In / Outpatient Detox

Determining whether you need the full supervision of inpatient detoxification or if you will receive sufficient care on an outpatient basis isn’t easy. Whilst it’s not always possible to attend inpatient treatment, technically speaking it does provide a much more intensive level of care and greater support. Outpatient, or community, drug detox is more casual in a sense, but should also include psychological support in the same way as inpatient facilities do. Finding out about the different options available to you or your loved one can help you decide what type of treatment to choose.

Inpatient Detoxification

Inpatient drug detox services offer round-the-clock support to help individuals through withdrawal. The user stays at the facility 24 hours a day, and medical staff is on hand to offer withdrawal management or substitute medicines as required. This means that if any situations arise during withdrawal, they can be dealt with in real-time. This level of support is absolutely essential for people who will be at significant physical risk during drug detox, such as those going through severe alcohol or tranquilizer withdrawal.

Another benefit of inpatient detoxification services is that they offer similarly extensive psychological support to help the affected individual. The physical side of addiction will generally manage itself if abstinence is maintained, but the psychological elements are much more difficult to overcome. The individual needs to address the underlying issues which led them to become addicted to drugs in the first place, and without counselling or intensive psychotherapy this can be very difficult to accomplish. In inpatient detox, every day is wholly dedicated to overcoming all aspects of drug addiction.

Those attending inpatient drug detox treatment are also removed from their everyday life. The main benefit to this is that they are removed from their ordinary triggers and cues to use drugs. This means that the temptation to use will naturally be reduced by the change in surroundings. When they’ve escapes the physical grasp of drug addiction, overcoming triggers and cues in day to day life is much easier. During inpatient detoxification, the positive therapeutic community built up within the drug rehab is also extremely beneficial to users.

Outpatient Detoxification

Outpatient detox can be a much more practical option for those with existing commitments or who don’t want to have to explain long absences from work. In this form of drug detox, the medications required are supplied through a local GP and the dosing schedule is set in advance, according to the individual’s needs. Psychological support is also provided, through group and individual counselling sessions either held in the day or later in the evening. This means that everybody still receives the core support they need, just not 24 hours a day.

However, some of the benefits of inpatient detoxification are lost in community detox. For example, medical emergencies are harder to deal with, and the individual might need an everyday support network of family and friends to replace the therapeutic community provided by inpatient facilities. There is a benefit to this, however, because the individuals have to deal with their day-to-day triggers and cues to take drugs as they are getting clean, rather than afterwards. With sufficient psychological support, this reduces the risk of relapse when the individual returns to ordinary life.

If you or your loved one is struggling with drug addiction, we can help you find the right treatment. Generally speaking, inpatient detoxification is a more comprehensive service, but it might not be necessary in less severe circumstances. We can help you determine your requirements and we’ll run through your treatment options with you. Our staff has a detailed knowledge of the different drug rehabilitation centres located across the country, and we can explain the various services to you. Our advice is completely free, so get in touch with us today and see what we can do for you!