Intensive Outpatient (IOP) is available in Colorado as a unique drug treatment option. Many people avoid getting help for a drug or alcohol problem because they mistakenly believe their only option is to check themselves into a residential treatment facility. This is not the case. IOP in Colorado offers effective treatment for people who have an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or prescription medication.

What is Outpatient Treatment?

You have probably heard a lot about inpatient treatment. For many years, inpatient treatment was the only way to go if you had a drug or alcohol problem. Addiction experts once believed that in order to recover from addiction, an addicted person had to be completely isolated from their typical environment and placed in a residential facility. This is no longer the case. IOP is now offered at addiction treatment centers across Colorado as an alternative to inpatient treatment. IOP is an evening program. This is the only way IOP differs from inpatient. Unlike inpatient, IOP allows you to engage your day the way you normally would. You can still work, go to school, and take care of the family. IOP then allows you to return to the comfort of your own home every evening. IOP typically runs 1-5 days a week from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. With IOP, you still receive the same level of quality care you would expect from inpatient. IOP is just as effective as inpatient in terms of education, counseling, individual therapy, and group therapy. Again, the only differences between IOP and inpatient are that you do not stay at a treatment facility overnight when you are attending IOP and you don’t have to invest as much time.

Why Inpatient Treatment in Colorado is Not Always the Best Option

Many people decide not to get help for their addiction to drugs or alcohol because they don’t want to check themselves into an inpatient treatment facility. Most inpatient programs last for 28-30 days, but some people stay at a rehabilitation facility for as many as 90 days. Although this is often absolutely necessary, it is understandable why so many people opt out of inpatient. Making this type of time commitment is usually not an option. Sadly, many people continue in their addiction simply because they wish to avoid inpatient rehabilitation.   There are a number of reasons why people decide not to go to an inpatient program. For starters, inpatient almost always requires you to quit your job. Nobody can miss a month of work and get away with it. Unless you have a super understanding boss who is willing to hold your job for you, chances are, you will have to resign your position at your place of employment if you want to go to inpatient treatment. If you cannot take a leave of absence, you’ll be unemployed once you check out of rehab. Aside from losing your job for missing a month of work, most people cannot financially afford not to work for a month. Just because you’re getting clean doesn’t mean the bills stop coming! If you elect to check yourself into inpatient treatment, you are going to miss a month’s worth of income or more. This can lead to a number of obvious problems; including getting evicted, having the lights cut off, or going without food. From a financial perspective, inpatient rehab can be a costly endeavor when you have to sacrifice your income for the sake of treatment.    Another reason people choose not to go to inpatient treatment is because they have family responsibilities that require their daily attention. Raising a family is a full-time job and this is especially true for single parents. Many parents choose not to get help for their drug or alcohol problem because they cannot be away from their children for a month or longer. Likewise, many people do not choose inpatient because they do not want to leave their spouse. This is unfortunate because no one can be a good parent or a good spouse when they are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Too often, an addiction goes unchecked because the addicted person believes inpatient is the only option and they don’t want to leave their family. Deciding to go to inpatient treatment is a difficult one. This is why so many people choose to attend IOP in Colorado. Going to Intensive Outpatient gives a recovering addict or alcoholic options not offered by the inpatient experience.

Why Many People in Colorado Choose IOP

People choose not to go to inpatient treatment for a lot of the reasons previously mentioned. But, making the decision to go to IOP should be based on more than matters of convenience. Sure, IOP allows you to get treatment and return to the comfort of your own home every night. The question is, does it work and is it right for you? Here are a few more reasons why IOP is a great alternative to inpatient treatment:

• IOP is cost-effective. Getting clean shouldn’t have to break the bank. Many people choose IOP because it costs a lot less than an inpatient treatment program. Although finances may have not been a concern in your addiction, getting a handle on your money will become a greater concern when you are learning to live a healthy new lifestyle. If you cannot afford a stay at a rehabilitation facility, IOP might be the right place for you.  
• IOP will support your detox. Detoxing from harmful toxins is not just about mind over matter. Quitting drugs and alcohol is about safely and successfully removing these toxins from your body. Drug or alcohol detoxification can be a very painful part of the recovery process and usually requires some level of supervision and sometimes medical care. This is one of the main reasons people have difficulties getting sober. Without professional support, many people simply cannot stay sober on their own. The detox is just too unbearable. IOP provides support for the detox process. It allows addiction specialists to assist you as you transition from addiction to sobriety.

