In the last couple of years, more people, old and young, have suffered from symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorders due to the pandemic. Many of these individuals will have used and abused alcohol or drugs to handle the onslaught of a host of mental health disorders. Professional substance abuse treatment is required to address these underlying conditions. Without addressing the mental health disorders, relapse is likely to happen again and again. Many people do not understand that stopping the use of drugs and alcohol can be dangerous unless supervised and that mental health disorders combined with substance abuse has a profound impact upon the brain and the body.
To develop a strong foundation for recovery from substance abuse and co-occurring mental health conditions, professionally supervised detox and treatments are advised. Detox without treatment will not address the underlying causes of addiction and abuse. Treatment, to be successful, requires that an individual be substance-free and ready to engage in self-reflection and behavior modification. Together detox and treatment create a secure chance at ongoing recovery.
Detoxification means allowing the body to rid itself of the substances while controlling the physical and emotional responses to the withdrawal. Medical professionals should monitor detoxing from substances to minimize the dangers of a particular drug or alcohol withdrawal. Once an individual has gone through the detoxification process, he, she, or they are now ready to enter a substance abuse treatment program. Several levels of treatment may be available at a credible facility. But treatment options need to be determined by an individual’s circumstances. Most common are Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) or Partial Hospitalization Programs.
Intensive Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Programs (IOP)
Recovery takes a serious commitment to stop using substances and to address the issues underlying the abuse, including mental health issues such as depression, bipolar disorder, and a range of other conditions that can lead to self-medicating. How does one determine which treatment program is most suited to his, her, or their needs? If an individual seeking treatment has many family obligations and must continue working or attending school, an IOP option may work best for the individual. Any quality treatment program will use State and Federal best practices, which pertain to the number of hours of treatment, types of counseling offered supportive workshops such as Life Skills, Relapse prevention, etc.
New research shows that when best practices are employed in IOPs these programs are as effective as inpatient treatment. Issues related to insurance coverage also determine an individual’s choice of treatment. If this is the client’s first time in treatment, and the substance abuse/mental health disorder is not severe, IOP may be a good option.
The basic structure of the IOP program, along with the quality of the treating staff, may have a profound impact on an individual’s ability to grasp the meaning of recovery and to pursue it after he, she, they have left treatment.
An IOT [IOP] program is most effective at helping its clients if it is part of a continuum of care. The American Society of Addiction Medicine has established five levels of care: medically managed intensive inpatient, residential, intensive outpatient, outpatient, and early intervention. In addition, continuing community care (e.g., 12-Step support groups), which a client participates in after the conclusion of formal treatment, is another important level of service. A continuum of care ensures that clients can enter substance abuse treatment at a level appropriate to their needs and step up or down to a different intensity of treatment based on their responses.
Elements that define IOP are:
- Comprehensive biopsychosocial evaluation
- Individual Treatment Plan
- Group Counseling
- Individual Counseling
- Family Counseling
- Education programs (Relapse prevention, Parenting Skills, etc.)
- Case management
- Support groups
- Medication evaluation and management
- Transition management and discharge planning, including continuing care
- Clients receive a minimum of 3 hours of treatment 3 days a week for 28 days to 4 weeks
- Followed by aftercare
Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP)
If a client needs to attend to home, work, or school obligations and has relapsed after treatment, then he, she, or they may require an intensive program– PHP is a viable choice. PHP usually requires a minimum of five days a week for five hours a day for treatment. The program length can last 6-12 months. PHP is a more intensive form of treatment than outpatient programs as the client is closely monitored. As with IOP, PHP will provide clients with a structured day, alternating between individual and group counseling, education workshops, life skills and goal setting, relapse prevention, stress reduction behaviors, case management, medication education and management, and more. PHPs offer more contact with clinicians and medical professionals.
Clinical professionals such as physicians, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, and a range of other professionals will carefully monitor the progress of all clients. However, if a client has been through PHP before and has relapsed, the PHP treatment program may call for more intense care- up to 7 days a week, 7 hours a day. Additionally, there is the ability to treat more severe co-occurring disorders without checking into a hospital setting in partial hospitalization programs.
The goal of quality inpatient and outpatient is to ensure that a solid recovery foundation is established, new techniques for handling triggers and stressors are in place, a plan for a new support system is carefully designed, and a workable after-care program. Both IOP and PHP are a better option for those who have tried outpatient programs that usually meet once a week.
The first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem. At Coastal Detox, physicians, psychiatrists, clinicians, and nurses are experienced in substance abuse treatment with co-occurring mental health conditions. If you are looking for help and are scared, you should understand that everyone in our facility is treated with kindness, empathy, and concern. Coastal Detox will provide you with the tools to live a vibrant, productive, substance-free life. Call now and step out of your despair…
Reference:
https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/sma13-4182.pdf