If you are struggling with a substance use disorder, you may think that you have to abandon your responsibilities to get sober. This isn’t true. Whether you are employed full time, getting a degree, or taking care of a child or disabled family member, you can still get the help you need to recover. No matter what responsibilities take up your day time, there are outpatient programs with evening hours to fit your schedule.
What Is Evening IOP?
Evening intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) are structured treatment programs designed for individuals who need to balance their responsibilities during the day while also seeking help for their substance use disorder. These programs typically take place in the late afternoon and evening, allowing individuals to attend after work or school.
What To Expect During Evening IOP?
Evening IOP sessions typically begin in the late afternoon or early evening and run for a few hours, allowing individuals to attend after work, school, or other day-time obligations. This flexibility makes it easier for individuals to prioritize their mental health and recovery while continuing with their daily routines.
The content covered in evening IOP sessions can also be tailored to the specific needs and concerns of working professionals. This may include stress management techniques, time management strategies, or how to balance work commitments with self-care practices.
Outpatient Evening Hours FAQ
The goal of IOP evening hours is to offer services to individuals who work or cannot attend day treatment.
Day and evening IOP can help people maintain their sobriety after inpatient treatment. The ability to go to work during the day and continue supporting one’s family is critical. The added stress of losing a job would only decrease the ability to manage cravings for drugs and alcohol. In fact, stress around finances and work often triggers substance abuse and contributes to an ongoing problem with drugs and alcohol. As such, having multiple time slots for IOP treatment means people don’t have to choose between going to work and continuing treatment.
Yes. Evening IOP provides the same treatment benefits found in day IOP treatment. The only difference is the time of day the program is offered, ensuring that working professionals have access to the same effective treatment but on a schedule that better suits their needs.
Normal. They are often working professionals in their 20s or 30s, executives or on the rise in management, and outwardly appear to be successful in their careers.
Sessions are 3.5 hours long and scheduled for Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Every day of treatment includes three hours of group work, with an option to meet with an individual therapist or case manager as needed. The sessions are split into 1.5 hours of psychoeducation and 1.5 hours of process group. Additionally, food and coffee are provided.
How Does an Intensive Outpatient Treatment Address a Substance Use Disorder?
After joining an intensive outpatient program, you will participate in an evaluation process. Learning more about your past history of drug use, your current situation and the factors that may be driving your compulsion to drink or get high, any co-occurring disorders that may be exacerbating issues, and your history of attempts to get sober can all help you to make the changes necessary to build a new life in sobriety.
Outpatient addiction treatment programs provide a variety of services such as:
- Medication-assisted treatment
- Psychiatric medication management
- Drug addiction counseling and therapy
- Recovery support groups
- Sober living options
All of these IOP services are designed to address the unique needs and challenges of individuals struggling with addiction. With a focus on developing coping skills, identifying triggers, and building a strong support network, outpatient treatment can help you achieve lasting recovery.
Medication-Assisted Treatment in Evening IOP
Evening IOPs often offer in-house services or transportation to medication-assisted treatment (MAT). This involves using medications, such as buprenorphine or methadone, to help manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings for drugs or alcohol. MAT can be especially helpful for those struggling with opioid addiction. It is important to note that MAT should always be combined with therapy or counseling in order to address the underlying issues contributing to substance use.
Medication Management for Co-Occurring Disorders In Evening IOP
Psychiatric medication management is offered as part of a dual diagnosis treatment plan in evening IOP. This involves working with a psychiatrist to find the right medication and dosage to help manage co-occurring mental health disorders, such as depression or anxiety. This can be crucial for individuals who are using substances in an attempt to self-medicate their symptoms.
IOP Therapy for Addiction
During IOP treatment, rehabs offer both individual and group therapy sessions. Individual sessions with a therapist and/or case manager help you define your personal goals for recovery and discuss the specific obstacles you are facing as you try to stay sober. With your therapist, you’ll come up with a unique plan to apply when you are not in treatment that will support you. If you have legal issues related to drug and alcohol use, like a DUI offense or a domestic violence charge, then individual sessions will help to ensure that you are getting all the help you need to meet your legal requirements for counseling and treatment.
