Do I Really Need an Intensive Outpatient Program after Treatment?

 

 

Once you’ve completed an inpatient addiction and mental health treatment program you may be eager to finally go back home and start a brand new life in recovery. Though you got off to a rough start, your treatment has gone remarkably well. You now feel that you’ve finally gotten your unwanted behaviors under control, and have all the tools you need to manage any negative emotions or conflicts that come your way without drinking, using, or slipping back into old unhealthy habits. 

 

As you are drawing near the end of your treatment program, your therapist says to you “I recommend that you spend some time in an intensive outpatient program (IOP) before you go home.”

“But… I’m fine now.” You say. “I’ve gone through this program with flying colors! I am like a brand new person now! Why do I need more treatment?”

 

Should I Go To An IOP?

The first few months—sometimes even the first few years—of recovery is a vulnerable time. It is not uncommon for those new to recovery to relapse soon after completing inpatient treatment. Even people who were very dedicated to getting sober and left inpatient treatment feeling like there was no way they would ever relapse, often end up relapsing.

Good inpatient treatment programs are designed to remove any outside obstacles, temptations, or distractions that might get in the way of your recovery. You don’t have access to alcohol or drugs in treatment, like you would in the “real world.” You aren’t surrounded by people, places and things that you associate with your addiction or disorder. You don’t have to deal with the usual day-to-day stresses of life. You don’t have to cook meals, drive through rush hour traffic to get to work, or manage difficult relationships with your partner, children, or roommates at home.

This is not to say that everything is always sunshine and rainbows in rehab—you will have bad days, conflicts will come up, and you’ll be overwhelmed sometimes by your emotions and fears. But, when those things do come up, there are always staff and peers available to support you through them, and to make sure you are in a safe and secure setting.

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Turning Setbacks into a Comeback

By Aleah Johnson, Alumni Coordinator at The Meadows

 

Setbacks in recovery are pretty much inevitable; nobody is immune to them or their unforeseeable effects. They can range from major occurrences, such as the loss of a loved one, to minor ones, such as having a headache to the point where you cannot function effectively at work.

We so often hear about icons—CEOs, musicians, artists, politicians, etc. — who have given in to temptations; some have had setbacks so big that it has cost them their entire career. But, setbacks do not necessarily have to be a death sentence; nor do they have to be an excuse for not reaching our goals and dreams.
Setbacks can be powerful catalysts for major comebacks. They can, for example, put you in a position where you have a clearer perspective on life, and even bigger drive to overcome your obstacles.

Stay Accountable

A setback is an event that delays your progress or reverses some of the progress you have made. In the context of addictive disorders and recovery, we also call this a relapse.
When you have experienced a setback or a relapse, it is important that you don’t downplay or ignore what has happened. Instead, take accountability, and try to make sense of the situation.
A wise somebody once said, "...you cannot conquer what you cannot confront." How true that is! Denial will hamper any progress that can come from putting things into their proper perspective.

Assess the Situation

Once we have studied our enemy (addiction) and understand it, then we can be on the lookout for the people, places, or things that can put us back into the hole that we are trying to climb out of in the first place.
The best tool you could possibly have for avoiding a relapse is a realistic action plan that will ensure that you do not find yourself in places or situations that intensify your temptation to engage in self-destructive behaviors.
When a setback or relapse has occurred, it is very critical that you begin to ask these very important questions:

• What caused the relapse?
• Can the relapse be traced to old, self-destructive behavioral patterns you slipped back into?
• Were there any other factors that led to the relapse?

Once you have analyzed the situation and have come up with a possible explanation, strategize and devise a sustainable, preventive plan for the future so that the unwanted behaviors will not be repeated again.
For example, if you relapsed by drinking alcohol during a night out with friends, you might need to consider no longer going to night clubs, even if your intention is only to dance and drink sodas.

Sharpen Your Relapse Prevention Tools

Here at The Meadows, we are very committed to equipping each patient against setbacks. We make sure everyone leaves our programs with a set of relapse prevention tools so that when temptations arise, they can hold their ground and resist them.
If a relapse does happen, remember that there is always a second chance: analyze the situation, put it into its proper perspective, and create an action plan to prevent it from happening again in the future.
And, if you need a little extra support getting through the next stage of your recovery, you can always call us. We have an intensive outpatient program and series of outstanding workshops that help keep you on track. Call 800-244-4949 or send us an email.

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