Mental health struggles often go unnoticed for a variety of reasons. A person may come from a culture where there’s a stigma around mental health and thus never seek any treatment plan. Sometimes, people may not even realize they’re suffering from one and are never aware they need help. Some may attempt to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol.
While various types of treatment programs exist, such as outpatient therapy and residential, people are less aware of intensive outpatient programs (IOP).
What is an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)?
Most people are aware of inpatient programs from rehab centres and mental health treatment facilities. They also know about individual therapy sessions, group therapy and medication management. An IOP is a middle ground between the two types of treatment.
IOPs are designed to help those who need a level of care higher than regular outpatient treatment, and an IOP may help someone suffering from mental health and substance abuse disorders.
What to Expect in an IOP Treatment
People undergoing IOP are expected to participate in regular weekly sessions, collaborating closely with clinicians and therapists throughout their intensive care process, all while residing at home. Intensive outpatient treatment generally consists of three hours of therapy daily, totaling approximately 20 hours per week.
This schedule can be arranged during non-working hours to ensure they can maintain privacy and fulfill their daily obligations while still engaging in the essential therapies provided by the day treatment program.
Benefits of IOP for Mental Health Treatment
Intensive outpatient treatment programs are not for everyone. As such, an individual must be assessed to determine the level of care they need to improve.
That said, many people who suffer from mental health problems may not do well with the lifestyle changes that come with residential treatment. A person with anxiety, for example, may have their anxiety triggered by being in unfamiliar surroundings.
Flexibility
Another benefit of IOPs is that they’re flexible. Working professionals, students, and those with families can continue to receive the treatment they need while living at home, going to school, or working. This allows them to meet their obligations.
Cost-effectiveness
Financial stress can be a trigger for anxiety and depression. However, IOPs offer patients a high standard of care while still being more affordable than inpatient treatment. Patients can receive the care they need without incurring the cost of checking into a treatment center.
Peer Support
IOPs at Luxe Recovery LA include group therapy sessions. These allow people in recovery to see firsthand that they’re not suffering alone and to form support groups to foster camaraderie and mutual understanding, which can help strengthen their resolve.
Family Therapy
Mental health issues and addictions can negatively impact family life. Luxe Recovery LA employs family therapy sessions to help repair the damage and help family members be better equipped to help someone recover.
Skill Development
IOPs are also designed to help people develop the skills they need to cope with their mental health issues.
Continued Care
Some people complete inpatient treatment services and will continue to require care. An IOP provides that care while allowing them to transition back to their normal lives. It offers people who require a higher level of care than one therapy session a week structured mental health treatment without them needing inpatient care.
Types of Mental Health Conditions Treated in IOP
IOP is a form of intervention that can be used for a wide range of conditions, including different types of mental health disorders and addictions such as:
Substance Use Disorder
Substance abuse and mental health often go hand-in-hand, and many people who suffer from mental health problems frequently turn to substances such as drugs and alcohol to cope.
Conversely, many addicts often develop mental health disorders as a result of their addictions. Mental health and addiction usually overlap, and IOP programs can be designed with addiction treatment in mind to help a person along in their recovery.
Behavioral Addiction
Addiction manifests in various forms, and it is commonly believed that physical dependence, marked by withdrawal symptoms, is a prerequisite for diagnosing an addiction.
However, it is important to recognize that behavioral addictions can arise when individuals face significant negative repercussions in their lives without experiencing the physical challenges typically associated with substance use disorders, such as those related to drugs and alcohol.
Behavioral addictions, often referred to as process addictions, exhibit patterns akin to those of substance-related addictions, leading to complications across multiple facets of an individual’s life. Furthermore, the impact of behavioral addictions on interpersonal relationships mirrors that of substance addictions, as these relationships may be neglected in favor of the addictive behavior.
This neglect can erode trust and impose additional burdens on partners and family members, who may feel compelled to conceal or compensate for the difficulties stemming from the addiction. Some of the most commonly diagnosed behavioral addictions are gambling disorder, internet gaming disorder, and shopping disorder.
Depression
Depression is a mental health disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and low self-esteem. People who suffer from depression may experience a loss of interest in life and may withdraw from family and friends.
Most troublingly, depression can often lead to suicidal thoughts as a person may no longer feel that there’s any point to living or that things would be better off if they were dead.
People who suffer from depression often feel empty inside. Research suggests that outpatient treatment is effective at treating depression.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a mental health disorder characterized by worry. People who have anxiety are always worried that something is going to go wrong and that the worst possible outcome in any given situation will come to pass.
Anxious people can often have trouble concentrating and can be irritable. IOPs can also be individualized to treat people with anxiety disorders.
What Does an Intensive Outpatient Treatment Entail?
An intensive outpatient program is a well-organized psychological treatment program designed for outpatient care. It is effective for addressing a range of behavioral health and mental health conditions that do not necessitate continuous supervision.
Participants in an IOP attend scheduled therapy sessions while returning home between treatments. In IOPs, several evidence-based modalities are used to treat patients, which include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behavior. It aims to help patients identify and modify harmful thought patterns to improve their emotional well-being.
Many patients are also given homework assignments to strengthen the coping skills they learn in therapy sessions. This goal-oriented form of therapy is more focused on shaping the future rather than reliving the past.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
IOP treatment can also involve DBT. This is a type of therapy that focuses on the concepts of acceptance and change. This type of program is primarily focused on helping patients develop their skills in four key areas:
- Mindfulness: Patients are taught to be more present in the moment. The key is to help them become more aware of their thoughts and feelings.
- Distress tolerance: This skill set involves helping patients cope with situations that may trigger them. This can include self-soothing, distraction, and other coping methods without turning to harmful behaviors or making rash decisions.
- Emotional regulation: This seeks to help people better understand and control their emotions.
- Interpersonal effectiveness: This skill set helps patients improve their ability to form and maintain interpersonal relationships. This includes being more assertive, setting boundaries, and prioritizing the right things in a relationship.
Group Therapy
During group therapy sessions, participants will have the chance to deepen their understanding of their condition, develop coping strategies, and enhance their self-awareness.
Here at Luxe Recovery, our program is thoughtfully crafted to foster a secure and supportive environment, enabling members to engage with one another on both social and emotional levels.
The group therapy setting serves as a valuable resource, helping individuals feel more connected and encouraging each member to share their distinct viewpoints.
Find an IOP and Get Help Now at Luxe Recovery
All too often, people with mental health disorders are told that it’s all in their heads. They’re told that they’re not suffering from anything and that all their pain is imaginary, and all they have to do to cure it is to simply change the way that they think. That’s the kind of thinking that gets people to relapse or potentially leads them to substance use.
No one tells a person with cirrhosis that it’s all in their liver or a person with diabetes that it’s all in their pancreas. No one tells someone with a broken bone to simply change their thought patterns. The brain is an organ, and like any other organ, it can get sick.
Mental health services exist to treat the myriad of sicknesses that affect the brain. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Luxe Recovery. We accept most forms of insurance and we want to help you get on the path to recovery.
