Choosing to seek treatment for a drug or alcohol addiction is one of the best and most important decisions you’ll ever make. But for people who are thinking about getting help with a substance use disorder, choosing a treatment program can be intimidating. There are so many different types of programs. Inpatient vs. outpatientsubstance abuse treatment– which one is right for you? How do you select the treatment program that gives you the best chance for long-term recovery? Before you decide on a treatment program, it’s important to know the benefits of inpatient substance abuse treatment. While outpatient treatment programs definitely have their benefits, inpatient substance abuse treatment programs have been shown to offer the best chance at successful recovery and long-term sobriety. 

What is an Inpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Program?

When you enter an inpatient treatment program, you’ll live at the treatment facility full-time. This allows your treatment team to care for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Inpatient treatment provides a controlled environment that eliminates distractions and temptations so that you can focus solely on your recovery. Inpatient treatment programs, also known as residential treatment programs, usually last between three and twelve weeks. Your length of stay will be determined by your unique set of circumstances. Inpatient treatment is especially beneficial for people with moderate to severe substance use disorder or with co-occurring mental health conditions.

Comprehensive Treatment Options

Inpatient substance abuse treatment programs offer a full range of medical and psychological treatment options. Many people entering treatment for substance need help detoxing. An inpatient program offers medically supervised detox programs that ensure you’re monitored 24/7 by licensed medical professionals so that you’ll be as safe and comfortable as possible while your body adjusts to the absence of drugs and/or alcohol.

Medication-Assisted Treatment

The treatment team at an inpatient program can also provide medication-assisted treatment during detox and treatment if necessary. FDA-approved medications can improve the effectiveness of treatment and help prevent relapse. Your inpatient treatment team will determine if medication can be helpful in your treatment journey.

Multi-Disciplinary Team of Specialists

Inpatient treatment also gives you access to a multidisciplinary team of specialists including psychiatrists, therapists, and certified addiction medicine physicians. In an inpatient setting, this team will walk you through a thorough medical and psychological evaluation so they can make sure your treatment program addresses your specific mental, physical, and emotional needs. Your inpatient medical team will provide care for you not only during detox and admission, but also throughout your treatment program. 

Around-the-Clock Care and Support

Addiction recovery doesn’t only happen during business hours. Inpatient substance abuse treatment facilities are staffed 24/7 by physicians, nurses, therapists, and other practitioners. They’re there to support you anytime day or night, whether that’s by helping navigate the emotions that recovery stirs up, managing withdrawal symptoms, or intervening in a crisis.

Ability to Treat Substance Disorders and Mental Health Issues Together

People who seek treatment for substance abuse disorders often began using drugs or alcohol in order to mask an underlying emotional or mental health issue. If you’re dealing with substance use disorder and a mental health issue, this is known as having Co-occurring Disorders. Co-occurring Disorders are very common among people struggling with either mental health disorders or substance abuse. This is part of what makes treating substance abuse disorders so complex. Inpatient substance treatment programs are better able to integrate treatment for Co-occurring Disorders with a combination of therapies, including individual therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and group therapies. 

Personalized and Intensive Therapy Options

Inpatient substance abuse treatment programs offer a comprehensive range of evidence-based therapies that will help you address the underlying issues for your addiction. You’ll also learn and strengthen the skills you need to achieve and maintain sobriety. Most inpatient programs offer cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), group therapies, individual therapies, and holistic therapies. Because you have more time in inpatient treatment to devote to therapy, your treatment can be more intensive and tailored to your needs. These therapies will help you learn healthy ways to deal with stressors and emotions so that you can better handle situations that may trigger relapse.

A Safe and Protective Environment

Inpatient treatment programs provide a safe, structured environment where you can fully focus on your recovery. The early days of your recovery can be difficult as you adjust physically and mentally to not using drugs and/or alcohol. People often feel very fragile and vulnerable during this time as the issues that have previously been masked with drug or alcohol use are now fully felt. Inpatient rehab protects you during the early days of sobriety by providing the medical and emotional support you need to navigate the early stages of sobriety.

Trigger-Free Environment

Inpatient rehab also provides a controlled environment that eliminates access to drugs and alcohol, keeping you safe from negative influences and situations that may trigger substance use. This is an enormous benefit, especially if your home or everyday life includes stressors or triggers to use. An inpatient program allows you to block all of that out and focus only on yourself and your recovery.

Establish Beneficial Routines

Life in active addiction is often unstable and chaotic. During inpatient treatment, you’ll follow a prescribed routine that gives your day a predictable and reliable structure. This structure helps make you feel safe at a time when everything seems new and frightening. Following a routine provides the safety, discipline, and stability you need to create a new normal by establishing new healthy habits. It also keeps your mind occupied so that it can’t dwell on the desire to use. While in treatment, your daily routine will likely include daily therapy sessions – both individual and group – as well as holistic and enriching activities to help heal your mind, body, and spirit.

Supportive, Empathetic Community

Inpatient treatment also means you’re continuously and exclusively around people who are traveling the same path that you are. While each person’s needs and issues are unique, being part of a community of people who truly get where you’re coming from can provide motivation, encouragement, and support that is absolutely crucial on your journey to sobriety. Some inpatient substance abuse treatment programs help jumpstart your support network by assigning you a “treatment buddy” when you arrive. This person helps make you comfortable at the treatment facility by showing you around and introducing you to other people in the program.

Better Long-Term Outcomes

Studies have shown that the more time you spend in treatment, the more likely you are to have a good outcome. Research has also shown lower relapse rates for people who participated in inpatient treatment vs. those who participated in outpatient programs. This may be because inpatient programs eliminate access to drugs and alcohol, protecting patients from early relapse. Because drug and alcohol addiction are complex, chronic diseases, it’s important to stay in your program long enough to realize all the benefits of treatment.

What About Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment?

Many people are initially attracted to outpatient treatment because it’s often less expensive and is seen as being more convenient. But starting your journey to sobriety with inpatient substance abuse treatment can actually save you money in the long run by increasing your chances of long-term sobriety, thus avoiding repeat trips to treatment. For people with severe substance use disorder, outpatient programs may not provide the intensity of treatment that they need. If you’ve completed outpatient treatment and subsequently relapsed, inpatient treatment may be more helpful. Inpatient treatment also allows you to focus on learning to healthy habits and coping strategies. While you’ll eventually encounter triggers in the outside world, it’s better to do so with the well-established skill set and support system that you build during inpatient substance abuse treatment.

Inpatient Substance Abuse Treatment in Washington State

Inpatient substance abuse treatment helps you create a foundation for lasting recovery through individualized therapy, structure, and unwavering support. Lakeside-Milam offers affordable, effective inpatient treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. Our inpatient program is staffed by caring, experienced providers and therapists who are licensed experts in addiction medicine. We’ll create a treatment program that addresses your unique needs, goals, and issues. Your program will include individual, behavioral, and group therapies as well as withdrawal management, nutritional care, family education, participation in 12-step groups, and a comprehensive care plan for continuing treatment once you’ve completed the inpatient program.

We know that addiction is a disease, not a moral failing or a character flaw. We also know that addiction is treatable. Over the past four decades, we’ve created and refined an inpatient program that helps you create the healthy life you deserve to live. This is a place where you not only achieve sobriety, but you’ll also rediscover yourself.

Your recovery is ultimately up to you. Our inpatient substance treatment program gives you the very best chance for long-term success. If you’re struggling with alcohol or drug addiction, there is hope. Call us today.