The Benefits of Partial Hospitalization for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment

One of the factors that hinders timely treatment of mental disorders and substance dependence is the fear of having to stay in a clinic for a long time. It so happens that many patients associate rehabilitation centers with prisons. They do not know how modern clinics look and work. Partial hospitalization programs (PHP) have been developed especially for such people.

Partial hospitalization and how it differs from other treatment programs

There are two main forms of treatment for any illness: inpatient and outpatient. In the first case, the patient is constantly in the clinic until he or she is completely cured or gets significantly better. Outpatient treatment – when a person visits a doctor from time to time and follows his/her recommendations. As for partial hospitalization programs (PHP), it is something in between these two options.

Under a PHP, the patient regularly visits a clinic where he or she stays for a few hours a day. The program is structured to make the most of the daytime hours. This is why partial hospitalization is also often referred to as day hospitalization. The rest of the time he may be at home, at work or at school.

How it works

The program of partial hospitalization is always selected individually, but the algorithm of treatment is approximately the same:

applying for help in a specialized clinic;
consultation with a doctor;
health assessment;
selecting a suitable treatment program, considering PHP as a possible option;
drawing up a treatment plan;
participating in individual, group and family therapy;
taking prescribed medications in a timely manner;
preparing for subsequent recovery from PHP.

A partial hospitalization program is often one step in the treatment of a mental health or addiction disorder. Its goal is to restore a person’s health in a short period of time and help them to cope independently or with minimal medical involvement in the future.

Main benefits of partial hospitalization

If you have a problem with alcohol or drug addiction, you can go through a partial hospitalization program at a rehab center in California. Here you will be able to see for yourself the effectiveness of treatment and the advantages of day programs, the main ones of which we will discuss in more detail below.

Safety and comfort

While undergoing treatment under the partial hospitalization program, a person receives all the necessary assistance from qualified medical personnel. He is not left alone with his problem, because from 5 to 8 hours a day he is on the territory of the rehabilitation center under constant supervision of doctors. Here he can instantly find answers to his questions from a psychotherapist, participate in group therapies, temporarily get rid of haunting triggers and learn how to fight them. At the same time, the patient is in a pleasant and friendly atmosphere, and the comfort has a positive effect on the dynamics of recovery.

Systematicity

Discipline is as important a component of effective recovery as motivation. By being systematic, PHP creates the conditions for patients to learn responsibility to themselves and their loved ones by regularly attending the clinic at regularly scheduled hours. This helps to plan not only treatment, but also life beyond the clinic.

High intensity of treatment

In contrast to inpatient programs, where the whole process stretches over a long period of time, partial hospitalization programs are more intensive. Patients receive a lot of information and are constantly being worked with in several areas at once. For motivated people, this is a great time saver, freeing up time for other things.

Flexible approaches to each patient

The individualized approach ensures a highly effective treatment. Most importantly, the therapy can be adjusted to achieve the best possible result. It takes much longer to achieve this in an outpatient setting.

Who is eligible for this option

When making a choice in favor of partial hospitalization, it is necessary to objectively assess the reality of the situation. PHP is not suitable for all cases. Even more, for it to be effective, a number of conditions need to be met.

Partial hospitalization program is suitable for patients with a high level of motivation, who have a strong family that is willing to support them during the treatment period and afterwards.

PHP can be chosen if there is a mild form of mental illness or substance dependence. For example, it should not be chosen by addicts with a long history of drug use because it is simply ineffective.

It turns out that PHP is a good alternative to other programs. However, it is not suitable for all people. In order to make the right treatment decision, you need to go to a clinic for counseling.