Our Intensive Outpatient Program

The intensive outpatient program (IOP) at Diamond House Detox provides a safe and supportive environment for those struggling with mental illness and substance use. We have helped hundreds of people get the help they need. Our goal is to use a medical treatment model to help you break out of your current situation and get back on track, including learning how to manage symptoms better, overcoming addiction and getting back on your feet.

Our outpatient services ensure you receive the help you need to feel better and reclaim control over your life. Trust our professionals to provide comprehensive care and treatment services in various outpatient locations throughout Northern California. Diamond House is ready to give you the support, resources and coping skills needed to ensure a successful recovery journey.

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What Is an Intensive Outpatient Program?

Intensive outpatient programs aim to provide a structured and validating environment for individuals diagnosed with substance use disorder. The program provides opportunities for participants to learn about their addiction and its impact on their lives and relationships. Participants also learn coping skills, such as identifying high-risk situations, avoiding relapse triggers and handling cravings for substances. 

These programs help people who want to continue working or attending school during recovery. They’re also helpful for those with a high risk of relapse. IOP therapy allows clients to get the assistance they need while still maintaining their everyday lives. Intensive outpatient treatment plans are tailored to meet the individual’s needs. Some common methods include individual therapy and group therapy.

At Diamond House, we provide day programs for IOP clients to receive treatment without halting their other activities. You’ll visit our treatment center in Sacramento on weekdays to receive outpatient care and complete your treatment program.

How Does IOP Therapy Work?

Our outpatient drug rehab in Sacramento, California, helps individuals struggling with substance use learn the techniques for staying sober in a less restrictive setting than other programs.

In this program, you will attend therapy sessions weekly at the Diamond House Detox treatment center, where you will meet with your therapist or others also dealing with substance use issues. Your therapist will help you identify the triggers that cause you to cope by using drugs or alcohol and learn ways to evade them in the future. You will also learn how to cope with stress without turning to substances for relief.

Additionally, intensive outpatient programs include group sessions where everyone can share their experiences and support one another through tough times. These groups are often led by people who have gone through the same struggles as you, so they understand what it’s like! Intensive outpatient programs usually last between eight to 12 weeks — but only if they work for you. If you don’t see benefits after two months, your doctor might decide it’s better for you to try a different treatment course.

Depending on what you’re at Diamond House for, some therapies you may try during your time in IOP include:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Trauma Therapy
  • Art Therapy
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Who Does an Intensive Outpatient Program Work Best For?

Intensive outpatient programs are an excellent option for people who want to get sober but don’t want to be away from work or family for too long. Because these programs only meet for limited hours per week, you can maintain your routine and keep your job while still attending group meetings and individual therapy sessions.

Intensive outpatient programs are also an outstanding option for those who need more support than traditional outpatient treatment but aren’t ready for full-time residential treatment. Intensive outpatient programs typically offer more life skills classes, one-on-one sessions and group therapy sessions than conventional outpatient treatment programs, allowing you to meet with others in recovery and share your experiences with them in a supportive environment. You can also learn about relapse prevention so you know how to prevent a relapse from happening.

Joining a program like IOP helps you continue your recovery journey and take steps toward making a change in your life without pausing anything.

Fighting Rehab Relapse Rates

Relapse is a part of recovery for many people dealing with a substance use disorder. You may fight impulses to relapse on and off for the rest of your life, but the hardest part is usually during the first year of recovery. Inpatient relapse rates tend to vary by the substance used, but generally, in the first year following inpatient treatment:

Other factors that can contribute to a substance use relapse include:

  • Stress and home life: During inpatient treatment, you’re away from all the stresses of your daily life so you can focus wholly on getting better. Returning to that life and playing catch-up with everything you missed can feel overwhelming and lead you right back to where you were.
  • Mental illnesses: If you used substances to combat mental health issues, you may see an influx of forgotten symptoms ramp up as you enter recovery. Mental illness and substance use are often part of a vicious cycle that feeds into itself unless you treat both problems.
  • Genetic factors: There is also some evidence that genetics play a role in someone’s likelihood of relapse. For example, someone with naturally high cortisol levels may be at an increased risk.
The realities of relapse

How to Prevent Relapse Following Inpatient Treatment

Regardless of what your personal factors are, recovery with or without relapse is possible for everyone through determination, coping strategies and the right support system. These strategies are especially helpful as you leave inpatient treatment:

  • Join a community: During the height of your addiction, you may have surrounded yourself with people who had similar interests as you — namely, using your substance of choice. Now, it will likely be challenging to stay around them and avoid relapsing. This is the perfect opportunity to find new people to connect with in your community. Spiritual and faith-based organizations have a particularly strong correlation with keeping people from falling into relapse. 
  • Continue or start therapy: For most people, addiction is a symptom of another issue that needs to be confronted. You’ve likely started the process of confronting your issues during your time in inpatient, but continuing to work through these challenges is essential to your long-term recovery. CBT therapy is one of the most common ways for people to learn new coping skills and continue staying on track in their recovery.
  • Continue learning through IOP: As we’ve mentioned, IOP therapy can assist in the transition back to “normal” life. It offers community and therapy opportunities specifically suited for people recovering from substance use, allowing you to speak more freely about your experiences among people who understand.

Who Is Not a Candidate?

Intensive outpatient programs are a great way to get help for people with mild-to-moderate addictions and mental health issues. But, you should know that intensive outpatient programs are not for everyone. When you consider a treatment program, you’ll want to ensure it’s the right fit for your needs. Remember that not all programs are the same — some are more intensive than others, and some have different philosophies and goals.

Those who are not a candidate for intensive outpatient programs include:

  • Those with severe addictions. These individuals need more intensive treatment than an intensive outpatient program can provide. Instead, partial hospitalization treatment might be a better fit.
  • Those with co-occurring conditions. People with co-occurring conditions are often best served by a residential treatment center, which can provide around-the-clock care. Intensive outpatient programs only offer services during the day.
  • Those with suicidal ideation or a history of suicidality. Intensive outpatient programs are often not the best fit for those who struggle with suicidal ideation or have past suicide attempts since these programs do not offer 24-hour supervision or monitoring.

What Is Included in Intensive Outpatient Program Treatments?

Intensive outpatient program treatments help you overcome your addiction and get back on your feet. The therapies included work together to support the overall treatment process.

  • Individual therapy: Individual therapy will help you gain insight into your addiction and develop strategies to overcome it. This treatment is conducted in a one-on-one setting with a therapist who has specialized training in addiction therapy.
  • Group therapy: Group therapy takes place in a group setting with other people who have similar needs or experiences. Group members discuss their struggles and successes with each other, which can be an integral part of the healing process when working through addiction.
  • Alternative therapies: Alternative therapies, art therapy, EMDR treatments and cognitive behavioral therapy are just a few methods that help clients manage their addictions. The intensive outpatient program offers individuals a combination of the most effective treatments in a safe and supportive environment.
  • Alumni program access: Recovery is a journey, and we want to help you every step of the way. With this in mind, we offer our intensive outpatient program clients access to in-house alumni programs such as AA, NA, Life Ring and Refuge Recovery. 

Does Insurance Cover IOP?

Many insurance companies cover at least a portion of intensive outpatient programs. Since intensive outpatient programs are behavioral health treatments focused on managing mental disorders and substance use, most major health insurance providers, including Blue Cross Blue Shield and more, cover these treatments.

It’s important to note that some plans may require pre-approval before paying for intensive outpatient programs. Hence, checking with your insurance provider before committing to a program or service is a good idea. Once you confirm your insurance company covers IOP treatments, you can go ahead and join the program, becoming one step closer to starting your journey to a rejuvenated life.

See the Benefits of This Program by Verifying Your Insurance

If you’re looking for a way to get sober but are worried traditional treatment may not be the right fit for your life, intensive outpatient treatment might be the answer.

Treatment at this level is less expensive than inpatient and much more flexible. You can keep your job and your family life in order while working toward a successful recovery.

Verify your insurance today to see how Diamond House Detox’s intensive outpatient program will work for you!

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