It can be hard to prioritize your recovery when daily responsibilities weigh heavy on your shoulders. Whether you’re struggling to leave the office or make time around your classes, treatment needs to be prioritized in order to make a full recovery. Intensive outpatient programs are an excellent choice for those with busy personal or professional lives. Learn how intensive outpatient programs work, who they are best suited for, and how you can balance life and recovery treatment.
What Is an Intensive Outpatient Program?
Intensive outpatient programs, or IOP, offer patients intensive recovery treatment and structure while still allowing them to live in either on-site sober housing or off-site at their own homes. IOP treatment can provide those in recovery the support they need, all on an accessible schedule where they can continue work, school, or home responsibilities.
Similar to residential treatment programs, intensive outpatient programs offer counseling, group therapy, and other therapeutic activities to keep you on track to sobriety. IOP is the least restrictive treatment program, enabling clients to live at home or in a sober/transitional living environment and attend to other obligations during the day and treatment sessions on weekdays.
A minimum amount of treatment hours will need to be completed each week by patients, and sessions must be attended in order to uphold the program’s effectiveness. Individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, and psychoeducation are just a few therapeutic activities offered in intensive outpatient programs.
IOP: Who Is It Best For?
Intensive outpatient programs are not for everyone. Those in the midst of addiction or mental health struggles will require more critical care, such as detox or residential treatment. However, IOP is a viable option for those not requiring such in-depth supervision and who can’t clear their entire schedule. Intensive outpatient programs are an optimum choice for those who:
- Already finished a primary residential treatment
- Have a strong support system and sober home life
- Aren’t actively struggling with addiction or mental health issues
- Are worried about relapsing and want to receive guidance and treatment
IOP is a part-time option for those requiring continued treatment but not residential care.
Balancing Life and an Intensive Outpatient Program
At first, you may think balancing life and treatment is impossible. Yet, intensive outpatient programs are designed to help you do just that. With scheduling options throughout the weekdays, you can still have evenings and weekends to yourself.
Treatment staff can help you determine what IOP routine works best for your lifestyle and how you can still commit to working or school. By planning your treatment schedule, you can ensure that you still have time for work without having to divulge your recovery information if you don’t wish to. When it comes to balancing it all, there are some tips to ensure you never feel overwhelmed. Some advice we have for those trying to balance both daily life and recovery include:
- Using a planner: Stay organized and lay out your weekly commitments to ensure you stay calm and on all important dates.
- Allocate time for family and friends: When you’re busy, it’s too easy to neglect your relationships. Make time for your loved ones to stay connected and fulfilled when you need it most.
- Contact support when needed: There are days when we need extra help to avoid relapse. That’s why it’s crucial to have contact with your treatment staff or peers who can encourage you whenever you’re feeling down.
- Take breaks when needed: Going straight back to full-time work can be challenging. Always allot various breaks throughout your day to avoid overworking yourself.
Rejoining the “real” world will require courage, but that’s when you must utilize the skills and tools you acquired during treatment. Be observant of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to understand when you need to take a step back and breathe. Staying in tune with your emotions and needs can help you succeed in treatment and your daily responsibilities.
Our Intensive Outpatient Program at Avalon Malibu
The IOP at Avalon Malibu is available in conjunction with our other core degrees of care, including sub-acute medically supervised detoxification and residential treatment for mental health issues and addiction rehabilitation. People can develop with other program participants in our intensive outpatient program. Each patient will have a strong support network when they first enter treatment, and they will continue to expand it as they progress through the recovery process.
Every outpatient program at Avalon Malibu, including partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient treatment, is approved by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and provides superior care for mental health and drug use problems. At Avalon Malibu, we have everything you need to ensure a smooth transition into daily life while maintaining sobriety and recovery.
You can still prioritize your recovery without neglecting your daily responsibilities. Intensive outpatient programs are designed to help patients balance their day-to-day life while still undergoing treatment for substance abuse or mental health struggles. Avalon Malibu is a world-renowned, California state-licensed mental health and substance abuse recovery center. At Avalon Malibu, you can either stay at our sober living residence or your own home while receiving intensive care. Our compassionate staff can help you balance your recovery treatment and daily life. If you are ready to participate in IOP treatment to develop the skills you need to overcome life’s obstacles and be on the road toward health and well-being, call us today at (844) 857-5992 for a consultation.
