The Benefits of Inpatient vs. Outpatient Treatment for Alcoholism
Monday, November 8th, 2010
If you are looking into an alcohol recovery program, it is important to understand the difference between inpatient and outpatient treatment programs.  Typically, heavy drinkers who are extremely addicted to the substance are admitted to inpatient care.  However, outpatient treatment is also a valuable alternative under the right circumstances.

Inpatient substance abuse care is when the patient is admitted to a facility.  This is usually the recommended course of action for those who are heavily addicted to alcohol.  However, the cost for inpatient care is higher.  Therefore, some people find it to be unaffordable.  On the other hand, outpatient care is when a person is not formally admitted to an alcoholism treatment facility.  In this case, the treatment may take place in a doctor’s office, clinic or the outpatient department of a hospital.

The first step that you might want to take if you have health insurance is to see if your plan covers alcoholism treatment.  Find out what providers are covered on your plan.  If your insurance covers treatment, the costs that will be incurred in an inpatient facility will be much more affordable.

For severe alcoholics who have contracted medical problems as a result of their drinking, inpatient care is often recommended.  In this case, a supervised alcohol detox will likely be necessary.  Typically, after the detox, an inpatient care program follows.  The patient usually attends the program for a few hours each day.  Often these programs can take 3-6 weeks.  After the inpatient treatment is completed, a patient is often moved to an outpatient treatment center.

For severe alcoholics, inpatient care is highly recommended, as there will be no access to alcohol.  Patients will also be under 24-7 security.  In addition to the alcohol detox, patients will be given intensive counseling that help them understand their condition and the reasons behind their addiction.

On the other hand, there are definitely benefits to outpatient care.  For example, the patient can be at home in a familiar environment during the alcohol recovery process.  They can continue a normal lifestyle and they won’t have to leave their job or school to get care.  If the patient has a quality support system, this option can also work quite effectively.  However, in general, outpatient treatment is typically more suited to people who are not severely addicted.  Obviously, outpatient care is far less expensive.  There are also other possibilities to explore including residential care and self-help groups like Alcoholics Anonymous.

National Alcohol & Drug Recovery Month is in September
Friday, September 24th, 2010
RecoveryNowTV Applauds Everyone in Recovery and the People that Help Them Recovery Month is an annual observance that takes place during the month of September to bring attention to the societal benefits of substance abuse treatment. This year's theme is Join the Voices for Recovery: Now More Than Ever! At RecoveryNowTV we'd like to add our voice and applaud all the people that are in recovery and the contributions of the treatment providers that help make recovery possible. This year's theme emphasizes the high level of stress many people are under and how this can contribute to alcohol or drug addiction or relapse.

Now is the time for those who need help to seek treatment and to lesson the stigma associated with the disease through education and awareness. Besides being a platform to celebrate people in recovery this month serves to educate the public on substance abuse as a national health crisis and that recovery IS possible and addiction IS a treatable disease. Recovery month also demonstrates benefits for society as a whole when an affected individual receives the treatment they need. Family, friends, coworkers all benefit when those who need help seek treatment.

If you or a loved one is in need of addiction treatment, please click here for our list of preferred treatment providers.  If you are in need of a low-cost addiction treatment option, please click here.

Inpatient Treatment for Those Suffering
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

Getting help for substance abuse is something you can do by going to inpatient treatment. This is the opportunity of getting off of drugs because, you’ll know that you are able to go for help in a way that will keep you in the center and away from temptations that can cause you to relapse again. By staying focused on the life that you are living and knowing that you can’t keep using you’ll see how this type of program can provide benefits that will keep you from suffering in the future.

For many types of drugs different inpatient substance abuse programs options are available. Not every drug is treated in the same way and there is a variety of ways to help a person who is suffering. The doctors and staff at the program will have years of experience helping you. By knowing this you can be sure to trust them and let them take care of you at this very pivotal time. Don’t fight them or feel that you can do everything on your own. Getting help and becoming sober is a priority at this time.

By staying focused on your life and the directions it can head in you can get the most out of inpatient drug treatment. You need to be separated from the life you were living and when you go back you may see that you can life in new and different ways that you may have previously been unaware of. Help is out there and it’s closer than you think. You need to look into your self and trust that you have what’s inside to stop using and to begin focusing on a new sober way of living.

The inpatient treatment program will give you many ideas and options that can help you in heading in this new direction. They’ll be able to speak with you about what you’ve been thinking about and feeling during this time. They’ll want to know what drove you to getting help because; this is usually a very significant factor. Understanding what’s happening in your life and how inpatient treatment could be the only way you can find help you’ll know that you are fully invested in the process. The steps taken toward getting sober can be long and difficult but, you should know that you can do it.

Inpatient Treatment for Complete Healing
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

Alcohol and drug abuse is quickly taking its place among the top social problems faced by our nation today. It seems that the problem of substance abuse keeps expanding and insinuating itself in more and more segments of the population. Thankfully, though, the rapid spread and wide reach of the problem of alcohol and drug abuse has lead to new understandings of the problem. These new understandings have lead to more and better ways for individuals suffering from alcohol or drug abuse to get help. One way that is now more and more available is inpatient treatment.

Inpatient substance abuse treatment is an intensive therapy option for those suffering from serious alcohol or drug abuse, or even alcohol or drug dependency. This model of care is based on the idea that being immersed in an environment dedicated solely to sobriety and how to maintain it is the best means of freeing an individual from the cycle of alcohol or drug abuse. This mode of care also uses the services of specifically trained staff to facilitate and encourage individuals along the path to sobriety.

Once a decision to end alcohol and drug abuse and to instead seek a life of sobriety has been made, the individual who has made this decision may feel at a loss as to how to best make that positive lifestyle change. It is at this stage that inpatient treatment can be critical, as it can serve as a bridge between a mental decision and the physical reality of sobriety. This method gives the individual practical suggestions and tools to use along the road to sobriety. This is achieved through carefully planned therapy sessions, group and individual counseling, and constant reinforcement of the goal of sobriety.

Ending alcohol or drug abuse or dependency is an undoubtedly important goal to reach. It is equally true that reaching that goal can be difficult; there will be moments of wavering and maybe even times when the individual slips back into old habits of alcohol or drug use. Inpatient rehab treatment can help individuals avoid these pitfalls. It can provide the expertise and encouragement needed to succeed. Inpatient treatment can also serve as a means not only to achieve sobriety, but also as a means to reintegrate into everyday life.

Inpatient Treatment and the Best Recovery
Friday, April 2nd, 2010

Drug and alcohol abuse can be addressed in many different ways. We are fortunate to live in a time when drug and alcohol abuse are recognized as serious problems, and have been given a place in the therapeutic model of care that has been so successful in treating other kinds of disorders. One way that drug and alcohol abuse can be tackled is with inpatient substance abuse treatment. This kind of therapy has been shown to be an effective and lasting means of addressing and permanently overcoming the crippling effects of drug and alcohol abuse.

Inpatient treatment is often very intensive and all encompassing. In addition to treatment methods that directly address the problems specific to drug and alcohol abuse, this kind of treatment will often offer different support services as well. Using these services, a person seeking to permanently rid themselves of the problems of drug and alcohol abuse may be able to learn the underlying causes of abuse, therefore making recovery that much more effective. Other services that indirectly support recovery from drug and alcohol abuse may include help in furthering the former addict’s education, offering housing options after the inpatient portion of the treatment has been completed, or giving instruction on how to find a job after treatment.

This kind of wrap around approach to the problem of drug and alcohol addiction makes inpatient treatment ideal for those who are suffering from the effects of chronic or long-term drug or alcohol abuse. Often drug or alcohol abuse has crept into many different aspects of the former addict’s life, making it difficult if not impossible for them to function in normal society. When this level of addiction has been reached, aggressive and focused attention on the root problem of alcohol or drug abuse is often the best means of restoring a person and reintegrating them into the larger society.

Inpatient treatment has become more and more readily available, and should be taken advantage of by those who need constant encouragement from knowledgeable and caring counselors. When in inpatient treatment, the person seeking to change their life for the better can count on getting that encouragement and support, and can be hopeful of full recovery from their drug or alcohol addiction.