Exploring the Role of Medication-Assisted Treatment in Outpatient Rehab
Outpatient rehab programs provide many benefits, such as a more flexible schedule and a lesser time commitment. These programs also serve as an important source of ongoing support for those in recovery, and they can provide this care through a range of innovative therapies and treatment modalities. One of those methods is medication-assisted treatment. In this blog, we’ll explore the role of medication-assisted treatment in outpatient rehab and how it can help those in recovery maintain their sobriety. What is Medication-Assisted Treatment? Medication-assisted treatment is a federally managed program that includes medications approved by the FDA. These programs provide medication to help you manage long-term cravings and reduce the risk of relapse as you continue with outpatient treatment. A requirement for medication-assisted treatment is participation in psychotherapy during your outpatient care. The reason for this is that studies indicate medication is more successful when used in conjunction with therapy, especially for substance abuse. The Role of Medication-Assisted Treatment in Outpatient Rehab Medication-assisted treatment can take one of two forms, and many clients choose to utilize both: Detox The role of medication-assisted treatment in outpatient rehab generally starts with your detox process. For some, the detox process can come with serious risks of complications and extremely unpleasant side effects. The likelihood of getting through those can be increased with certain medications that ease discomfort. This is especially true for the withdrawal process from substances such as: This medication must be administered by a qualified facility. After completing detox, you can transition to the second stage. Cravings Drugs and alcohol have a profound impact on the way your brain functions. Substance abuse can change the size of your brain, its structure, and the way in which certain parts of your brain operate. It takes a long time to reverse these changes, and during that time frame, you can experience unpleasant side effects and particularly strong cravings unlike anything else. In order to minimize your likelihood of relapse, to help you actively participate in your treatment program, and to reduce your risk of overdose, medication-assisted treatment in an outpatient program can provide options that can: This medication must also be administered by a qualified facility while you continue to participate in your outpatient program, including the requisite therapy. What to Expect with Medication-Assisted Treatment If you participate in medication-assisted therapy, your treatment program will involve the administration of medications either orally or with injections for most medications. You’ll come to the facility for your doses as well as your ongoing therapy sessions. Therapy sessions typically involve individual and group therapy with moderate participation requirements depending on the level of care you are receiving. As you transition up or down throughout the different levels of care, your requirement for therapy might adjust accordingly. The role of medication-assisted treatment in outpatient rehab is to be a tool that you use while also learning long-term life skills and coping mechanisms that will eventually replace your reliance on any medication. Getting Professional Care with The Differents The Differents is offers outpatient rehab services and medication-assisted treatment. When you work with our team, you get personalized care with our 1:3 staff-to-client ratio. At our private, luxury addiction treatment center, you can participate in activities like: Hoping you make the most out of your time with us and beyond, we incorporate medication-assisted treatment in our outpatient rehab programs to help you to combat cravings and triggers. Overall, the role of medication-assisted treatment in outpatient rehab is to provide you with additional support as your brain’s neurobiology reverts back to what it was before substance abuse. With the help of ongoing medication, you can also manage co-occurring mental health disorders during outpatient rehab. Contact our team today to learn more about our programs.
Tools for Managing Cravings in Recovery
The addiction recovery journey is a lifelong process. As such, it requires lots of tools for managing cravings in recovery that you can use at different stages. Each tool you acquire can help you achieve and maintain your sobriety. You may continue to experience cravings immediately after treatment, as your brain chemistry and body continue to revert back to how they were before addiction. But this can be a slow process, one which requires reliable tools to help you get through it. Top Tools for Managing Cravings in Recovery So, what are the best tools for managing cravings in recovery? Therapy The best tool is therapy. Therapy can help you understand any underlying mental health disorders contributing to your addiction and give you individualized resources for managing cravings. Group therapy can also help you develop the peer support that is so important to your long-term success. Support You can find support from: Support from others is important because it gives you people you can turn to when you are triggered, stressed, overwhelmed, or just need something positive, like a quick coffee visit and a chat. Peer support also gives you access to people who understand what you have been through and respect your sobriety goals moving forward. It can be difficult to maintain friendships with people who you used to regularly do drugs or drink with, because it may be likely that the environment in which you socialize will be full of triggers. Routine A healthy routine is among the most important tools for managing cravings in recovery. When you attend treatment at The Differents, one of the first things you will notice is the use of a rigid schedule for each of your services and sessions. Why does this matter? Psychologically, having a routine takes away a lot of guesswork and decision-making throughout the day. The more structure you have, the less likely it is that you will find yourself with idle time and distractions. Moreover, the more structure you have, the less willpower you have to invest in making decisions like: Each time you have an established routine for a meal, an activity, or your schedule, you free yourself from having to use willpower and can instead use that energy for the inevitable stresses or triggers that can surprise you. Medication For many people, one of the best tools for managing cravings in recovery is medication. Medication can be a very useful tool in preventing relapse by helping you control cravings. In extreme cases, medication through FDA-approved programs can inhibit the positive and euphoric effects of drugs like opioids or cause you to get very ill if you drink alcohol. Medications like these go a long way toward helping you control any possible relapses. Exercise Exercise is an often underappreciated tool, but it can help you manage cravings nonetheless. At some treatment centers, you can learn about yoga and outdoor therapy, which can help you establish exercise routines that you can use in recovery. Yoga, for example, is particularly useful in aiding with cravings because it teaches you to accept the temporary nature of discomfort as you hold physically demanding poses. Concurrently, it teaches you to focus on your breathing, which is inside of your control, when you are at your limit. These skills can be applied to any situation where you experience extreme cravings or stress. Diet What you eat matters in recovery. Your mind and body need to heal after substance abuse, and it is during that vulnerable healing process that you will experience cravings. Giving in to foods rich in sugar and additives will only make it harder on you. But by learning which foods can help manage different emotions or which foods indicate a missing nutrient (like how a craving for chocolate might actually indicate a magnesium deficiency), you can control cravings big and small. Building Tools in Treatment When you attend outpatient rehab with The Differents, you will learn about several tools that help you manage your cravings. At our trusted drug rehab, we help you build a routine so that you are familiar with the structure when you transition back to your regular life. As part of our levels of care, we give you access to several forms of holistic tools for managing cravings like: There are many tools for managing cravings in recovery. When you work with reliable, professional treatment centers like The Differents, you can learn which tools work best for you, practicing them in real-time during your program. Contact us today to learn more about our substance abuse treatment programs and how they can help you.