During group therapy, clients learn coping skills and tools that address following:
- What is happening in the brain and body during active drug use
- How long-term substance abuse alters brain function and response to stimuli
- The implications of substance abuse on partner relationships, parent/child relationships, and work relationships
- Mental health components of addiction
- What to expect during the recovery process
- How to manage cravings for drugs and alcohol.
- New options for healthy management of stress, anger, frustration, boredom, low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety that do not include the use of substances
Additionally, the process of coming to treatment regularly and connecting with other people who are also working to create new lives for themselves can provide accountability, support, and encouragement that will help you sustain your sobriety for the long term.
Evening IOP Support Groups
Outpatient treatment offers access to a network of support through peer support groups. These meetings allow individuals to connect with others who are going through similar experiences, providing a sense of community and understanding. Having this support network can be incredibly beneficial in maintaining sobriety long-term.
Sober Living Options in IOP
Living in a sober house during IOP can be especially beneficial as it allows individuals to practice what they have learned in therapy sessions in a real-world setting. It also provides structure and accountability, as residents must adhere to certain rules and expectations. Additionally, sober living houses often have regular drug testing and curfews to ensure that residents maintain their sobriety and stay on track with their recovery goals.
The Benefits of Intensive Outpatient Addiction Treatment
While many assume that drug rehab means a month or more of isolation in a remote area, the fact is that most people in recovery attend an outpatient addiction treatment program.
Some benefits of intensive outpatient treatment include:
- The ability to continue working during the day, attending classes if in school, and being available to dependent family members during the day.
- The option to maintain a somewhat normal routine and learn how to apply the principles of recovery while actively living a sober life.
- The opportunity to include important family members in the process so everyone in the home can begin to heal together.
- The encouragement to attend community-based support group meetings, like Alcoholics Anonymous, close to home on off days and begin the critical process of building a strong base in recovery.
- The accountability of regular drug tests to support sustained sobriety.
Who Can Benefit from Evening IOP Sessions?
Evening IOP offers a convenient and accessible way for individuals to receive treatment while still being able to maintain their daily responsibilities. This program is designed for those who may not have the time to attend daytime treatment due to work commitments, childcare responsibilities, or schooling.
Working Professionals
Evening IOP can provide a supportive community for working professionals who may feel isolated or overwhelmed during the day. By attending sessions with others who share similar experiences and challenges, individuals can connect with peers and build a strong support network.
Stay-at-Home Parents
Evening IOP can accommodate those with childcare responsibilities. By offering sessions in the evening, parents or caregivers can attend without having to arrange for alternative care for their children during the day. This removes a potential barrier and allows individuals to prioritize their mental health while still fulfilling their parental obligations.
Students
In addition to work and family commitments, evening IOP can also benefit those enrolled in a GED program, college, or vocational school. By scheduling sessions in the evenings, individuals are able to participate in morning and afternoon classes while still participating in substance abuse treatment.
Outpatient Treatment at Footprints to Recovery
Footprints to Recovery offers partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient treatment programs at our Colorado, Illinois, and New Jersey rehab facilities.
Learn more about our outpatient offerings at each of our treatment locations:
Evening IOP Sessions at Footprints to Recovery in Colorado
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Want to enroll in our intensive outpatient program?
Get Help for Addiction in Evening IOP
Without having to take an extended leave of absence from work or give up employment, those who are employed and struggling with substance abuse now have the ability to get the help they need. They can actively apply the new principles they are learning on the job, at home, and in their relationships, and they are still able to actively connect with help if they have questions.
If you believe Footprints to Recovery may be able to provide you with the treatment you or a loved one needs to heal, don’t wait to reach out. Reach out for more information about our evening IOP and substance abuse treatment options. We’re here to help.
