Medical detox is the first step in your recovery process. While it is an essential component of treatment programs, you may be hesitant. You may have heard horror stories from others who went through the process. You also may think that committing to a detox program means you have to go through residential treatment, and you may not be able to spend time away from work and family. Fortunately, there are drug rehabs that offer outpatient detox programs.
If you are not familiar with outpatient detox programs, this article will give you more information on these important programs. If you require outpatient recovery programs in the Tri-State area or just have questions on whether they will benefit you, call Water Gap Wellness today to learn more.
What is Outpatient Detox?
Outpatient detox allows you to receive essential services during the day or night while allowing you to go home and attend to your family and work obligations. Much like outpatient treatment, this detox option provides you the flexibility of getting intensive treatment on your schedule. While outpatient detox is more flexible, you will still receive quality treatment and attention from medical staff.
When you enter a Pennsylvania outpatient detox recovery program, you will undergo a comprehensive assessment like you would in an acute detox program. Along with medications, staff will utilize the necessary and appropriate interventions to help you get physically and psychologically stable. On average, outpatient detoxification can take 3-14 days, but that timeline is dependent on your overall health and if there are any other issues complicating the process.
What are the Benefits of Outpatient Detox?
An outpatient recovery and detox program has several benefits for those who need these services. As already touched upon, outpatient recovery programs allow you the freedom to live at home while receiving vital detox services. Another benefit of doing a detox program in an outpatient setting is its’ cost. In most cases, outpatient detox is less expensive than an inpatient detox program. Like an inpatient-based program, outpatient detox is tailored to meet your unique and specific needs. Additionally, this form of detox is ideal if you have a stable and supportive home environment.
While outpatient detox programs have definite advantages, there are also some drawbacks to consider. First, outpatient recovery may make you more vulnerable to relapse since you are not in the safe environment of a rehab 24/7. Outpatient detox may not be suitable for you if you don’t have the motivation to undergo detox in the first place or lack support from family and friends. Additionally, outpatient detoxification is not ideal if you have underlying medical or mental health issues that may complicate the detox process.
What is Withdrawal Management?
There are many people who think that detox is treatment in itself. While detox will help you regain your physical and mental well-being, detox is by no means a cure for addiction. The primary purpose of detox is to wean you off the substances you were addicted to and get you to a stable state. Without addressing the underlying issues of your addiction, you are very vulnerable to relapse—and your addiction issues will grow worse compared to when you entered detox. That is why detox is considered part of the more extensive process called withdrawal management process. Withdrawal management can be seen as a set of interventions that helps minimize the risk of relapse down the road. This includes therapy, medical intervention (if needed), and mental health intervention (again if needed). There are specific drug groups where withdrawal management would be needed because of the potential severity of withdrawal. These drug groups include:
- Alcohol
- Sedatives
- Opioids
- Stimulants
How to Find Outpatient Detox Programs
For many reasons, outpatient detox programs are an attractive option. If you are looking for outpatient recovery services for you or a loved one, there are important things to consider. Outpatient detox services must be evidenced-based based, extensively tested, and administered by experienced medical staff. It is also important that rehab facilities place a strong emphasis on therapy and other essential withdrawal management services to help give you the tools you need to find lasting recovery.
Water Gap Wellness is considered one of the Tri-State’s premier treatment facilities. While our outpatient detox program is coming soon, we are currently offering outpatient treatment programs for those who have already detoxed or do not require a detox program. Call Water Gap Wellness today and make your health and happiness a top priority.
