Florida Weekend Rehab Centers: Do They Work?

The National Institute on Drug Abuse stresses that willpower and good intentions are rarely enough to overcome an addiction for the long-term and that professional help is almost always needed. However, of the 23.5 million Americans who are addicted to drugs or alcohol, fewer than ten percent will seek help for their addiction. There are a number of reasons why people don’t seek treatment. For many who worry about the cost of treatment and whether they can afford to be away during treatment, Florida weekend rehab centers may sound like a good deal. But do these in-and-out rehab programs really work? The answer is, it depends.

How Florida Weekend Rehab Centers Operate

Florida weekend rehab centers are outpatient clinics. Outpatient drug and alcohol rehab in Florida involves living at home and working, attending or caring for the family during the day while receiving treatment at the outpatient facility in the evenings and weekends.

Florida weekend rehab centers typically begin programming on Friday evenings and require Saturday and Sunday attendance for a total of at least nine hours of treatment each weekend.

Are Weekend Programs for Everyone?

Weekend treatment isn’t recommended as an initial treatment program for someone just entering drug or alcohol rehab in Florida. Rather, these programs should be used as part of an intensive outpatient program, or IOP, along with weeknight programming whenever possible. The best drug rehabs in Florida will work with you before, during, and after treatment to ensure your program is addressing your unique needs, whatever level of care you require.

Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment: How to Choose

There’s no doubt that inpatient treatment has better outcomes than outpatient treatment. However, outpatient treatment can effectively help some people recover, as long as they have:

• A safe, stable place to live.
• Intrinsic motivation to abstain from drugs and alcohol.
• A high level of support at home and in the community.
• Good physical and mental health apart from the addiction.

Inpatient treatment is essential for those who have:

• A long history of addiction or a severe addiction.
• An unsafe or unstable living situation.
• A history of trauma.
• A co-occurring mental illness.
• A low level of personal motivation to recover.
• A lack of support at home or in the community.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, inpatient treatment lasting less than 90 days is of limited effectiveness. Just as it takes time to develop the dysfunctional thought and behavior patterns that characterize addiction, it takes time to re-learn healthier ways of thinking and behaving. It takes time to develop the skills needed to stay sober for the long-term, such as coping skills for stress, cravings, and other triggers.

Once treatment is complete, an aftercare plan will be developed to provide additional support as you transition back to “real” life in the community. The aftercare plan may include a period of outpatient treatment or intensive outpatient treatment. As a continuum of care, Florida weekend rehab centers can offer an added layer of support once treatment is done.

Individualized Treatment is Essential

The best drug rehabs in Florida are holistic programs that offer a range of traditional and complementary therapies to help you change dysfunctional thought and behavior patterns, develop higher self-esteem and self-confidence, and learn essential relapse prevention skills and strategies. As you develop essential skills and progress through treatment, you’ll “step down” to a program that’s increasingly less restrictive and intense. As you step down, you and your treatment team will work to determine the next phase of treatment that’s right for you. At some point, weekend rehab might be a fit for your treatment plan.

If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.