people think of people dressed in white hospital gowns who stay at a facility. That is somewhat Hollywood, somewhat true. In in-patient rehab, patients live at a rehab center and receive round-the-clock care. This is best for people with a strong addiction to drugs or alcohol or without a support system.
But that isn’t every type of rehab. In an intensive outpatient program, the patient receives many of the same services but can leave at the end of the day. That means they can maintain work or family responsibilities as they get help to end their addiction. The program allows people to continue their important roles while getting the help they need. It is a best-of-both-world situation!
Life In An IOP
Treatment in an IOP for drugs and alcohol is similar to in-patient care, except for what happens at the end of the day. A patient will visit a facility for a certain number of hours where they receive therapy, counseling or participate in classes. Some of the programs happen in group settings and some are individual sessions. The program for each person is a bit different.
The hope is to get the root cause of what led a person to turn to drugs or alcohol. Then they learn the tools to deal with stressors when they leave rehab so they turn back to substances.
But at the end of each day of care, they return home and live with their families. This allows them not to leave their entire life but start the road to recovery.
If you are ready to start on that road to recovery and end your addiction to drugs and alcohol, reach out to our staff at Country Road Recovery today. They can talk to you about your addiction to substances and the best treatment options to help you live a sober life.
