According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 10% of people have struggled with addiction, and 75% of them have never received addiction treatment.[1] But why do so many people avoid getting the help they need?
One of the biggest barriers to addiction recovery is believing you have to quit your job to attend treatment. Because inpatient treatment centers require you to live at the facility for 30 to 90 days, you might think you can’t achieve recovery without losing your job. Thankfully, there are other options out there for people who need to continue working.
Intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) offer many of the same services as inpatient programs while allowing you to live at home. You only have to attend treatment 3 to 5 days per week, offering you the time you need to continue working a part-time job during your recovery journey.
If you are thinking of attending an IOP, you want to make sure you choose the right one for you. Things to consider when picking an IOP include whether they offer individualized care, if they use evidence-based therapies, what specialized services they provide, if they have flexibility in scheduling, and how long their program is.
How to Choose an IOP Near You
If you are looking to achieve long-term recovery, it’s time to consider your treatment options. Intensive outpatient programs can provide you with the tools and support you need while allowing you to live in the comfort of your own home. That said, not every IOP is created equally.
You have to do some research to ensure the IOP you are choosing is a good fit. When picking an intensive outpatient program, look for the following qualities:
Individualized Treatment Planning
Some treatment programs use a one-size-fits-all approach to recovery. While this might work for some people, it’s not ideal for everyone. You should choose an IOP that offers individualized treatment planning.
The best way to tell if an IOP offers individualized care is to look for mentions of an in-depth assessment. These assessments gather information about your physical and mental health as well as your history of substance abuse, making it possible to create a personalized treatment plan based on your needs.
Evidence-Based Therapies
Recovering from addiction involves engaging in therapy and behavioral health services. You want to make sure the therapies your IOP offers are clinically proven to be effective in managing substance use disorders. In other words, you should choose a program that offers evidence-based therapies.
Examples of evidence-based therapies for addiction include:[2]
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Motivational interviewing (MI)
- Contingency management (CM)
- 12-step facilitation therapy
- The matrix model
- Family behavior therapy
Your IOP should provide individual counseling, group therapy sessions, and family therapy. Engaging in therapy with your family members can help you build a support system that you can rely on during tough times.
Specialized Services
You also want to make sure the intensive outpatient program you choose offers the specialized services you need.
For example, it is common ot have a mental health disorder at the same time as an addiction. This is known as having co-occurring disorders. IOPs that offer mental health treatment at the same time as addiction recovery services are known as dual diagnosis programs.
You should also consider whether you need medical detox, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), trauma-informed care, or medication management for psychiatric conditions.
Flexibility in Scheduling
If you are choosing to attend IOP because it offers you the ability to continue working, you need to make sure the program has the flexibility in scheduling you require. For example, if you plan on working during the day, you should choose an IOP that offers nighttime sessions.
Some IOP programs will schedule your treatment sessions around your current working schedule. If you work on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, they might schedule your treatment sessions for Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
Length of Program
Lastly, you want to choose an IOP that offers an adequate treatment length. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “participation for less than 90 days is of limited effectiveness, and treatment lasting significantly longer is recommended for maintaining positive outcomes.”[3]
In other words, you want to choose an IOP that allows you to attend treatment sessions for at least 90 days. If the program is shorter than 90 days, you should plan on transitioning into a traditional outpatient program afterward to ensure your treatment process is long enough for you to develop the life skills and recovery tools you need.
Get Connected to a Top-Rated Intensive Outpatient Program
If you or a loved one suffers from addiction, it’s time to seek professional help. Intensive outpatient programs like Archstone Behavioral Health can provide you with the tools and support you need to achieve long-term recovery.
At Archstone Behavioral Health, we approach mental health, medication management, and addiction treatment with a clinically informed, humanist perspective. The healing that takes place at Archstone is the result of our staff, programs, amenities, and recovery community. Our therapists and clinicians are the most qualified, respectful, high-performing individuals in the field. Each individual on our staff is committed to providing a life-changing therapeutic experience. Recovery is within your reach at Archstone Behavioral Health.
Contact us today for more information on why our intensive outpatient program is the best choice in South Florida.
References:
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH): 10 percent of US adults have drug use disorder at some point in their lives
- Science Direct: Evidence-based practices for substance use disorders
- The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment
