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Inpatient vs. Outpatient Rehab: Which One is Right for Your Spouse?


When you married your spouse, you probably didn’t imagine that the “in sickness and in health” part of the vows would include substance addiction. And ever since your spouse got hooked on alcohol or opioids, your marriage has been on the brink of collapse.

You’ve covered for them with family and friends, believing this was helping instead of enabling. You put up with their abuse because you kept telling yourself that this wasn’t their fault. And you stuck around because you don’t want to abandon them, despite the pain and exhaustion you’ve experienced.

Fortunately, you’ve managed to talk to your spouse about their addiction and convince them to seek help. But what sort of treatment will actually help them get sober? If this is the first time your spouse is seeking rehab, it’s natural to not know where to begin. And even if your spouse has gone through rehab before, you still may not be sure what treatment approach will be most effective.

In this article, we’ll help you learn everything you need to know about inpatient treatment and outpatient treatment to help make your family’s decision a little bit easier.

Inpatient and Outpatient Addiction Treatment

What is Inpatient Addiction Treatment?

Inpatient addiction rehab is when your spouse actually lives at the treatment facility for a specific amount of time. Inpatient treatment focuses on removing your spouse from their old environment, so they can focus primarily on their treatment and recovery.

During inpatient treatment, your spouse will participate in individual and group therapy sessions, meet regularly with a doctor and/or psychiatrist, and receive medication-assisted treatment, if needed.

What is Outpatient Addiction Treatment?

Outpatient addiction rehab gives your spouse an opportunity to participate in treatment while still living at home. This is a good option for individuals who can’t commit to a full-time inpatient addiction treatment program.

During outpatient treatment, your spouse will participate in rehab sessions for a specific number of hours a week. They’ll then be able to spend the rest of their days and nights working, going to school and being at home with their family.

What are the Similarities and Differences Between Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment?

At a 30,000-foot view, you now know that inpatient treatment means living at the rehab facility and outpatient treatment means going to rehab while living at home. But what are the real differences between the two? And is there any overlap between these types of treatment?

We can take a look at Fountain Hills Recovery’s own treatment programs to understand the similarities and differences between inpatient and outpatient rehab.

The Similarities

    • In both our partial hospitalization program (PHP) (similar to inpatient treatment) and outpatient treatment program, your spouse will participate in group therapy sessions. These sessions will give your spouse a chance to open up about their struggles while being in a safe space with other people who understand what your spouse is going through.
    • Your spouse also has an opportunity to participate in individual counseling in both programs. Talking with one of our therapists is an effective way to get to the bottom of their addiction or dual diagnosis disorder.
    • Your spouse will participate in recreational therapy in both of our programs. Yoga, sports activities or simply working out at a gym can improve your spouse’s quality of life, improve their mood and grow their social skills.
  • Family counseling is available in both our PHP and outpatient treatment programs. This gives you an opportunity to be involved in your spouse’s treatment and work with them to heal your marriage and family system.

The Differences

    • In PHP, your spouse will be required to live at our facility in one of our luxury residences. We’ll work with you and your spouse to determine whether they should be enrolled in a 30, 60 or 90-day program. On the other hand, our outpatient program gives your spouse the flexibility to commute to and from treatment while they live at home.
    • In PHP, your spouse will be under 24/7 supervision and be held accountable for their treatment progress. In outpatient treatment, we trust that your spouse is abstaining from all alcohol or drugs.
    • Unlike our outpatient program, PHP offers ambulatory detox services. If your spouse needs to detox before entering full-time treatment, we’ll make arrangements to have them complete detox as safely and comfortably as possible.
    • During PHP, your spouse will have daily access to our Psychiatrist, Medical Doctors, Addiction/Behavioral Health Therapists, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Yoga Therapist and many more, highly credentialed individuals. Your spouse will not have this same level of accessibility during outpatient treatment.

Questions to Ask about Your Spouse’s Treatment Needs

At Fountain Hills Recovery, we can help you determine which type of treatment is the best approach for your spouse’s needs. But there are also questions you can ask yourself and your spouse to get a head start.

Some of these questions are:

    • Does your spouse drink or use drugs daily? If so, inpatient treatment or PHP may be the best option.
    • Does your spouse have a family history of substance abuse? If so, it may make more sense for them to enroll in an inpatient treatment program.
    • Does your spouse suffer from depression or another mental health disorder? Mental health can significantly influence your spouse’s substance abuse. If struggling with a dual diagnosis disorder, your spouse may need inpatient treatment to fully recover.
  • Does your spouse function well at work? If they only drink or use drugs every so often and they’re still successful at work, it may be that they only need outpatient treatment.

Your Spouse Can Get the Treatment They Need at Fountain Hills Recovery

At Fountain Hills Recovery, your spouse’s recovery from addiction is our top priority. We provide high quality, judgment-free care where your spouse will receive personalized treatment from our renowned staff. Our goal is to help your loved one achieve life-long results through evidence-based treatments, heartfelt connections and incredibly high clinical standards.

To learn more about our approach to addiction treatment and our luxury residences where your loved one would stay, contact our admissions staff today.

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