People in recovery from addiction often need help creating new daily routines and learning how to live healthy, sober lifestyles after having used drugs and alcohol for a long period. Inpatient and residential rehab programs offer a range of therapies and services that can help these individuals turn their lives around and achieve long-term recovery from addiction.

Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of inpatient and residential treatment programs and where you can find high-quality addiction treatment in Massachusetts.

What Is Inpatient Rehab Treatment?

Inpatient rehab is a short-term live-in recovery program that takes place in a hospital-like setting where patients can receive 24-hour medical care and supervision while they recover from addiction. These programs are ideal for patients who have already completed drug and alcohol detox but have lingering symptoms that require intensive medical care. Aggression, hallucinations, paranoia, and eating disorders are examples of co-occurring symptoms and health disorders that often require treatment in an inpatient rehab program.

Patients in an inpatient program may also receive several hours of therapy a day, depending on their symptoms and health situation. After completing an inpatient treatment program, many patients transition into a residential or outpatient rehab program to continue receiving therapy without 24-hour medical care.

What Is Residential Rehab Treatment?

Residential rehab is a live-in program that takes place in a comfortable, quiet, and stable home-like recovery environment. These programs are ideal for patients who need help rebuilding their lives and developing new daily routines after devoting lots of time to drug and alcohol use. Residential rehab can also benefit those who need a safe place to call home while recovering from addiction, especially those who were previously homeless or who came from unstable homes that provided access to drugs and alcohol.

Patients in residential rehab programs typically spend several hours a day receiving individual and group therapy and engaging in therapeutic activities and classes that promote recovery. Every patient receives their own set of therapies based on their unique situations as they relate to addiction.

After completing a residential rehab program, many patients transition into a lower level of care in an outpatient program to receive continued therapy.

Who Needs Inpatient and Residential Rehab?

Anyone in recovery from an addiction or substance use disorder can benefit from an inpatient or residential rehab program. Addiction is defined as a complex brain disorder and mental illness characterized by compulsive drug seeking and drug use despite harmful consequences, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Research shows that addiction is best treated with a combination of medications and behavioral therapies—the latter of which can help patients adopt new healthy behaviors that allow them to stay sober long-term.

A person can benefit from inpatient or residential rehab treatment if they meet at least two diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder within 12 months. These criteria include:

Using drugs and alcohol for a longer period than was intended.
Having a persistent desire to cut down or control drug and alcohol use without success.
Spending lots of time obtaining and using drugs and alcohol and recovering from the effects.
Experiencing strong cravings or urges to use drugs and alcohol.
Failing to meet important obligations at work, school, or home due to drug and alcohol use.
Continuing to use drugs and alcohol when it causes persistent social or interpersonal problems.
Giving up or reducing important social and work activities due to drug and alcohol use.
Continuing to use drugs and alcohol when it leads to physically hazardous situations.
Using drugs and alcohol despite knowing it is causing or worsening health problems.
Having a higher tolerance for drugs and alcohol and needing more to achieve desired effects.
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when abruptly stopping drug or alcohol use.

Anyone who meets at least two of the above criteria can successfully recover from their addiction with inpatient or residential treatment.

How Long Do Inpatient and Residential Rehab Programs Last?

Inpatient programs usually last three to six weeks, though programs may be shorter or longer depending on each patients’ unique recovery needs, reports the NIDA.

Residential rehab centers usually offer 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day programs. However, the NIDA states that programs that last fewer than 90 days are not as effective as programs that last at least 90 days. Research published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also states that patients who remain in treatment for at least three months or longer are likely to achieve maximum benefits. These benefits include decreased criminal activity, increased productivity in the home and workplace, and long-term sobriety from drugs and alcohol.

The staff at an addiction treatment center will usually help patients choose the best program length for them based on their recovery needs and personal preferences.

How Should I Prepare For Inpatient or Residential Rehab Treatment?

