by Sher Delva | Jun 27, 2017 | Addiction, Addiction Stigma, Addiction Treatment, Drug Abuse, Mental Health, Stigma
When it comes to addiction treatment, there’s much that is misunderstood. South Florida is receiving more negative press than ever before in regards to the drug addiction industry
In case you missed it, journalist Megyn Kelly covered issues plaguing the South Florida recovery community in an NBC News Investigation piece. While the piece did an excellent job exposing the bad apples of the addiction industry, it left out important pieces of the puzzle.
To begin, addiction treatment and sober homes are not the same. The piece mentions sober homes and recovery centers interchangeably. This can lead to some confusion as there are differences between the two.
Toward the beginning of the piece, Kelly describes Palm Beach County as the “recovery capital of America” and notes that “some 400 addiction treatment centers are luring thousands of young people.” Soon after, the piece cuts to an overdose occurring in a sober home. This insinuates that sober homes and residential treatment are the same, or connected to one another. In this article, we will specify some of the differences between a sober home and addiction treatment.
What is Addiction Treatment?
There are many well-regarded addiction treatment facilities that have operated for decades in South Florida. When a client first comes to Florida for treatment, typically they go to residential treatment.
Addiction treatment facilities are more regulated than sober homes. Addiction treatment facilities provide around the clock treatment for clients seeking help. Detox is the first level of care for a drug or alcohol treatment program. In this stage, the client is monitored and guided through a safe medical detox.Once medically detoxed, the client enters the residential treatment program. During this stage, the client receives a custom treatment program which includes a combination of therapy, group classes and more.
In addiction treatment, there are licensed mental health professionals and physicians involved in helping clients get sober. There are different levels of care at treatment centers, including detox, residential, day/night treatment (sometimes referred to as partial hospitalization), intensive outpatient, and outpatient treatment.
Residential addiction treatment can last anywhere from 30 to 90 days and in rarer cases longer. Outpatient programs are different from sober homes in that they provide the varying levels of therapeutic care, but the client does not stay overnight.
What are sober homes?
On the other hand, sober homes are essentially homes where groups of people in recovery live together. Sober living units are privately owned and are free of a lot of the regulations needed to open a residential treatment facility.
Fewer restrictions mean people with bad intentions can open a sober home to cash in on the opioid epidemic occurring throughout the nation. Almost anyone can open a sober home, although regulations are being implemented to change this.
While some sober homes are stricter and have tough guidelines such as regular drug screenings, and mandatory meetings, others are not. Some sober homes are simply that: sober homes. These houses are bought and marketed for those who leave addiction treatment and they are not always created by people with the best intentions.
So why do people go to sober homes?
Instead of returning home, many clients will go to sober homes for guidance in maintaining their sobriety. Sober homes give clients a taste of what it will be like to maintain their sobriety on their own. They typically are not the first stop on the road to recovery. Sober homes provide a smoother transition into the real world.
While some sober homes are operated by the same people who run treatment centers, others are not. A sober home typically has a house manager who helps oversee all residents. Living in the sober home helps a person in recovery take charge of their life by learning to pay rent, buy their food, and abide by rules sober. Due to a variety of factors, more people are not going to addiction treatment as their first stop. Some are going to detox and then immediately to a sober home. This creates challenges as sober homes lack the structure and guidelines of an addiction treatment center.
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Truth about Sober Homes vs. Addiction Treatment
South Florida offers vast amounts of recovery options, and with that comes those who take advantage of a booming industry.
Unethical practices happen in illegitimate sober homes and corrupt treatment centers. However, legitimate and accredited treatment centers are out there that do support recovery. Not all addiction facilities in South Florida participate in these illegal practices. Furthermore, the media suggests that Florida has the worse overdose rates of anywhere else, and this is not correct. Areas like Ohio, West Virginia, and others are much higher.
It is important to understand the difference between a sober home and residential treatment. A person in a sober home is living more independently than someone in treatment. The original purpose of a sober home is to be a smoother transition in the recovery process.
Overall, addiction treatment is the first step in treating addiction, not sober homes. There is a difference between the two and it is important that people know the difference. Please make informed decisions when choosing a treatment center for you or a loved one. We can help you in this process. Do not wait. Call now.
