What is a Partial Hospitalization Program for Drug and Alcohol Addiction?

A Deep Look into PHP for Drug and Alcohol Addiction

With the onslaught of the opioid epidemic and the overdose death toll continuing to soar, seeking treatment now is more important than ever. Thankfully, the medical field has come a long way over the last several decades, and those suffering from an alcohol or substance use disorder now have the unique privilege of having a whole world of treatment options at their fingertips including PHP or partial hospitalization programs.

For many, partial hospitalization programs are one of the most important steps towards joining the community and becoming a functioning member of society. Keep reading to learn more about this valuable treatment approach, and reach out to Find Addiction Rehabs for additional support and treatment options at any time!

PHP: An Option Before Hitting Rock Bottom

Man exercising in Partial Hospitalization Program

It can often be difficult for these people to admit that they have a problem because, on the outside, they haven’t lost everything. Whether substances are being experimented with on a recreational basis or if they are being used as a coping mechanism to deal with the stresses of everyday life, the use of drugs and alcohol can quickly spiral out of control.

If you or a loved one is beginning to lose the battle with substance abuse, it is important to immediately seek professional help. Fortunately, there are many treatment options that you can pursue, and one of those treatment options is partial hospitalization services.

If you are not familiar with a partial hospitalization program and would like more information, pick up the phone and call Find Addiction Rehabs today, our team can give a quick, complete rundown of options for treatment, and insurance coverage, and refer you to top facilities nationwide.

What is a Partial Hospitalization Program or PHP?

A partial hospitalization program is a comprehensive, short-term, intensive, clinical treatment program that combines features of both inpatient and outpatient drug treatment. With a PHP, clients can experience the structure and intensive therapy and programming that is found in residential drug treatment programs but can continue to live at home and resume their normal daily activities.

This type of treatment program greatly benefits those who need professional help from qualified and experienced treatment staff, but their substance use disorders or abuse issues don’t warrant an extended stay in an inpatient treatment facility, or they have external situations that they cannot completely abandon for a longer period of time, children for example.

Can PHP Offer Standalone Treatment?

A partial hospitalization program is a short-term clinical treatment program that combines features of both inpatient and outpatient drug treatment. It is actually a step between these two phases of treatment, which helps smooth the transitional process.

With a PHP, clients can experience the structure and intensive therapy that is found during inpatient and residential treatment but can choose to live at home and resume their normal daily activities.

This type of treatment program greatly benefits those who still require intensive therapy from qualified and experienced treatment staff, but who have started to regain stability from their using and no longer warrant an extended stay in an in inpatient care or treatment facility.

For others, it is that external situations, such as children or work, that require them to find alternatives to inpatient living at a facility.

What To Expect from PHP or Partial Hospitalization Program

Many might assume that by moving on from the inpatient stage, they will lose access to the beneficial therapy standards they are used to. However, this is not the case as patients at reputable PHP’s can still expect:

  • Individual and group skills-building sessions
  • Individual and group psychoeducation
  • Addiction education
  • Relapse prevention sessions
  • Private and group family therapy
  • Support and treatment for dual diagnosis

The emphasis on continuing the intensive treatment plan for all PHP individuals is crucial for those who are truly looking to put an end to their destructive behavior patterns and substance abuse. This can sometimes take a few months.

However, there is also great value in the individual finding and feeling confidence, stability, accountability, and value in themselves. PHP programs encourage this growth through evidence-based therapeutic techniques, psychotherapy, and counseling modalities.

Why is PHP So Important?

Recover with a PHP or Partial Hospitalization Program

One of the major setbacks for many newly recovering addicts and alcoholics is the anxiety and stress that comes after graduation from inpatient therapy back into the real world. However, a quality treatment center strives to create confidence and balance during this stage, by encouraging clients to partake in the partial hospitalization program.

It is well known that the post-acute withdrawal process from drugs and alcohol can last anywhere from 3 to 18 months after last use. This time can be filled with emotional turmoil, mood swings, fits of depression and anxiety, and many people often make rash decisions in finances or relationships during this time.

A partial hospital program allows the individual to not only get back into physical health but also take their time getting back into a healthy mental health state as well. Many inpatient programs last around 30-60 days, but for clients who have trauma or serious emotional blockages, this short-term treatment often isn’t long enough to be able to get really down to the root causes of WHY they use.

The extended time granted by a PHP allows this intensive therapy, individual and group therapy, and self-analyzation to proceed, without hindering the individual’s outside life for an extremely long period of time.

What About a Continuum of Addiction Treatment Options?

Just because an individual is no longer living in this inpatient treatment facility, does not mean that they do not have access to all of the holistic treatment options that they came to enjoy during their stay.

Recovery centers offer their partial hospitalization program clients full access to:

The point of partial hospitalization programs is not to just kick out clients after their 30-day inpatient cycle, but to help them find a balance between their own betterment and their outside lives.

Finding the benefit and joy of these holistic options can often become alternatives to ending the destructive behavior patterns of the past. For example, acupuncture, yoga, and chiropractic medicine are amazing, natural options for those who experience chronic pain or even mood disorders.

When an individual learns that they can turn to these holistic options in the future, rather than to drugs or alcohol, they will be benefited bodily, mentally, and spiritually.

What are the Features of the Top Partial Hospitalization Programs?

Partial Hospitalization programs of PHP can help structure addiction treatment

They say that a house would collapse if it did not have a strong foundation, and that is exactly what a solid Partial Hospitalization Program provides.

A healthy, whole-body approach that not only allows for freedom from alcohol and drugs but helps them start a new life in ways that are sustainable and lead to long-term sobriety.

Effective Individual and Group Therapies

  • Drawn from a wide array of therapies including psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and psychodynamic therapy to name a few. Clients who undergo treatment at our partial hospitalization program will receive individual psychotherapy that is individually tailored to address their specific needs. In our one-on-one counseling sessions, an experienced therapist will help you identify the root causes of your addiction and other related issues and will give you ways to constructively deal with these issues in order to heal.

Relapse Prevention and Planning

  • With the help of our experienced treatment staff, you can learn to identify those triggers in your life that can lead to relapse and learn strategies to minimize their effects. Most importantly, you will learn there is a psychological, emotional, and physical progression that leads to relapse, and you will recognize the signs in each of these areas and be able to utilize techniques to address these issues before they grow worse.

Partial Hospitalization Program with Dual Diagnosis Treatment

  • Oftentimes, those with an addictive disorder suffer from a mental illness such as depression, anxiety, or PTSD along with their substance abuse. If these underlying issues are not acknowledged and treated, the addict will continue to sink deeper into their addiction and experience more dire consequences.

Holistic Treatment Alternatives

  • Eastern medicine techniques have been used for thousands of years to relieve everything from some life-threatening illnesses, to common headaches. At many top treatment centers, the integration of forms of Eastern and Western medicine into the substance abuse treatment plan will create more of a whole health outcome, not only for the time being but for the long haul.

So whether you are looking into treatment options for yourself, or for a loved one, you are sure to have many options. Wouldn’t you want to get the best start on your sobriety as possible?

5 More Beneficial Features of PHP Programs

PHP: A couples' legs rest on a fence with a sign that says 'No Alcohol Beyond this Point' to indicate success of Partial Hospitalization Programs

1) A Partial Hospitalization Program is the Next Step After Inpatient Treatment

For many people, the treatment process continues along a similar path, i.e., detoxification, inpatient treatment, partial hospitalization, then outpatient care, and aftercare. This treatment guideline has been shown to be the most beneficial for people suffering from addiction, as it ensures the safety of a healthy time frame that promotes long-term recovery.

Depending on the treatment facility, the inpatient process can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the individual and their patterns in the past. The outpatient adult partial hospitalization program is the next step on the journey. While inpatient requires a person to live within the doors of the treatment facility for round-the-clock care, partial hospitalization programs allow the person to continue receiving treatment from the comfort of their own home.

2) Therapy Access and Accountability are Upheld

Many people worry that upon leaving their inpatient treatment stage, they will lose access to their therapist or the work they have done so far. However, this could not be farther from the truth. Partial Hospitalization Programs are not intended to push the individual away from treatment, but to keep them connected while they rebuild their lives after the inpatient phase.

