Outpatient treatment, which is far less intrusive than a sequestered inpatient facility, may be recommended for people with less serious or long lasting addictions, and may also be recommended as a first attempt at professional intervention. The advantages of an outpatient drug treatment are primarily twofold, and if it can provide enough motivation to change, an outpatient drug rehab should be considered optimal.
Firstly, the cost is generally far less, and depending on the intensity of services, can be a fraction as much as a corresponding inpatient treatment. Secondly, because the recovering addict remains at living at home, the disruption to career, family and other commitments is minimized.
The range of intensity of outpatient drug treatment may vary from a few sessions a week of group therapy and education, to as much as full day inclusion in a drug treatment program, with the only difference from a residential stay being a return home (and with it a return to temptation) each night.
page last update Aug 05, 2010
