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Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment for Substance Use Disorder

Table of Contents


Overview

If you have substance use disorder, your doctor may suggest treatment at an inpatient or outpatient facility. At inpatient facilities, you stay overnight. At outpatient facilities, you come only during the day. How long you stay varies among programs.

There are many options for inpatient and outpatient treatment programs. Treatment may include group therapy, one-on-one counseling, drug and alcohol education, medical care, and family therapy. A combination of these treatments may be used in both inpatient and outpatient programs. You may be able to do outpatient treatment online. Talk to your doctor or counselor to find out about online options.

Your doctor or counselor will help you decide whether you should have inpatient or outpatient treatment. The choice may depend on:

The national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) can help you find treatment programs. Search online at findtreatment.gov or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Inpatient treatment

Inpatient treatment may be part of a hospital program or found in special clinics. You'll sleep at the facility and get therapy in the day or evening.

Inpatient treatment may be a good option if:

You may stay for several weeks, depending on how your recovery is going. After inpatient treatment, you should go to outpatient treatment for more counseling and group therapy. Inpatient treatment also may be residential, which means you stay at the facility for months.

Outpatient treatment

Outpatient treatment happens in mental health clinics, counselors' offices, hospital clinics, or local health department offices. Unlike inpatient treatment, you don't stay overnight.

Outpatient programs can be a challenge because you may continue to face problems at work and home. But it will help you build the skills you need to handle everyday problems.

In standard outpatient treatment, you may have 1 or 2 group therapy sessions a week. Treatment may go on for a year or more. Sessions may be in the evening or on weekends so you can go to work. You may be able to do outpatient treatment online. Ask your doctor or counselor about online options.

Outpatient treatment may be a good option if:

For outpatient treatment to work well for you, it's important to go to your sessions regularly and also get other support, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Having support from friends or family, good transportation, and a stable place to live also are important.

It's important to stay committed to a drug-free or sober lifestyle. With treatment, you can make healthy changes and keep drugs or alcohol out of your life.

Questions to ask

When visiting a treatment center to see whether the program offered there meets your needs, ask these questions.


Credits for Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment for Substance Use Disorder

Current as of: November 15, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.


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