How Long Are Drug Rehab Programs?

Drug rehab programs can take anywhere from 5 hours a week to upwards of 30 hours per week of dedicated treatment programming. This may include group sessions, individual therapy, and medical checks, and alternative therapies. Additionally, an inpatient and residential drug rehab may mean stepping away from outside responsibilities completely through the duration of the program. As treatment can take up a significant portion of one’s time, getting an idea of how long drug rehab programs last may be imperative to getting other parts of a patient’s life in order.

How Long Is An Inpatient Drug Rehab Program

Whether it be an inpatient or residential drug rehab program, the patients admitted to these programs spend 24 hours a day under the care of the treatment facility’s staff. How long an inpatient drug rehab program takes to complete is a completely normal question when outside responsibilities are likely to be affected. 

Most individuals who struggle with drug addiction will benefit from starting their recovery at a residential detox facility. This may be for 2 days or 2 weeks depending on the following factors:

  • Substances used
  • If withdrawal symptoms develop
  • The severity of withdrawal symptoms
  • Previous treatment history
  • Insurance coverage
  • Home stability and support

Some individuals will benefit from a longer-term residential program. These types of programs may run for 30, 60, 90 days, or more. 

How Long Is An Outpatient Drug Rehab Program

Following the completion of a detox or inpatient program, patients are often referred down to a lower level of care such as partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, or standard outpatient program. While enrolled in these types of programs, clients may live in a halfway house, sober living house, or their own home. The hours of programming varies depending on the level of care, but would be as such:

  • PHP: 25-30 hours per week
  • IOP: 15-20 hours per week
  • OP: ~5 hours per week

How long a patient is in an outpatient drug rehab program can vary even more than an inpatient program. Addiction professionals perform evaluations to recommend a level of care based on each individual’s unique needs. Based on how a client responds to treatment, their care team will recommend if they should continue longer with the current program, or move to a lower level of care. How long the programs take may vary from 6 weeks of PHP to 6 months or more of outpatient treatment. 

Determining The Optimal Length of Care

There is a delicate balance when determining how long someone should stay in a drug rehab program. Clients often benefit from being able to stay in rehab longer, as they will have more access to treatment professionals and more time to work on developing the skills and tools to maintain their sobriety. However, many insurance companies will only cover the care that is determined to be medically necessary. Additionally, clients need to stabilize themselves before they can properly tend to responsibilities outside of treatment, but the sooner they are able to tend to certain responsibilities, the better. For instance, the best thing for a parent to do for their children is to get themselves into a physically and emotionally stable state so that they can best care for their children. Still, we do not want to keep parents from their children longer than necessary.

There is no set length when it comes to how long inpatient and outpatient drug rehabs are, but the above information provides some insight into the factors to consider. Be open and honest with your care team so that they can determine the best length of care for your unique circumstances and needs. Get started today!

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