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The stigma attached to undergoing therapy continues to prevent millions from getting back to a healthy and happy life. Although we are still far from eliminating the stigma from our cultures, In outpatient therapy, the person seeking help can easily schedule appointments around their routines, added Dr. Philippe Smith, a devoted family practitioner, graduated with distinction in Cell and Molecular Biology from Concordia University and earned his Medical Doctorate from the University of Montreal.
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Outpatient therapy is a service offered privately or in a group setting. The purpose of this service is to help people overcome their mental health issues. These sessions ensure that the patients are free to seek help when they need it and are not boxed in or supervised at all times.
Factors to consider before you opt for outpatient therapy
Before you choose to undergo outpatient therapy, here are a few factors to consider:
- If you are able to live independently despite suffering from mental illness, then you should go for an outpatient therapy, otherwise you should opt for inpatient therapy with a lot more supervision.
- Your insurance company should be informed of the therapy costs
- Find out if your employer or any government agency might be able to financially assist you in undergoing therapy
- However, if you are a senior who is suffering from mental health issues, chances are you might need more physical assistance and medical examination in combination with therapy. That’s why seeking the services of an adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Benefits of Outpatient Therapy
Let’s now discuss some of the benefits of outpatient therapy:
1. Day-to-day life isn’t disrupted
Inpatient programs are location and time-bound, and therefore, require a greater commitment. Usually, people cannot just up and leave everything and check into a facility for an uncertain period.
People of all different ages and backgrounds shy away from seeking help due to their fears that they will not be able to carry on with their daily lives. In outpatient therapy, the person seeking help can easily schedule appointments around their routines.
Checking in for inpatient therapy means that the person seeking help has to ditch their job or other responsibilities. And then there are the bills, which one has to pay for renting out an on-premise room, food, and the other costs for the services that the shelter provides.
Parents with kids to raise cannot just seek inpatient rehabilitation services. Outpatient therapy, therefore, seems a lot more suitable for parents.
Similarly, students suffering from mental health or addiction problems cannot just take an indefinite break from school to pursue their recovery. However, if the recovery requirements demand supervisory care for a certain period, work or school should be put on hold.
2. Cost Effective
Outpatient therapy is more budget-friendly as compared to the inpatient therapy options. Not everyone struggling with addiction or mental health issues is financially stable enough to drop everything and just focus on recovery at an inpatient facility.
Addictions are more common among low-income households, and it is harder for them to undergo therapy options as well; insurance, mostly, doesn’t cover inpatient therapy costs. In inpatient therapy cases, the person seeking help needs to prearrange their finances, otherwise, they could be looking at staggering costs.
Some insurance providers, however, offer financial support and assistance with outpatient therapy; NGOs or government-sponsored plans are also financial options that can be explored for pursuing outpatient therapy. Outpatient therapy, therefore, offers the less privileged the flexibility to continue working while facilitating them with recovery from mental health and addiction problems.
3. Privacy and Support
Some people prefer to heal or recover from the comfort of their homes. With the stigma attached to mental health and addiction problems, people are loath to pursue recovery openly.
Outpatient therapy, in such circumstances, is the easier and the safer option. People get to recover from indiscretion without the fear of being judged.
An inpatient facility might feel impersonal, and it isolates the person from their friends and family—the support of both can assist in recovery, as feelings of loneliness can hinder the recovery process.
Outpatient therapy doesn’t restrict one from reaching out to the general community for help as well. The community to which a patient might turn shouldn’t necessarily comprise of only the patient’s immediate friends and family. A therapist can help you locate a support group, where people having the same issues come together and talk about their recovery.
4. Lifelong lessons
An inpatient therapy confines you to a space where you recover under the constant vigilance of therapists and nurse practitioners. These professionals are more responsible for the person’s recovery than the person himself.
In case of a relapse, these professionals can help cushion the fall and help the person get back on track. The importance of these professionals in recovery cannot be undermined, however, if a person does not learn to manage their mental health on their own then surviving outside of the facility will be difficult.
An outpatient therapy, on the other hand, puts the patients under more responsibility. The therapy program teaches the necessary skills needed for long-term sobriety. The strategies learned during the therapy sessions can then be put into practice and help prevent the person from falling off the wagon.
It will also provide the person with a sense of accomplishment that will help raise their level of confidence. These acquired skills might then someday enable that person to impart help to another on the road towards recovery.
Conclusion
Outpatient therapy outweighs inpatient therapy for a lot of reasons that were discussed in the article above. It is more affordable, manages to provide for assistance while not obstructing your daily life, maintains privacy, and equips the person with lessons that can be applied even in the future. Inpatient therapy has its advantages and can prove to be equally beneficial for anyone who opts for it, especially if they need a lot more supervision.
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