Outpatient Rehabs
Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 259
I did. I went to an intensive program for dual diagnosis everyday until 2:45. In my case alcohol and anxiety. It provided the educational tools, a month of sobriety to get you started, therapy (individual and group) and activities for recreation and relaxation. There were also physiatrists there. Some who needed detox were initially started with 3-7 days inpatient.
What I learned is that it gave me the knowledge and tools, but once out and back in the real world, it's up to you to use the tools and follow a maintenance plan. For me what has worked following the rehab is AA meetings, a sponsor, a therapist, and making new sober friends. It was definitely a good experience for me overall!!!
Lilly
What I learned is that it gave me the knowledge and tools, but once out and back in the real world, it's up to you to use the tools and follow a maintenance plan. For me what has worked following the rehab is AA meetings, a sponsor, a therapist, and making new sober friends. It was definitely a good experience for me overall!!!
Lilly
A simple guy making his way
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Maine
Posts: 7,867
Originally Posted by CuteNGayYay 
Anyone here had success with this? I feel like I've mostly heard they're a waste,
I have been to a few. That does not mean they don't work. I didn't work is what happened. They don't save people. They build people up to help you save yourself. Nothing. No program of any kind can ultimately stop you from picking up. You can. Everytime you can.
The last one was awesome. I opened up. Met some folks on the colorful side.
Like me. And it helped. A lot.If you have the opportunity to go. Please go. Put your heart into it. Allow yourself the chance to help yourself.
Be well. If you go let us know so we can be there with you in our thoughts. And give us you thoughts.
Ken
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Southern Cali
Posts: 1,356
Originally Posted by Weasel1966
Hey CNGY! Good to see you.
I have been to a few. That does not mean they don't work. I didn't work is what happened. They don't save people. They build people up to help you save yourself. Nothing. No program of any kind can ultimately stop you from picking up. You can. Everytime you can.
The last one was awesome. I opened up. Met some folks on the colorful side. Like me. And it helped. A lot.
If you have the opportunity to go. Please go. Put your heart into it. Allow yourself the chance to help yourself.
Be well. If you go let us know so we can be there with you in our thoughts. And give us you thoughts.
Ken
I have been to a few. That does not mean they don't work. I didn't work is what happened. They don't save people. They build people up to help you save yourself. Nothing. No program of any kind can ultimately stop you from picking up. You can. Everytime you can.
The last one was awesome. I opened up. Met some folks on the colorful side.
Like me. And it helped. A lot.If you have the opportunity to go. Please go. Put your heart into it. Allow yourself the chance to help yourself.
Be well. If you go let us know so we can be there with you in our thoughts. And give us you thoughts.
Ken
and Thank you.
NA Member - Atheist
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Middletown CT USA
Posts: 770
Like weasel said, they don't save people, but then again, nothing does - unless we put in the work ourselves.
My personal experience is that I went to an outpatient 3 days a week, 3 hours a day for six weeks. By the time I got in (they do have a waiting list), I had been going to NA and had been clean for two weeks.
Outside of the tools that Weasel mentioned, the program gave me a "safe place" to go to. I was hostile and arrogant, and I didn't realize how much it helped until later. Early recovery is an emotional circus, and the more hours of the day I could fill with a place to go that had people that understood me and had a solution and could offer support, the better.
I don't have experience with inpatient. I know that for many they help, as they provide a forced break from using and from their lifestyle. I have friends that have been helped immensely.
At the end of the day, both types of treatment models will tell you that the most important thing is what you do after the program is over (and in the case of outpatient, also what you do when you are not in session during the treatment).
Tomorrow is a special day. One of the people I went to outpatient with and who also goes to NA celebrates 4 years of recovery. We're the only two of my class who have stayed clean the entire time. (I keep in touch with a few others, and at least one is clean again.) I have vivid memories of me and "K" standing outside between sessions, smoking cigarettes and venting. It was a tossup which one of us was more angry and more afraid. The transformation in this young woman that I have been privileged to witness has been nothing short of uncanny. - Then again, that's what happens when we stick around and put in the work.
So yeah, outpatient is good in my book, but you need a long term plan, and you need to put in the effort, even when you don't want to.