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by Justin Mckibben | Jun 6, 2017 | Addiction Treatment, Drug Abuse, Outpatient Treatment
(This content is being used for illustrative purposes only; any person depicted in the content is a model)
Many people make the unrealistic assumption that drug or alcohol treatment is always similar to long-term, strict hospitalization. While some level of medical care is necessary, and some may be monitored in case of other more severe health issues, there are other levels of care that are more relaxed, with recovery programs customized to fit the individual’s needs. When considering treatment for drugs or alcohol, a lot of people end up asking- what is outpatient rehab?
When trying to get the most innovative comprehensive experience in treatment, it is vital to understand the levels of care and how each level of care can offer unique opportunities for growth.
What is Outpatient Rehab: Intensive Outpatient
One common aspect of treatment that many people are curious about is intensive outpatient programs (IOP). IOP for substance use disorder is a level of care that offers a number of helpful services while also allowing you to work, go to school or spend time with your family.
These kinds of programs require that an individual participate in therapeutic activities usually 3 to 5 days a week, depending on the program. Sometimes the schedule is flexible to your individual needs. When enrolled in an intensive outpatient program, patients will help create a treatment plan based on the aspects of recovery that seem most essential to their success. IOP programs are especially geared toward relapse prevention and developing healthy coping skills.
What is Outpatient Rehab: Common Services
Many holistic treatment approaches include other options for the individual’s treatment plan, such as:
Below are 4 common services you should look for in treatment:
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Detoxification
A safe medical detox is always a huge help to getting started on the path to recovery. These detox services are crucial for those experiencing severe and dangerous withdrawal symptoms. If you are looking into outpatient treatment, it is always advisable to attend a safe medical detox instead of trying to quit cold turkey.
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Group counseling
IOPs rely heavily on group therapy to enhance sober behaviors, develop communication skills, introduce structure, and provide guidance. IOP programs typically focus on different aspects of recovery, including:
- Addiction education
- Relapse prevention
- Stress management
- Coping skills
- Life skills
- Interpersonal process
- Support systems
When looking into options for treatment, it is important to make sure the program offers courses on these important elements.
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Individual therapy
The IOP therapist’s primary objective is to help an individual resolve maladaptive behaviors in order to break the cycle. This kind of therapy is great for helping someone who is working or living at home to identify and rectify old destructive patterns in real time.
However, it is important to note that inpatient treatment is also extremely important because at the inpatient level of care the therapy is focused on finding the underlying causes and helping the individual to overcome serious traumas or issues behind substance use.
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Family Programs
Addiction is a family disease, and it is important that loved ones be included in the healing process. The Palm Healthcare family program is designed to help educate the loved ones on addiction. By helping families better understand substance use disorder, they are then able to better communicate and support their suffering loved on in a healthier way.
Family programs provide the family with their own support systems, while helping to heal broken relationships between the user and their loved ones. When someone reaches an outpatient level of care, they may become more present in the family and therefore many people want their loved ones to be well-informed and prepared to best support them during the transition.
What is Outpatient Rehab: Why It’s Important
Outpatient treatment is a big step in the right direction for people struggling with substance abuse or addiction to continue receiving care while also integrating their recovery into their everyday life. Having a network of professional and personal support gives someone recovering from drugs or alcohol an extra line of defense between them and the substances that damage their lives.
However, it is recommended that outpatient treatment follow a period of inpatient treatment, also known as residential treatment. Not everyone can benefit from outpatient treatment without structure. Those suffering from co-occurring mental health conditions definitely do better with dual diagnosis treatment. Inpatient treatment is a more intensive and intimate level of care that provides a secure and safe environment for establishing a healthy foundation. It allows the individual to focus for some time on getting well and addressing the biggest obstacles they face.
Following a residential stay in treatment, many recovering from substance use issues will choose to attend an outpatient rehab program. A lot of people will take advantage of outpatient treatment while living in a sober living facility.
What is outpatient rehab? It is a great way to continue your recovery after detox and inpatient treatment. It is a point of progress in building a new life, while maintaining a connection to peer support and therapeutic resources. If you want to know more about treatment options and levels of care, Palm Healthcare wants to help. Please call toll-free now.