Patients who make the necessary preparations before going to inpatient and residential rehab can benefit from knowing they can focus completely on recovery without having to worry about outside obligations and responsibilities. Here are steps patients can take before going to drug and alcohol rehab:

Make arrangements for pets and childcare. Some rehab centers offer childcare services for parents who need residential or inpatient addiction treatment.
Notify employers and request time off through The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), if applicable.
Ask the rehab center what to pack and bring. Many rehab centers provide patients with basic necessities, though they may recommend bringing certain types of clothing and toiletries. Rehab centers will also provide a list of prohibited items so patients can avoid packing these items.
Bring photo identification and health insurance information.

The staff at residential and inpatient rehab centers will often give patients more specific tips and information regarding how to prepare for treatment.

What’s a Typical Day Like In Residential and Inpatient Rehab?

Residential rehab programs are usually highly structured and organized. Patients are given busy daily schedules filled with therapy sessions and various activities.

Every morning, patients wake up at the same time to eat a nutritious breakfast and attend their first class. Some rehab centers offer meditation or yoga classes first thing in the morning before or after breakfast. Then, patients attend a daily group meeting that focuses on the treatment and recovery process.

In the mid-afternoon, patients return to the cafeteria to eat a highly nutritious lunch. Between lunch and dinner, patients attend a series of individual and group therapy sessions that focus on helping them modify harmful addiction-related behaviors, emotions, and attitudes. Therapy also focuses on helping them identify personal triggers and on developing effective ways to cope with these triggers in the outside world.

In the evenings, patients are provided with a healthy dinner and are usually given a few hours of free time during which they can enjoy the rehab center’s amenities and special activities. Swimming pools, saunas, fitness centers, and outdoor sports courts may be available, along with libraries, game rooms, music rooms, and art rooms where patients can relax or blow off steam. Patients also can return to their rooms where they can read, write, pray, or meditate.

Many rehab centers offer 12-step support group meetings during the evenings. Bedtime and curfew are usually at the same time every night to help patients adjust to their daily routines as they become more productive, healthier, and sober individuals.

Are Medications Used In Inpatient and Residential Rehab Programs?

Medications are often used in both inpatient and residential rehab programs to treat post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) and co-occurring mental health disorders.

Many substances, including alcohol and stimulants, can cause patients to experience symptoms of PAWS such as insomnia, depression, and aggression. For example, a person recovering from cocaine addiction may experience severe aggression and paranoia and be given sedatives or antipsychotics to help them feel calm. Additionally, patients at high risk for experiencing seizures due to severe alcohol withdrawal may be given diazepam to prevent seizures and minimize anxiety and insomnia.

Patients with anxiety, PTSD, and bipolar disorder are often treated with medications that reduce these symptoms so patients can stay focused on addiction recovery. These medications may be given as part of dual diagnosis therapy or as part of medication management services that are given for a period after patients transition into an outpatient rehab program.

Medications that reduce drug and alcohol cravings may also be given to qualifying patients. Methadone and buprenorphine may be used to reduce opioid cravings and help patients stay abstinent, while acamprosate and disulfiram may be used to reduce the desire to drink in alcohol patients. Naltrexone may be given to both opioid and alcohol patients to promote sobriety, as this medication blocks the pleasurable effects of opioids and alcohol in the event a patient relapses.

Which Therapies Are Used At Inpatient and Residential Rehab Centers?

Behavioral therapies can engage patients in their addiction treatment plans and help them modify harmful attitudes and behaviors related to drug and alcohol misuse. Behavioral therapies can also motivate patients to stay abstinent using rewards and incentives and teach them essential life skills that help them stay sober outside of a rehab environment.

Below are some of the many therapies commonly used in inpatient and residential rehab programs.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT focuses mostly on helping patients correct certain behaviors that may have led to addiction, such as using drugs and alcohol to relieve stress instead of using safer, healthier methods. CBT helps patients develop better-coping strategies and explore the negative consequences of continued drug use. The NIDA says that the skills patients can learn in CBT often remain long after treatment and help them achieve long-term abstinence from drugs and alcohol.

Contingency Management and Motivational Incentives

These programs reward patients when they demonstrate positive behaviors such as abstinence and are shown effective at increasing treatment retention. For example, patients who provide a negative drug test may be given a gift card to a gym or restaurant. Contingency management and motivational incentives are shown especially useful at promoting abstinence among patients in recovery from opioid and cocaine addiction.

