11. OUTPATIENT REHABILITATION

This section follows Section 9 on Map 3.

Outpatient rehabilitation exists on a continuum with respect to the level of intensity of the use/misuse of alcohol.

In general, it includes many of the same components as inpatient rehabilitation: medical work-up, nutritional counseling, AA meetings, group therapy, an alcohol education series, and individual psychotherapy.

More intensive outpatient rehabilitation usually involves 3-4 patient hours per day, 4 or more days per week, for a year to 18 months. This modality is commonly also known as alcoholism day treatment.

Less intensive outpatient rehabilitation involves either fewer services or less frequent therapy contacts.

Often rehabilitation is offered in modules of varying lengths of time depending on the goals of the modules.

11a. Special issues following detox

Whatever the treatment modality, people who have been physiologically dependent on alcohol and have completed a detoxification program have special issues that need to be addressed, issues not faced in the same way by abusers and people who have been psychologically dependent.

For lack of a better place, these treatment issues are addressed in Section 12.