Residential Treatment Can Help You to Achieve Lasting Recovery

One of the options for people struggling with alcohol addiction is to attend residential treatment programs. These programs allow those who need more long-term support to get the help they require without the constant and intensive monitoring that inpatient treatment programs provide.

What Is Residential Treatment?

Residential treatment centers offer live-in treatment programs for people who have a substance use disorder. Typically, these programs last at least 30 days, though they can go on for longer if necessary.

These programs are safe and take place in a non-hospital setting. In contrast with outpatient treatment programs, people who choose residential treatment have to stay at the facility for the duration of the program.

Residential treatment can offer many services, including:

  • Medical detox
  • Individual therapy sessions
  • Group therapy sessions
  • Addiction education
  • Follow-up care
  • Family therapy

For people who have more severe addictions or who are at a higher risk of relapses, residential treatment can be the right program. Medically-supported treatment programs combined with various types of therapies can offer the best chance of obtaining and maintaining sobriety for people with severe addictions.

What Residential Treatment Programs Offer

One of the most important elements in addiction treatment, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, is how long you are part of a treatment program. Following a treatment program for a substantial amount of time can give you confidence in the skills you learned in recovery.

The monitoring that residential care programs offer provides the structure and safe environment you need to begin your recovery journey. There are many benefits that residential treatment can provide.

Safety

Residential treatment centers provide a secure environment where you will not have to face the triggers that you may encounter if you choose an outpatient treatment program. For many people, their home environment is not the best for the process of recovering from addiction because it can contain the stressors that might have led them to substance abuse in the first place.

If you choose residential treatment facilities, you can also get medical detox services. Undertaking the detox process on your own can be detrimental to the recovery process. In many instances, there can be severe withdrawal symptoms that can put your life or your sobriety at risk.

Residential programs offer medical detox to ensure that you do not feel the worst of the withdrawal symptoms, you get relief from cravings, and you are unable to return to substance use for the duration of your stay.

Community Support

Going through substance abuse can be isolating. When you turn to a residential treatment facility, you will have contact with people who are struggling with addiction as well. You can become a part of a community that can help you as you continue your recovery. You will have support as you go through all of the stages of recovery.

Structured Schedule

Most residential treatment programs have highly structured schedules that keep you busy with therapy sessions. This makes it easier to focus on recovery and not on the behaviors associated with substance abuse.

The consistency of a schedule allows you to practice creating healthy habits that you can continue as you leave the program.

Who Can Benefit from Residential Treatment?

Turning to a residential treatment center can be a good option for people who have trouble maintaining their motivation to recover from an addiction. Residential programs do not allow you to miss therapy sessions, which is common with people who do not have strong motivations for recovering from substance use disorders.

A residential treatment program can also be beneficial for people who have a dual diagnosis. If you have mental health conditions along with an addiction, having continuous monitoring and access to various types of therapies is vital.

People who are at high risk of overdosing or who have severe cravings can also benefit from residential treatment. The structure and monitoring, as well as medication-assisted treatments, can help you not give in to cravings.

Residential vs. Inpatient Treatment Programs

Many times, people use residential and inpatient treatment interchangeably, but they are not always the same thing. The intensity of the treatments tends to vary, with residential programs offering a more relaxed environment that mimics a halfway facility, while intensive inpatient treatment programs offer close monitoring and much more structure.

When choosing a residential treatment program, you want to see exactly what kind of therapy options they offer and the intensity level you can expect.

Inpatient treatment also tends to be shorter in length than a residential program. It is rare for inpatient treatments to last for longer than 30 days, while residential ones can go on for 180 days and longer.

Residential Treatment Services

A residential treatment center can offer a variety of services to help you recover from an addiction.

Medical Detox

To avoid going through severe withdrawal symptoms that can make it more difficult to remain sober, you want to turn to medical detox. The various medications treatment facilities can provide will help you feel more comfortable as you go through the detoxification process.

Residential treatment centers also offer medication-assisted treatment that can help reduce cravings. This allows you to focus on the recovery process and not on the urge to use the substance to which you have an addiction.

Therapy Sessions

Residential treatment programs offer many different types of therapies, including individual therapy, family therapy, group therapy, art therapy, and more.

In order to treat mental health concerns that may affect your recovery, many treatment centers turn to cognitive-behavioral therapy, which focuses on identifying negative thought patterns and adjusting them before they lead to negative actions.

Residential Care for Long-Term Recovery

To achieve lasting recovery from substance use disorders, consider residential treatment. It can offer the support you need to stay sober while also allowing you a bit more flexibility than an inpatient program does. For those who struggle with addiction to alcohol, reaching out for help is the first step.

Contact us now at Quit Alcohol to learn more about how to find the right residential treatment program for you or your loved one.