My personal experience is that I went to an outpatient 3 days a week, 3 hours a day for six weeks. By the time I got in (they do have a waiting list), I had been going to NA and had been clean for two weeks.
Outside of the tools that Weasel mentioned, the program gave me a "safe place" to go to. I was hostile and arrogant, and I didn't realize how much it helped until later. Early recovery is an emotional circus, and the more hours of the day I could fill with a place to go that had people that understood me and had a solution and could offer support, the better.
I don't have experience with inpatient. I know that for many they help, as they provide a forced break from using and from their lifestyle. I have friends that have been helped immensely.
At the end of the day, both types of treatment models will tell you that the most important thing is what you do after the program is over (and in the case of outpatient, also what you do when you are not in session during the treatment).
Tomorrow is a special day. One of the people I went to outpatient with and who also goes to NA celebrates 4 years of recovery. We're the only two of my class who have stayed clean the entire time. (I keep in touch with a few others, and at least one is clean again.) I have vivid memories of me and "K" standing outside between sessions, smoking cigarettes and venting. It was a tossup which one of us was more angry and more afraid. The transformation in this young woman that I have been privileged to witness has been nothing short of uncanny. - Then again, that's what happens when we stick around and put in the work.
So yeah, outpatient is good in my book, but you need a long term plan, and you need to put in the effort, even when you don't want to.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: US
Posts: 5,095
Good input here. I would add to research the program well, maybe ask to sit in on a session. I have been to 2 outpatient groups. One great, one terrible. It is what you put into it, but it can also be a crappy program!
Just a Girl Trying to Make It...
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 207
I started one in April for the first time, and my first day there was my day 1. It has worked really well for me and I have remained sober. Frickaflip has a good point, ask to sit in to see what you think. Good luck!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: UK
Posts: 283
i did outpatient rehab twice. the first time i crashed out, as i was attending to ensure a quiet life and i didn't want to stop drinking.
the second time - completely different. it was 10.00-15.00 five days a week. i listened, i argued, i stropped off a couple of times...but it was excellent for learning new tools for my toolbox. i did AA alongside it. all told between the two i made some lifelong friends and learned to shut my mouth and open my mind.
2 years and 2 months sober now. try it. try EVERYTHING. get well. the rewards are immeasurable.
the second time - completely different. it was 10.00-15.00 five days a week. i listened, i argued, i stropped off a couple of times...but it was excellent for learning new tools for my toolbox. i did AA alongside it. all told between the two i made some lifelong friends and learned to shut my mouth and open my mind.
2 years and 2 months sober now. try it. try EVERYTHING. get well. the rewards are immeasurable.
Craig
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: NY
Posts: 18
My experience is mixed, but overall basically something is better than nothing.
Having some structure (going to groups and counseling regularly) helped me a lot.
Some of the group sessions can be really good, but others not so much. The issue is so many people are compelled by the courts to be there, so you get lots of people who have no real urge to quit, they are just being forced into it.
That said, I owe quite a bit of sober time to it, so bottom line is that's a good thing.
Having some structure (going to groups and counseling regularly) helped me a lot.
Some of the group sessions can be really good, but others not so much. The issue is so many people are compelled by the courts to be there, so you get lots of people who have no real urge to quit, they are just being forced into it.
That said, I owe quite a bit of sober time to it, so bottom line is that's a good thing.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Southern Cali
Posts: 1,356
Originally Posted by Weasel1966
You gave me a good chuckle with that "Molly... You in danger girl" avatar. That's probably my fav line from a movie. I use it when I can. LOL
K
K
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,308
Hi CNGY
I went to 2 outpatient programs. Yes I think they were both useful and helpful. After the 2nd one I got 6 years of not drinking.....so it was definitely worth it. If you haven't been I think it might help you get some solid months and years of sobriety under your belt.
I went to 2 outpatient programs. Yes I think they were both useful and helpful. After the 2nd one I got 6 years of not drinking.....so it was definitely worth it. If you haven't been I think it might help you get some solid months and years of sobriety under your belt.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Gresham oregon
Posts: 30
It's a great place
I did 6 months outpatient after rehab I didn't take it seriously for awhile but once you open up and actually talk to the people and teacher just like you life actually seemed not hopeless. You learn things that matter and there serious about you leaving them being ok to survive with what you aquired.
