Intensive Outpatient Treatment?
Simply Grateful
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 211
Intensive Outpatient Treatment?
I'm consdering going for outpatient treatment. I have no idea what it is or what to expect. Can anyone enlighten me? I'm a little scared. I need more help than I thought. This roller coaster is getting old. Thanks so much!
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Gatineau, QC, CA
Posts: 5,100
I am in an outpatient program. I had a meeting with an evaluation person, then a meeting with therapist. Had my first group meeting last week. It is really helpful, but one must remain committed to sobriety.
Slipped over the weekend, not the outpatient fault, it was my fault.
Great choice you are making, I am one that needs the additional support too.
Slipped over the weekend, not the outpatient fault, it was my fault.
Great choice you are making, I am one that needs the additional support too.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: PA
Posts: 12,000
Hello soulkat, welcome.
The difference between an outpatient program and AA? Well, first we must discuss the difference between an outpatient program and an outpatient program. They're kind of like cars in a sense. And you don't always get what you pay for. Some are more structured than others. And they attempt to educate you in a way. Some are just a means to spend a few hours keeping you off the streets.
They are so varied, and without the knowledge or experience to compare A against B it is difficult to answer. I do know that in my IOP we spent most of the time "checking in" and the "counselor" took up most of the time dissecting each individual as they went. By the time "check in" was done, it was time to end. I think only a couple times did we actually discuss recovery as a group. I found it to be a total waste of my time. But I'm different than most anyway. I also went because I had to go. Regardless of the reason for my being there - I also 'wanted' to go - I still found it a waste. I wanted to stay in rehab longer but I could not - unless I could come up with a quick $15000 I that I didn't have in my back pocket.
What I can say is this: I got a lot more going to AA meetings than I did from my outpatient program. But like I said, it all depends. I also found that in my IOP - as well as rehabs in general - everyone is lumped together in the same group. I KNOW WE ARE ALL ADDICTS BLAH-BLAH-BLAH. Around here alcoholics are out numbered at least 2 to 1 in rehabs/IOPs. And most if not all of the majority are court ordered to be there.
But the differences are quite apparent when someone my age has to sit and listen to a 20 yr old complain about his girlfriend's friend's friend who knows this guy and texted him about me n her and then they texted and went to the cop street and texted about my text about his text and I got mad and we fought about it and then he texted her saying that he never texted anyone about it. Then they texted that I was still using oxys and I got the text by mistake so I texted them both bullsttt and then we got into another fight and then I texted her mom and then it got really bad.
And of course the "counselor" would have to analyze everything on the spot. She was analyzing girlfriends and parents ...
Okay, can we move on to the next person to check in? And then... yep same thing...
That is what my IOP was like. So yeah, I guess it would be a waste of time for me to have to sit through that every time.
I met someone at one of my meetings who went to the same IOP - different time and said the same thing. She didn't get it at all, called it a waste of time. And basically confirmed my experience about the younger ones going off on oxys and H and the whole soap opera life that goes along with it.
Just sayin y'know.
So just don't go to the one I went to.
The difference between an outpatient program and AA? Well, first we must discuss the difference between an outpatient program and an outpatient program. They're kind of like cars in a sense. And you don't always get what you pay for. Some are more structured than others. And they attempt to educate you in a way. Some are just a means to spend a few hours keeping you off the streets.
They are so varied, and without the knowledge or experience to compare A against B it is difficult to answer. I do know that in my IOP we spent most of the time "checking in" and the "counselor" took up most of the time dissecting each individual as they went. By the time "check in" was done, it was time to end. I think only a couple times did we actually discuss recovery as a group. I found it to be a total waste of my time. But I'm different than most anyway. I also went because I had to go. Regardless of the reason for my being there - I also 'wanted' to go - I still found it a waste. I wanted to stay in rehab longer but I could not - unless I could come up with a quick $15000 I that I didn't have in my back pocket.
What I can say is this: I got a lot more going to AA meetings than I did from my outpatient program. But like I said, it all depends. I also found that in my IOP - as well as rehabs in general - everyone is lumped together in the same group. I KNOW WE ARE ALL ADDICTS BLAH-BLAH-BLAH. Around here alcoholics are out numbered at least 2 to 1 in rehabs/IOPs. And most if not all of the majority are court ordered to be there.
But the differences are quite apparent when someone my age has to sit and listen to a 20 yr old complain about his girlfriend's friend's friend who knows this guy and texted him about me n her and then they texted and went to the cop street and texted about my text about his text and I got mad and we fought about it and then he texted her saying that he never texted anyone about it. Then they texted that I was still using oxys and I got the text by mistake so I texted them both bullsttt and then we got into another fight and then I texted her mom and then it got really bad.
And of course the "counselor" would have to analyze everything on the spot. She was analyzing girlfriends and parents ...
Okay, can we move on to the next person to check in? And then... yep same thing...
That is what my IOP was like. So yeah, I guess it would be a waste of time for me to have to sit through that every time.
I met someone at one of my meetings who went to the same IOP - different time and said the same thing. She didn't get it at all, called it a waste of time. And basically confirmed my experience about the younger ones going off on oxys and H and the whole soap opera life that goes along with it.
Just sayin y'know.
So just don't go to the one I went to.
Keeping it simple!
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Surrey, BC
Posts: 3,282
I went to the one out here and it is called daytox.
It is a 4 - 6 week program and you can go during the day for however many of the group things you want to take.
This program saved me and gave me something to do during the day because I was on stress leave when I quit. However it took me a month to get into it.
They had lots of group stuff, along with acupuncture, yoga techniques, learning about the different programs, learning about different ways to cope with stress and craving. Yes I was scared at first, however, there was such a wide variety of people that went to this program. And this didn't cost me anything as out here it is paid for by the government.
You get out of the program what you put into it. Which in my opinion means being open minded and being willing to try things that you normally wouldn't. By the time I got to this place I was willing to do anything to stay sober.
I found it very helpful as I discovered things about myself I didn't like, did like, and things I didn't know I could do. I found the daytox program more structured which is what I needed.
It is a 4 - 6 week program and you can go during the day for however many of the group things you want to take.
This program saved me and gave me something to do during the day because I was on stress leave when I quit. However it took me a month to get into it.
They had lots of group stuff, along with acupuncture, yoga techniques, learning about the different programs, learning about different ways to cope with stress and craving. Yes I was scared at first, however, there was such a wide variety of people that went to this program. And this didn't cost me anything as out here it is paid for by the government.
You get out of the program what you put into it. Which in my opinion means being open minded and being willing to try things that you normally wouldn't. By the time I got to this place I was willing to do anything to stay sober.
I found it very helpful as I discovered things about myself I didn't like, did like, and things I didn't know I could do. I found the daytox program more structured which is what I needed.
Simply Grateful
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 211
LBrain and Lady ~
Thanks so much for your input. Both of your opinions will help me make a decision. I plan on getting more information before I consider making a commitment.
Thanks so much for your input. Both of your opinions will help me make a decision. I plan on getting more information before I consider making a commitment.
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