For example, since PHP is still a daily form of treatment, it offers the same care and level of engagement with the therapeutic process as before. Addiction is a long-term disease, which requires intensive growth and changes through ending destructive patterns and addictive behaviors.

A person in the Partial Hospitalization Program will still receive daily:

  • Individual and Group Psychoeducation
  • Addiction Education
  • Skill Building Sessions
  • Relapse Prevention Sessions
  • Private and Group Family Therapy
  • Support and Treatment for dual-diagnosis

Since individuals are able to leave at the end of the day, there is often more check-ins and accountability emphasis on their treatment plan. This results in frequent one on one interactions with their therapist, and even drug testing to ensure accountability and safety of all clients.

3) PHP Allows Individuals to Restart Daily Life

PHP or Partial Hospitalization Program - Group addiction therapy session during a Partial Hospitalization Program, as shown by group therapy patients

One fear that frequently plagues people who are in treatment for substance abuse or a mental health disorder is, “What am I going to do for money/work when I get out?”. The Partial Hospitalization Program allows a smoother transition for this process.

Rather than just going to detox or walking out of a 28-day program, PHP allows individuals to continue their extensive treatment process during the day while having the freedom to work at night if they choose. Many people in early recovery often opt for an “easy” part-time job during this stage, so they can begin to acclimate back into the flow of every day living in the outside world.

This part-time work ensures that people do not become “workaholics” and overstress about money or their job, which can often be a big stressor and can lead to relapse. This smaller time frame of part-time employment allows for a more gentle transition which leads to less stress and anxiety.

4) Attend While Residing at Sober Living Houses

Many people find that going back home is sometimes not the safest option for their recovery. Whether it be because of the environment of their return home, family or friends, sometimes it is much safer to stay in a community that is focused on recovery from drugs and alcohol.

This is why many individuals who are taking place in a Partial Hospitalization Program choose to live in a sober living home. While the rules of sober living homes can vary, it is best to find one that promotes complete sobriety, uses weekly drug testing to ensure the safety of the individuals in the home, does not allow couples or opposite genders into the home, and promotes finding employment and active participation in a recovery program.

There are a lot of fraudulent sober homes in the country right now, so if sober living is the best option for you, make sure to get a recommendation from your therapist, interventionist, or sober life coach for the best sober living home for you.

5) Consistent Quality of Care and Therapies

After the tranquility and extensive options of care during the inpatient treatment process, many people worry that they will lose those options once they move to the Partial Hospitalization Program. With top treatment programs found through Find Addiction Rehabs, this should not be an issue, as the quality and continuity of care continue from detox all the way to aftercare.

Individuals who are in the PHP program will have access to group therapy and encouragement to continue utilizing all of the holistic and supplemental treatment options that they had when they were in the inpatient program.

For example, all of these holistic options are still available for PHP patients to continue utilizing:

  • Yoga
  • Meditation Sessions
  • Chiropractic Care
  • Massage Therapy
  • Acupuncture
  • Nutritional Education
  • Well-being Sessions
  • Physical Education

Along with the same involvement with group therapy, addiction support, medication management, relapse prevention, and individual-based therapy sessions.

The ultimate goal of Partial Hospitalization Programs is to allow the individual to begin to regain their confidence and self-assurance of their abilities in the outside world, while still staying connected to their program of recovery. Through extensive work with the therapeutic team and all of the holistic opportunities, PHP works as a robust support system to strengthen the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual state of every individual who is looking for long-term recovery from their addiction.

If you or someone you know needs help with substance abuse Find Addiction Rehabs is here to help. Call anytime 7 days a week 24 hours a day.

Get Matched With Proven Inpatient and PHP Programs Today

Sunset success with a PHP

If you or a loved one are suffering from alcoholism or addiction, you are not alone! If you are ready to change your life and live free of substances, then Find Addiction Rehabs can help. We give you the jump start to recovery you need.

For more information on the best options for addiction treatment across America, reach our dedicated team of recovery representatives at any time on the number listed here, we are ready and waiting to help you on the road to a new life today!

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