Motivational Enhancement Therapy

This behavioral therapy helps patients overcome hesitancy or ambivalence related to recovering from addiction. Motivational enhancement therapy aims to change these attitudes relatively quickly in patients who need a nudge toward engaging in their treatment plans and becoming more motivated about achieving sobriety. According to the NIDA, motivational enhancement therapy is often most effective for patients in recovery from alcohol and marijuana use disorders.

12-Step Facilitation Therapy

This therapy helps patients understand the benefits of attending and staying engaged in 12-step support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous during and after residential, inpatient, and/or outpatient rehab treatment. In 12-step facilitation therapy, patients learn to accept that addiction is a chronic disease and mental illness and what it means to surrender to a higher power. Patients also learn the importance of attending 12-step meetings after rehab and how these meetings can help them stay sober long-term.

Family Behavior Therapy

Family behavior therapy helps patients and their families recover from the effects of substance misuse and learn new skills that help them maintain a healthier, happier home environment. In addition to addressing addiction directly, family behavior therapy may also address other problems related to addiction, such as unemployment, parental neglect, and conduct disorders. Family behavior therapy can often help patients improve relationships with their loved ones who have been strongly affected by addiction.

Does Health Insurance Cover Inpatient and Residential Rehab?

Inpatient and residential rehab treatment is covered by a wide range of health insurance providers, including Medicaid. Health insurance may cover all or a portion of costs related to these rehab programs, including costs related to medications, behavioral therapy, and counseling.

Patients can confirm their insurance coverage and benefits by contacting their providers directly or asking their drug and alcohol rehab center for help with confirming benefits. Many addiction treatment centers will perform a free insurance benefits check for patients who want to know whether their treatment can be covered by their plans.

In the event health insurance does not cover inpatient and residential rehab treatment, many rehab centers offer various financing options and payment plans to connect patients with treatment. Patients are encouraged to ask their addiction treatment provider about financing options if they do not have health insurance, or if treatment is not covered by their plan. Inpatient Residential Treatment Benefits, and Where To Find Addiction Treatment In Massachusetts 1

What Happens After Inpatient and Residential Rehab?

Recovery from addiction is often a life-long process. Many people need ongoing therapy, support, and guidance for several months or years after completing an inpatient or residential rehab program.

After inpatient and residential rehab, many patients transition into an outpatient program to receive continued therapy. There are several levels of care for outpatient programs: partial hospitalization program (PHP), intensive outpatient program (IOP), and standard outpatient rehab.

PHP

PHPs, also known as day treatment programs, meet at least six hours a day, five hours a week. These programs are often just as intensive as residential programs, except patients live at home or in a sober living community while visiting the rehab center daily for treatment. The daily structure in a PHP is highly similar to that in a residential program and includes many of the same therapies and classes.

IOP

IOPs offer more flexibility than PHPs, as they meet at least three hours a day on at least two days a week. IOPs are ideal for patients who have gone back to work or school and need classes scheduled around these important obligations. Patients in an IOP are usually highly motivated about their recovery and resume daily responsibilities while continuing to stay engaged in treatment.

Standard Outpatient

Standard outpatient rehab offers the lowest level of care, as this program usually meets for about two hours a day on one or two days a week. Standard outpatient rehab is ideal for patients who have learned skills that help them manage triggers and stay sober while navigating their communities. Patients may visit the rehab center for weekly support group meetings, or to continue working on addressing the root causes of their addiction, such as mental illness.

Aftercare

Some rehab centers offer aftercare programs that keep patients closely connected to their recovery communities after finishing an inpatient or residential rehab program. An aftercare program may involve following up with counselors and therapists monthly for some time or attending weekly support group meetings. It may also involve joining the rehab center’s alumni program, which typically meets once a month to engage in fun, sober activities or get-togethers that celebrate recovery.

Where Can I Find Inpatient and Residential Rehab In Massachusetts?

The Haven in New England offers inpatient, residential, and detox programs in Worcester, Massachusetts. Our residential and inpatient rehab center is located at 1369 Grafton Street in Worcester, MA 01604. Contact us today at (844) 933-4145 to learn more about our available addiction treatment services that can help you or your loved one experience a safe and comfortable recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.