• IOP is less time-consuming. Unlike inpatient treatment, IOP is a considered a day-program that requires a minimal time commitment. This means participants go home every evening to tend to life’s responsibilities. This allows time for family, work, school and other daily responsibilities. IOP only takes up a few hours of the day, which gives people freedom to get things accomplished as needed.
• IOP offers effective addiction treatment.  The only real difference between IOP and inpatient is the time commitment. You will be taught the same things in IOP that you would learn if you decided to check yourself into a full-time rehabilitation facility. This is an important point. Many people mistakenly believe that IOP is not as effective as inpatient. This is simply not true.
• You develop positive relationships in IOP.  When you attend IOP, you will meet other recovering people just like you. It has been said that the ultimate weapon for recovery is the recovering addict or alcoholic. Forging relationships with people who are going through what you are going through will help you build new sober relationships. If you need to make new friends who are committed to staying sober, IOP might be the place for you.
• IOP is a step in the right direction. After months or years of abusing drugs or alcohol, committing to IOP is a step in the right direction. You can receive quality addiction treatment with IOP, which arrests the cycle of addiction. If you start IOP, and find out that it doesn’t work for you, you can always choose to check yourself into an inpatient facility.

Some Things to Consider When Considering Outpatient Treatment in Colorado

Although outpatient treatment serves as an effective alternative treatment option to inpatient, it is important to understand that IOP is not for everybody. Intensive Outpatient treatment is designed for people who are ready to kick their addiction to the curb and are serious about staying sober. Although many people appreciate the free time IOP offers, some people are simply not able to be successful in recovery without round-the-clock care. This is true for a number of reasons.

1. IOP sends you home every night, which is a trigger for many people. Some people are simply unable to resist the temptation to drink alcohol or use drugs in their earliest days of recovery. They need the structure offered by inpatient.
2. With IOP, the responsibilities of home can be too much to bear, which can trigger a relapse. Many find it difficult to manage getting clean and maintaining a household. Stressors like taking care of the kids, tending to a spouse, and even housework can feel overwhelming for someone who only has a few days clean.
3. Inpatient allows you to completely focus on your recovery. IOP does not. When you are submerged in an inpatient treatment program, all you have to work towards is getting well. IOP does not offer this luxury. With IOP, you have to juggle your sobriety with external factors like work and family responsibilities.
4. You still have access to drugs and alcohol when you are in IOP. An inpatient rehabilitation facility is safe and secure. There are no drugs or alcohol readily accessible within the facility. When you leave IOP every day, you are exposed to the opportunity to drink or do drugs. You have to rely on a strong, independently developed support system when to manage the urge to drink or drug when you leave the IOP program every day.

These are the most obvious disadvantages to choosing IOP over inpatient. This is not to say that if you choose an Intensive Outpatient program in Colorado you will not be successful. Many people who choose IOP get sober, stay sober, and enjoy sobriety for many years to come. However; it is important to be aware that IOP does not offer a lot of the advantages that come with inpatient. Only you can decide if you are strong enough to withstand triggers and stay committed to your recovery if you choose IOP.

Do You Need Addiction Treatment in Colorado?

If you believe you have a problem with drugs or alcohol, it is important to do your research when choosing a treatment plan that works for you. Keep in mind that addiction does not treat itself and it cannot be overcome with willpower. If you have an addiction, you need professional help. Do you need to detox from drugs or alcohol? Take this addiction detox quiz and find out.