When it comes to decision-making, perhaps Teddy Roosevelt put it best. Roosevelt once said, “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” This look at decision-making can be applied perfectly to the recovery journey. The first and most important step of recovery is deciding to participate in treatment. After that, the decisions come much easier, because professional support is there as a guide. This support is also essential in deciding between an intensive inpatient program and an intensive outpatient program (IOP).
The Importance of Taking the First Step of Recovery
When someone is struggling with their mental health and/or substance use, it is often hard to get help on their own. This is not their fault; it is often just the nature of mental illness. It’s hard to think about anything but the mental health struggles that seem to always be front and center.
For this reason, it can be crucial for loved ones to step in and assist when someone is ready to get help. Also, it is important to remember that the window when an individual is open to get help can be very small, so it is important to act when the opening is there.
Making the choice to start recovery can perhaps best be summed up in the first step of the 12-Step philosophy. It goes, “We admitted we were powerless,” and “that our lives had become unmanageable.” Now, it is this “admittance” that is key to taking the first step of recovery. After someone admits they need help, the next step is making sure that they get the type of help that is right for them. Two of these options include a residential/intensive inpatient program and an IOP.
What Exactly Is an Intensive Inpatient Program?
Intensive inpatient programs (or residential treatment programs) are treatment plans that take place fully within a recovery center, providing 24/7 support. An individual resides in the facility as they begin their recovery process. This option is often reserved for individuals that are in the later stages of mental health and/or addiction.
An inpatient program is often recommended for those who are coming out of a medically assisted detox. This way they can be closely monitored as they begin to navigate the beginning stages of sobriety.
For people needing treatment for issues of mental health not relating to addiction, an inpatient program is often recommended for those who are severely symptomatic and perhaps need medication monitoring. This way they can be in close contact with clinicians and specialists to ensure that the treatment that they are undergoing is bringing those symptoms down to a safe level. Now, after individuals start to stabilize and get back on their feet in inpatient treatment, it is often recommended that they transition to an IOP.
What Exactly Is an Intensive Outpatient Program?
An IOP is often recommended for those individuals that are still able to function in their everyday lives. Yes, of course, their lives have been disrupted by issues of mental health, but they can still go about their day without the fear of harming themselves or others.
An IOP can be ideal for these individuals because it makes it possible to maintain a work, home, and/or school life while also getting the type of intensive care that they require. This type of program can also be highly beneficial to individuals that are struggling with addiction because it allows them to begin to build the community support they will need in long-term recovery while they are still undergoing a more intensive treatment program.
So, the question then becomes, how does one choose between an intensive inpatient and an intensive outpatient program IOP? Ideally, the answer is that a professional will help decide for them. A mental health professional or addiction specialist will be able to determine the best course of action for recovery. Also, a reputable recovery center will have intake specialists that can help ensure that a recovery program fits with the client’s means, relationships, and schedule.
Whether Inpatient or an Intensive Outpatient Program, the Phoenix Recovery Center Is Here to Help.
The writer/philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson once famously said, “Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” Well, here at The Phoenix Recovery Center, once a client decides to recover, we are here to conspire to make that recovery successfully happen.
Whether it is a residential treatment plan or an intensive outpatient program, the most important part of recovery is deciding to start. Once a person starts recovery, then they can start to see their value again. In other words, they can start to see their worth again, and they can start to see the life that they have always deserved to live. To get started today, reach out to The Phoenix Recovery Center at (801) 438-3185.
