Pros and Cons of Inpatient Drug Abuse Treatment
The commitment to enter a drug abuse treatment program often involves bouts of contemplations on what type of treatment would be most suitable for you. With such a wide range of choices available, it may help to know the pros and cons of inpatient drug abuse treatment before you decide.
PROS
24 Hour Care
As you go through detox and other stages of recovery, there are a lot of unsettling changes that can take place. The 24 hour care of inpatient drug abuse treatment can help you stay safe, focused, engaged, and committed every step of the way.
Around the clock monitoring, support, and immediate access to medical care, psychiatric services, and other qualified professionals can make a big difference in the effectiveness of treatment, especially for someone with a history of relapse or co-existing health problems.
Intensified Treatment
Inpatient drug abuse treatment programs are designed with a higher degree of intensity. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Effective treatment attends to multiple needs of the individual, not just his or her drug abuse.” These programs specialize in various treatment approaches with qualified staff that can appropriately coordinate your recovery plans and help you obtain the goal of long term abstinence and a satisfying, more hopeful life.
Time to Heal
It takes time to change patterns of negative thinking and the behaviors associated with abuse and the littlest of things can derail the process. Inpatient drug abuse treatment programs provide a sobriety enforced environment, free from outside influences, for extended durations of 30-90 days or more.
You and the treatment professionals can concentrate on goals and issues that are most important to you and work continuously to improve your physical, psychological, and emotional health.
Higher Success Rate
With integrated services and immediate responses to your unique needs, the chances that you will be motivated and encouraged to continue in recovery once you leave formal treatment are greatly increased.
CONS
Program Duration
In inpatient rehab you can focus on your sobriety with the help of others in recovery.
While inpatient drug abuse treatment can be beneficial, to some it can be burdensome and place limitations on treatment effectiveness. The person may have extensive obligations at home or work that make it unfeasible for them to remain in a facility for long periods of time or they may be unable to fully commit to the programs.
Costs
Costs of these programs are typically higher than outpatient treatment programs because they must be able to house the person while providing access to qualified staff, resources, and other amenities which vary greatly by facility.
Program Requirements
You must be able to comply with the rules set forth by the inpatient drug abuse treatment facility in order to remain in the programs. There may be limited access to outside contacts, special rules regarding smoking or interactions with other patients, and other structured elements that, for some, may be more than they are willing to commit to.
