Maybe you’ve just landed your dream job, and there’s no way you can take time away to get help. Alternatively, perhaps you have a wife and two kids to support, and you can’t afford a dip in your paycheck for the month. If you’re struggling with addiction or substance abuse problems, treatment is the right decision. But sometimes, the real world gets in the way. Work, school, and other adult obligations can make pausing your life to get help seem impossible. However, intensive outpatient programs can help you balance work and addiction recovery.
At New Start Recovery, we are proud to offer intensive outpatient programs for our clients. These programs provide a solution to the delicate balance between work and addiction recovery. To learn more about the treatment options available at our intensive outpatient program, please contact New Start Recovery today at *DM_DirectNumber format=period linked=true*.
What Are Intensive Outpatient Programs?
An intensive outpatient program (IOP) is a treatment program in which you will still have to make a time commitment, but you don’t have to live in an actual treatment facility. Group sessions, individual therapy, and additional activities are still involved, but only for a set amount of time each week. The rest of your week can still revolve around your job, school, and other responsibilities. This is ideal for people who can’t take time away from work, are full-time students, or have a family to support.
Individual facilities run their programs differently. However, there are certain aspects that are pretty much the same among each intensive outpatient program. Most IOPs include group sessions as well as individual therapy. You’ll be required to go to these therapy sessions for a certain amount of time each week or month. For example, an IOP may require you to participate in twenty hours of treatment per week. These hours will be broken up in a set schedule throughout the week so that you’ll know exactly what to expect and how to plan your other obligations around the program. Many intensive outpatient programs also offer life coaching and skill development to help you move forward after completing the program. Some IOPs also offer sober living.
Sober Living Is a Stepping Stone to the Real World
Intensive outpatient does not necessarily mean that you need to live in a sober living facility. You can participate in an IOP while still living at home. However, in many cases, a sober living facility is the best decision for recovery. It’s the ideal environment to continue your recovery because everyone in the house is in recovery. As a result, your housemates will all share a similar mindset. You’ll also be away from temptation and distraction. These are important things to consider because if your home environment is toxic and triggering, your recovery will most definitely suffer.
Each sober living facility is different, but there are things that should populate your checklist when shopping.
- Curfews – Strict curfews help to lower relapse rates and promote responsibility.
Major Ways that Intensive Outpatient Programs Work for Busy Lives
There are several ways that an intensive outpatient program can help you balance work and addiction recovery.
You Don’t Have to Compromise Your Work
People who struggle with addiction are not all homeless or struggling to take care of themselves at a basic level. They’re businessmen, coffee shop baristas, grocery store clerks, and retailers. You don’t have to be a big business executive to worry about how addiction treatment will affect your job. One of the biggest concerns that people have with residential treatment is that they’ll have to miss work. Because IOP only requires a certain amount of time each day or week, it allows people to still go to work while they receive treatment.
Lower Costs
Intensive outpatient programs use fewer resources than residential treatment. For example, IOP still offers things like group and individual therapy. However, it doesn’t include things like a bed or private chef, which are common with residential facilities. Because of this, the costs of IOP are generally lower than the costs of residential treatment. If you’re worried about how treatment will affect your job, the chances are that lower costs will be good news to you. It won’t put as big of a burden on your paycheck, and you’ll still be able to continue your regular work hours to make up for it.
Less Intrusion
Treatment is a huge deal. It’s a big step towards bettering your life. However, that means that you’re going to have to make a commitment. If you want to be healthy and free of your addiction, your recovery is going to have to take the front seat spot in your life. But trust me, you’ll welcome the change. Intensive outpatient programs ease that transition a bit. IOP still requires a big commitment from you, but it’s a less intrusive commitment. Your life is still your life with the addition of outpatient treatment.
This is also good news for people who work closely with others. Intensive outpatient programs still give you room to exercise privacy and discretion. If your program hours work around your work schedule, your boss, coworkers, and colleagues won’t be tipped off to your treatment unless you choose to share with them.
Check out New Start’s Intensive Outpatient Program
If you think IOP is the right option for you, check out New Start’s program. Our IOP follows a 90-day structure that is broken up into three 30-day tiers. You’ll start at the first tier and make your way through the following tiers as you complete each 30 days. Each tier has a different set of guidelines. The first tier includes the most therapy at five hours a day, five days a week for 30 days. These therapy hours decrease as the tiers progress. This type of structure is very beneficial for the client because it helps them build independence as they make their way back into the real world.
Depending on the drug, detox may still be necessary before an intensive outpatient program. For example, meth doesn’t necessarily require a medical detox but heroin and alcohol are both dangerous to detox from on your own. Determining which option is best for a person varies case by case.
Seek Balance Work and Addiction Treatment at New Start Recovery
Being a kid had its perks, but so does being an adult. You can drive, travel, grow a family, and hold your dream job. But these joys are the things that get compromised in addiction. Fortunately, treatment, such as detox, residential, and intensive outpatient programs, allows us to thrive in life and enjoy these things once again. At New Start Recovery, we offer a range of treatment programs that will allow you to balance work and addiction treatment, including:
- Alcohol addiction treatment
- Heroin addiction treatment
- Cocaine addiction treatment
- Opioid addiction treatment
- Benzo addiction treatment
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, we want to help. Don’t hesitate to call us at *DM_DirectNumber format=period linked=true*Â or reach out to us on our live chat.