Addiction Recovery

Should I Go to Inpatient Care For Addiction Treatment?

March 22, 2024

Discover how inpatient care can help in your recovery, and if it’s something that you should consider for your situation.

After you’ve finally decided to enter addiction treatment, it feels like a burden on your shoulders has been lifted. And then you hear it: inpatient care.

You knew recovery would be hard, but just thinking about medical considerations, financial constraints, and unfamiliar processes is scary.

How do you know if inpatient care is for you or not? This blog will hopefully give you an idea and help you decide.

Source: Another Chance Drug & Alcohol Rehab

What Is Inpatient Care?

Inpatient care is one of the many treatment options that address addiction. It involves comprehensive and immersive processes in a structured environment. Patients stay within a residential facility where they can receive professional support around the clock. 

This is different from outpatient care, which you may have also heard of. In outpatient care, you receive treatment while continuing your daily life and responsibilities. 

Benefits Of Inpatient Care

Inpatient care might seem overwhelming, but the benefits are rewarding. Here’s what you can look forward to receiving in inpatient care.

Structured Environment

The main difference between inpatient care and other treatments is its structured environment. You will be in a place absent of external triggers, such as parties, stores that sell alcohol, and peer pressure. This controlled setting reinforces the idea that you can solely focus on your recovery.

Structured Routine

The structured routine in inpatient care ensures you can participate in suitable activities at the right pace. From scheduled therapy sessions, support groups, and wellness activities, healthcare professionals have curated your routine so each step only contributes to your recovery. 

Comprehensive Approach

The activities in inpatient care address your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. You may have to undergo a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy, art or music therapy, and even regular physical exercise. This ensures that your recovery is healthy, safe, and sustainable. 

Who Should Consider Inpatient Care?

detoxification
Source: Freepik

Before entering inpatient care, your healthcare professionals first have to evaluate whether this is the treatment method for you. 

Severity Of Addiction

If you’re undergoing severe substance dependence, you may opt for inpatient care. This ensures that even if you have built both a physical and psychological dependence on substances, you have 24/7 medical supervision. 

Being in inpatient care means your withdrawal symptoms and detoxification can be safely managed and monitored.

Co-Occurrence Of Mental Health Disorders

If you have other mental health disorders along with your substance abuse, you may be a candidate for inpatient care. 

This is because there needs to be more consideration of your mental health during treatment. After all, your mental health is also a factor in your recovery process.

Lack Of Stable And Supportive Environment

If you're commonly uncared for, discriminated for, or invalidated for your addiction at home, it's recommended to enter inpatient care. The supportive and conducive environment in inpatient care can allow you to focus on your addiction recovery more effectively. 

What To Expect In Inpatient Care

What does a typical inpatient care setting look like? Here is a general overview of the process. 

Detoxification

The initial phase of inpatient care is detoxification. It involves eliminating addictive substances from your body. During inpatient care, healthcare professionals will address your withdrawal symptoms and guide you as you adjust to the absence of substances. 

Therapy

Once your detoxification has been safely concluded, you may enter individual and group therapy sessions. These aim to address the psychological roots of your addiction.

Moreover, group therapy sessions will also allow you to find a sense of community, belonging, and support.

Daily Routine

Your daily routine in inpatient care will involve more than just therapy. You may also participate in fitness programs, mindfulness sessions, and creative therapies. 

Group activities, workshops, and shared meals with other people in inpatient care are also common. While you may initially find these group activities a little uncomfortable, remember that these are in your schedule to help you find a sense of understanding and encouragement. 

Aftercare Planning

You will also talk with your healthcare professionals about aftercare. When you get out of these doors, how can you maintain sobriety? 

Healthcare professionals will help you develop personalized strategies and habits that can be effective, sustainable, and safe. You will learn how to transition back into your daily life, grab hold of your work responsibilities, and figure out potential triggers and coping mechanisms to deal with them. 

mental health
Source: Another Chance Drug & Alcohol Rehab

Challenges And Considerations

Before pursuing inpatient care for addiction recovery, you will find that you have to consider a multitude of concerns before entering those doors. 

Finance

The cost of inpatient care can vary from location to location, and you will want to find an affordable one. After all, thinking about the financial aspect of your recovery could hinder your progress.

Before entering inpatient care, you and your loved ones can explore financial resources such as insurance coverage, medicare, and assistance programs. 

Duration

The amount of time you will have to spend in inpatient care depends on the severity of your addiction. Depending on your progress, you may even have to stay for a shorter or longer amount of period than expected. 

Regardless, this is a time when you cannot address work and family responsibilities. When considering inpatient care, talk with your employers and loved ones to make arrangements for during and after your treatment. 

Packing

Before entering inpatient care, you will want to pack the following items:

  • Comfortable clothing
  • Personal hygiene items
  • Prescribed medications
  • Documents (eg., IDs, health insurance cards)

On the other hand, here’s a list of items that you should not pack:

  • Drugs
  • Alcohol
  • Aerosol products
  • Opened medications, vitamins, or supplements
  • Electronic devices
  • Weapons

You will also want to familiarize yourself with the facility’s rules and regulations to reduce difficulty during the transition.

Communication Plans

Before and during inpatient care, you need to have a constant support network that can motivate and encourage your addiction recovery. Inform your family and loved ones about your treatment, and develop a communication plan for when you begin. It would be a great idea to have scheduled calls to prevent feelings of isolation on both of your ends.

medicare
Source: Freepik

In Conclusion

Your journey to and in inpatient care for addiction recovery may seem complicated at first. You have to identify and weigh different factors. However, you should keep in mind that inpatient care exists to help you recover.

If you’re ready to find out whether inpatient care is suited for you, contact us at Another Chance today!