Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) are a great form of step-down treatment. If you feel that you need extra support after residential treatment, these programs may be a perfect fit. They may even be covered by Medicare or other forms of insurance.
After completing the detox phase and attending a residential treatment program, you may decide to enter a PHP to help you adjust to life outside treatment. A PCP would provide you with a structured environment, similar to the one you had in treatment before this stage. You can work with your PHP treatment team to find employment, set up a plan to go back to school, find support groups and friends in your community, and establish a structure you can maintain when you are fully on your own.
Structure of Partial Hospitalization
PHP is a form of treatment that does not require an individual to live within the facility. During a residential treatment phase, you are in surroundings that keep you fully focused on recovery.
A PCP is different in that it engages you in treatment part-time, which still leaves you with free time for other activities and responsibilities. For example, you may be in treatment from 9 AM to 3 PM and free the rest of the time. This is how a PHP gives you the benefits of structured treatment alongside the responsibility to manage your free time well and practice healthy engagement with the outside world.
What You Can Do in Partial Hospitalization
Our PHP can provide you with many benefits in your transition out of treatment. As you use the skills you have already learned throughout residential treatment, this program can help you practice these skills and implement them into your everyday life.
1. Engage in Therapy
You will have access to a therapist and case worker in a PHP. As you meet with these members of your treatment team weekly, you can set up a specific plan that focuses on your goals and needs as you prepare to complete treatment.
Group therapy is another influential aspect of this program. This gives you the opportunity to continue communicating with peers in similar situations and help each other through these obstacles together. This can be a useful way to set up a long-term support system. As many of you may be leaving treatment at a similar time, you can establish relationships with each other that will support your sobriety outside of treatment.
2. Focus on Goals
A major benefit of PHP is the strong focus on individual goals. As each patient has their own goals moving forward from treatment, having an individualized plan to set you up for success can alleviate a lot of stress during this major transition. You have likely created and worked toward various goals throughout recovery so far, and this is a great time to revisit these goals. You may need to create new short-term goals and review your progress toward your long-term goals.
Short-term goals at this time will likely focus on what you wish to achieve when leaving the treatment program. For example, if you desire to start a job, your short-term goals may be to apply to different places and determine an environment you would enjoy working in. These are steps that can be done during PHP to make the transition back to regular life more manageable.
3. Ease the Transition
Adjusting from residential treatment to independently managing sobriety can be overwhelming. Although you have gained all the necessary skills to succeed in this transition, many factors may arise that could make you fall off the path of success. The emotional stress that occurs when you are adjusting to independent maintenance can often be enough to trigger a relapse on its own.
Taking advantage of a PHP is a great way to slowly adjust to these changes, allowing this transition to flow more naturally. As you gain the opportunity to practice these skills in a more realistic environment, the initial shock will be decreased, which lowers the potential for relapse.
Many people feel the desire to leave treatment immediately after completing residential treatment because they feel they have learned a necessary amount of information. It is common for people to count down the days for treatment to be over. It is not a bad thing at all to be excited about beginning your life post-treatment. However, taking the time to engage in a transitional program like a PHP can greatly increase your chances of achieving long-term success and sobriety maintenance.
4. Establish Support
As you continue to attend group therapy and engage in activities outside of treatment, you widen your chances of meeting new people and making new friends. Isolation is a common struggle for individuals to face after treatment, as they feel their support system is limited. Engaging in social activities during this transitional phase and working to establish a support system can ensure you have friends you can rely on when a future struggle arises.
Some of these friendships may be temporary, and some may last a lifetime. Regardless of how long a particular friendship lasts, having some individuals who are willing to support you after you are fully through treatment can help you avoid relapsing and keep you accountable for your steps to success.
Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) can be extremely beneficial for people who are transitioning from a residential treatment plan to independent sobriety maintenance. A PHP will provide you with structure and support from professionals while also giving you the opportunity to set yourself up for future success. As you re-establish your goals moving forward, you can ensure you are set up for success when the program is finished. This is a perfect time to practice your skills in real life while still having the support of your treatment team. Managing sobriety on your own after being in a full-time program can be extremely stressful. A transitional program can be great in assisting you during this transition and helping you set yourself up for long-term success. To learn more about the benefits of our partial hospitalization program, reach out to Dream Recovery at (949) 732-1960.
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