How are Inpatient & Outpatient Rehab Different?

Inpatient & outpatient rehab vary substantially from each other and have their own place in the recovery process. However, the primary differentiating factor between the two is that inpatient rehab requires that you live on-site for treatment whilst outpatient rehab allows you to live at home and travel to therapy.

As of 2019, there were almost 16,000 substance abuse treatment facilities in the United States. Of these, approximately 13,000 offered outpatient services, while about 4,500 offered some type of inpatient care.^1(p52) In Nevada alone, there are 106 inpatient and outpatient facilities offering a wide range of addiction treatment services.¹

This article will help you understand the differences, benefits, and shortcomings of both types of drug & alcohol rehab so you can make the best choice for your recovery and sobriety.

Inpatient & Outpatient Rehab Defined

Inpatient rehab is also known as residential treatment. At an inpatient rehab program, you’ll enjoy a 24/7 respite from your everyday routine. Inpatient programs offer constant medical and emotional support for those who need it. If your substance abuse has been long-term and has interrupted all areas of your life, for example, an inpatient stay might be better for you.

The same is true if your home environment is not conducive to recovery. If your loved ones aren’t supportive or you’ll be surrounded by people who will act as triggers, it’s best to choose inpatient therapy. That way, you’ll be able to get away from their influence and work on healing without anyone standing in your way.

Inpatient treatment can help you to reassess old patterns, such as unhealthy relationships or eating and sleep patterns. Because you’ll be on a set schedule when it comes to mealtime and lights out, inpatient drug treatment helps you get back on a normal routine to prepare you to reenter society. Most importantly, in inpatient treatment, you will focus on developing a substance-free approach to life. Overall, inpatient therapy might be best if you think you need round-the-clock care, medical detox to help you safely wean off substances, or dual treatment for a co-occurring mental illness.

Outpatient rehab centers, on the other hand, allow you to live at home with family and/or work while participating in a program. This lets you maintain your routine if it has not been so disrupted by your using and typically requires you to have some level of support at home. This means your friends and family will need to be on board with your recovery by driving you to treatment, monitoring your activity, or offering assistance whenever you need emotional support.

Because outpatient treatment allows for more flexibility, you may be able to keep working at your job or going to school while you recover. However, if drug or alcohol addiction has completely overtaken your life, these responsibilities may be too much to handle while you work on changing your habits.

Outpatient treatment groups meet anywhere from daily to a few times a week for several hours per day. Some people attend outpatient treatment if they do not require medical oversight after going through a medically supervised detox. Some also start with an inpatient program and then progress to outpatient services after overcoming triggers and developing relapse prevention skills.

Differences in Rehab Length of Stay

Inpatient and outpatient treatment vary in length because of their differing approaches to the recovery process. For example, the goal of inpatient programs is to provide a structured and stable environment with constant emotional and medical support. That way, you can work on healing without worrying about any other parts of your life. Outpatient treatment, on the other hand, is about maintenance and transitioning back to “regular” life.

With that in mind, how long does rehab take? For inpatient treatment, programs are usually 30, 60, or 90 days in length. It all depends on how much care you need to start making progress. Finding a 30-day rehab in Nevada is a common choice for people first seeking care, as it lets them get a taste of treatment before committing to a longer program.

Outpatient programs can last as long as you and your medical provider deem necessary. While you might prefer more intensive outpatient treatment at first, especially if you’re transitioning from inpatient care, it’s common to wean down to just a couple of sessions a week. The goal is for you to feel comfortable and secure in your substance-free lifestyle, so if you rely on the support you get from outpatient therapy, you can keep your sessions up for years.

How long are drug rehab programs vs. alcohol rehab programs? Usually, an alcohol rehab length of stay is the same as a drug rehab length of stay. That’s because the treatment is similar in both instances. Both alcohol and substance abuse disorders have the same symptoms and underlying causes, making the recovery process very similar.

Therapy, Programming, and Scheduling Differences

The types of therapy and the schedule of sessions will differ between inpatient and outpatient treatment, though both are designed to help you achieve and maintain sobriety.

In most inpatient programs, you will attend individual and group therapy on a regular schedule up to 12 hours a day with meal breaks in between. Depending on the center, groups might include music, art, writing/journaling, yoga, and meditation. Since you’re living at the center, there may be more time and availability of additional services such as workplace skills training. Much of the programming works to keep your mind and body busy and occupied so you’re not thinking about using. You may also have fitness classes and nutritional counseling to help you undo the damage your drug use may have caused to your body.

Some of your treatments might be confrontational in an effort to help you reexamine damaging beliefs about yourself and work on eliminating destructive patterns of behavior.^{2, long-term residential treatment} This can include things like cognitive-behavioral therapy, where you learn to identify and fix problematic behaviors with a number of coping mechanisms.^{3, 1st paragraph}

Outpatient programs may be just as structured but less frequent. Most outpatient programs meet several days a week for several months. Some are intensive, providing 9 or more hours of treatment weekly, while others only provide a few hours of treatment each week. This allows for a lot more flexibility when it comes to scheduling treatment in your life.

Some programs or group sessions are designed to meet the needs of specific groups, such as people who have experienced trauma or domestic violence, pregnant women, parents, and/or people with a mental health diagnosis. In these group therapy sessions, you’ll get to discuss your feelings with like-minded people who understand exactly what you’re going through. You’ll also have a mix of individual therapy sessions. These programs teach you how to maintain a healthy lifestyle while continuing the routine of work and home life.

Either program may incorporate the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. With this strategy, you’ll work through a series of key ideas to help you realize that you have a chronic disease over which you have no control. However, by surrendering to a higher power and staying active in the community, you can work toward recovery.^{4, 1st paragraph}

Find Inpatient or Outpatient Rehab Near Me

Finding the best drug or alcohol rehab in Nevada for you takes some consideration. After all, once you choose to get sober, you want to seize that opportunity and not lose it. That’s why you’ll want to consider American Addiction Centers for your drug rehab in Nevada. We’re a leading provider of detox and rehab in both Nevada and nationwide.

What separates us from the pack? We offer personalized treatment plans tailored to your specialized needs. We treat the whole person so you can get help for co-occurring mental illnesses, physical wellness, and social challenges. When you arrive at 30-day rehab in Las Vegas, our compassionate staff will make you feel welcome at all levels of care. Our whole team is well-trained and credentialed so you’ll receive only the best evidence-based care during your recovery.

Whether you’re searching the web for “30-day programs near me” or “60-day programs near me,” American Addiction Centers can help. Call our free, confidential, and 24/7 hotline today to speak with a knowledgeable representative who will help you get started on the path to treatment. We can be reached at .