Are All Inpatient Treatment Programs the Same?
When deciding to begin the addiction recovery process , many people choose to do so at an inpatient treatment program. These programs can be life-saving. However, not all inpatient treatment programs are the same.
Who Benefits from Inpatient Care?
Those who suffer from a severe addiction can benefit from inpatient addiction treatment. Inpatient care means that the patient lives at the treatment facility while participating in the treatment program. This allows for the patient’s full focus to be on recovering from their addiction. They do not have any distractions such as work or familial responsibilities. Inpatient care also ensures that the patient is in a safe environment free of any triggers, minimizing the chances of a relapse occurring. For these reasons, inpatient care is perfectly suited to help those have a serious, life-threatening addiction. However, anyone who would like to focus solely on treating their addiction can benefit from inpatient care.
Treatment Approaches and Modalities
Not all inpatient treatment programs take the same approach to addiction recovery. Some will lean very heavily toward a medical approach, focusing on detox and medications. Others will be more focused on therapy and getting to the root of what caused the addiction. Finally, there are programs which may try alternative treatment methods. Of course, most programs will be a mix of all three of these.
Length of Stay and Program Duration
The duration of inpatient programs can vary widely depending on the amount of treatment needed. In general, a program’s length will fall into one of four categories. These are:
Short-term programs: These programs last around 28 to 30 days. These will mostly only provide initial stabilization and detox.
Standard programs: These programs typically last 60 days, providing more time for therapy, education, and healthy habit building.
Long-term programs: These programs take 90 days or more to complete. These are recommended for severe addiction where there is a high chance of relapse.
Extended programs: These are the longest programs and are more rare than the others. Typically lasting 6 months to a year, they focus not only on recovery, but also on reintegration into society.
Which program length is right for a specific person will depend on the severity of their addiction and what they are hoping to get out of treatment.
Medical and Therapeutic Services
Facilities will differ in the amount of medical care provided. Some facilities may have the same capabilities as a large hospital, while others may not have a large focus on medical care. It is important to choose an inpatient treatment program which can provide the medical care needed for the specific patient. For example, patients who have a high likelihood of going through severe withdrawal should choose a program with a high level of medical care.
Different inpatient treatment programs will also offer different types of therapy. Therapy offered can include:
- Dialectical behavioral therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Contingency management therapy
- Group therapy
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy
Before choosing an inpatient treatment program, one should heavily research the different kinds of therapies and decide which ones would work best for them, and then find programs which offer that type of therapy.
Facility Type and Environment
Each facility will look different than others, but most will fall into two categories. First, there are facilities that look and operate like hospitals. These facilities feel very clinical, and being in one will be very similar to being in a hospital. This can help patients feel like they are undergoing a medical treatment, which can help them make a successful recovery. On the other hand are facilities which feel almost like resorts, with private rooms which feel much like being in a hotel. These facilities can help patients to feel relaxed and like they are getting the mental break they need in order to beat their addiction. Neither option is better than the other. As always, it comes down to the individual needs of the specific patient.
Cost, Insurance, and Accessibility
There is a large difference in price between the cheapest and most expensive inpatient treatment programs. Facilities will also differ in what insurance policies they accept. If you have health insurance, it is wise to choose a facility which accepts it, as this can greatly lower the cost of treatment. It should also be noted that more expensive does not always mean better. An inpatient treatment program should be chosen because of the treatment it offers, not how much it costs.