Guest
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 1,305
Originally Posted by Weasel1966
You gave me a good chuckle with that "Molly... You in danger girl" avatar. That's probably my fav line from a movie. I use it when I can. LOL
K
K
RE: outpatient rehab, I did a "lite" version years ago, where I attended a few sessions of group therapy per week for about an hour each time. I vastly preferred it to AA because it was a smaller group (8-10 people) and it was consistent for the most part. The only downside was that almost everyone else was court-ordered to be there, which my AV used to tell me I was "better off" and I relapsed about 9 months later.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 486
CNYNG,
I would echo this exactly. This was my first job ever after I got my master's. I worked in a "partial hospitalization" program for a year. From what I saw, it is exactly this: If I had to give an overall impression, the folks who were highly successful were highly motivated and just needed some nudging. The ones who were not fully invested didn't "feel like they got enough out of it", but in my opinion they stopped doing the "work" the moment they left each day. It was in an excellent hospital and was so unsuccessful despite all of the GREAT tools on grounds that they closed down in favor of residential treatment.
It does do as Dee said, it "kicks it up a notch" with support, but you REALLY have to be willing to do the work. It would not have worked for me, and I worked there and it was EXCELLENT. But I would have fallen the moment I left each day.
Best,
Lee
I would echo this exactly. This was my first job ever after I got my master's. I worked in a "partial hospitalization" program for a year. From what I saw, it is exactly this: If I had to give an overall impression, the folks who were highly successful were highly motivated and just needed some nudging. The ones who were not fully invested didn't "feel like they got enough out of it", but in my opinion they stopped doing the "work" the moment they left each day. It was in an excellent hospital and was so unsuccessful despite all of the GREAT tools on grounds that they closed down in favor of residential treatment.
It does do as Dee said, it "kicks it up a notch" with support, but you REALLY have to be willing to do the work. It would not have worked for me, and I worked there and it was EXCELLENT. But I would have fallen the moment I left each day.
Best,
Lee
Originally Posted by LostLilly
I did. I went to an intensive program for dual diagnosis everyday until 2:45. In my case alcohol and anxiety. It provided the educational tools, a month of sobriety to get you started, therapy (individual and group) and activities for recreation and relaxation. There were also physiatrists there. Some who needed detox were initially started with 3-7 days inpatient.
What I learned is that it gave me the knowledge and tools, but once out and back in the real world, it's up to you to use the tools and follow a maintenance plan. For me what has worked following the rehab is AA meetings, a sponsor, a therapist, and making new sober friends. It was definitely a good experience for me overall!!!
Lilly
What I learned is that it gave me the knowledge and tools, but once out and back in the real world, it's up to you to use the tools and follow a maintenance plan. For me what has worked following the rehab is AA meetings, a sponsor, a therapist, and making new sober friends. It was definitely a good experience for me overall!!!
Lilly
Giving up is NOT an option.
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 7,808
I second what most people have said. I went to an excellent outpatient program. about 2.5 months of 3 days a week, 3 hour sessions, and then once a week for 2 hours for about 4 months. I was extremely motivated, did all the work, learned a ton, got a lot out of it. We were also required to go to at least 8 AA meetings in order to graduate, and get through step 5. The program itself was loosely based on 12 step, but there was a whole lot more to it than that. There are programs out there that do nothing with AA or steps. It's a personal preference which type you choose. I live in an area where there are not as many choices, but I'm fine with AA, and still go to meetings a year and a half in.
Yes, there were court-ordered people there who I could tell were only there because they were told to be. Some of them just skated through, but others really changed their attitudes and became enthusiastic and great participants after a few weeks of surliness and defensiveness. That was great to see.
So if you're ready to step it up a notch, and willing to put in the work, check out some options in your area and find a place that you are comfortable with. I'll always credit my treatment for getting me on the right path.
Yes, there were court-ordered people there who I could tell were only there because they were told to be. Some of them just skated through, but others really changed their attitudes and became enthusiastic and great participants after a few weeks of surliness and defensiveness. That was great to see.
So if you're ready to step it up a notch, and willing to put in the work, check out some options in your area and find a place that you are comfortable with. I'll always credit my treatment for getting me on the right path.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
