11 Minutes

Edited & medically reviewed by THE BALANCE Team
Fact checked

Most people mistakenly believe that residential and inpatient treatment are interchangeable. Owing to their many commonalities, it is possible to mix up the two names or use them indiscriminately. Both treatment options entail living with people who are healing from substance abuse for a set period of time and usually have a set duration of stay.

There are a few fundamental differences between residential and inpatient treatment. For starters, the length of time spent in residential and inpatient treatment rehab can differ significantly. Inpatient rehab is usually shorter than residential rehabilitation. Second, the reasons for staying can vary. Inpatient treatment is usually geared toward assisting people in achieving medical stability while also addressing their addiction issues. Third, the level of service provided varies significantly between residential and inpatient treatment rehab. Inpatient rehabilitation, on the other hand, seems to be more hands-on in terms of health care and stabilization, whereas residential rehabilitation is usually predicated on the idea that the individual is medically stable.

Treatment for substance abuse is an important component of society. Addiction affects millions of people, with possibly fatal and irreparable consequences. Those who are battling with addiction can find hope in substance abuse therapy. In 2015, roughly 10 percent of persons who needed substance addiction treatment obtained it; out of 21.7 million people who needed medical attention, 2.3 million people in the US aged 12 and over received it.

Treatment involves a range of services of varying degrees of intensity. Detoxification, residential, inpatient, outpatient counseling, case management, and support networks are just a few of the current treatment options. The two cornerstones of addiction treatment, however, are residential and inpatient rehabilitation. These therapy paths will, in most cases, assist an individual in addressing the underlying psychological and medical causes of their addiction.

For numerous types of addictions, residential and inpatient substance abuse therapy is provided. Opioids, benzodiazepines, methamphetamines, and cocaine are some of the drugs that can be treated in a residential or inpatient setting. The below 5 substances contributed to 96 percent of treatment admissions from 2005 to 2015:

  • Alcohol accounts for 34 percent of admissions.
  • Opiates account for 34 percent of admissions.
  • Marijuana admissions accounted for 14 percent of all admissions.
  • Stimulants account for 9 percent of admissions.
  • Cocaine accounts for 5 percent of admissions.

Outside of the hospital service, residential rehab facilities often provide lengthier stays. Residential rehab centers are live-in facilities that can help with some of the behavioral and psychological issues that come with alcohol and drug problems. Residential treatment usually follows the detoxification process.

Several treatments and therapies are available in residential rehabilitation to help people avoid relapse and reintegrate back into society.

Some of the primary characteristics and amenities of residential rehabilitation may vary based on the rehab facility:

  • 24-hour availability of care
  • A well-planned schedule
  • Individual and group treatment
  • Rehabilitation in the community
  • Re-socialization through the development of resilience and skills
  • Training for the workplace

People usually spend many months or even a year in residential rehab programs. These institutes can assist people in developing strategies and resilience to help them avoid relapse once they return to their normal lives.

Short-term and intensive inpatient treatment therapies are common. Inpatient treatment is frequently required in emergency cases, either to detox or to maintain a person’s health.

Inpatient care is frequently provided in hospital emergency rooms, where patients can receive psychiatric evaluations as well as assistance and monitoring from other medical personnel. Inpatient therapy is also available at many luxury addiction treatment centers.

Inpatient therapies are rarely long-term answers, and patients typically require ongoing care to support their recovery. Clients may move to partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, or outpatient treatment after receiving inpatient treatment at a rehab facility, depending on their medical needs.

Usually, a patient has two basic choices for medically supervised acute or long-term care by healthcare professionals. These are some of the possibilities:

Inpatient care: individuals might be institutionalized or live in a rehabilitation center and receive round-the-clock medical care and attention.

Residential care is a type of voluntary live-in rehabilitation where individuals can attend counseling sessions and have their medication or symptoms of withdrawal closely monitored.

The services provided and the degree of treatment received varies between residential and inpatient care. In addition to psychiatric comorbidity or a co-occurring psychological health problem, a person’s willingness and readiness to undertake treatment may influence whether they receive inpatient or residential treatment.

Inpatient and residential treatment have significant distinctions. In general, inpatient care is involuntary, and it is used to treat more acute or severe illnesses for a short period of time. Residential treatment, on the other hand, can be long-term and may provide greater diversity or personal choice.

The distinction between Environment and Accommodations

Inpatient and residential rehab programs have quite diverse settings and accommodations. Residential rehab programs can encompass a range of settings, such as treatment villages, halfway homes, or long-term supervised housing, although inpatient therapy is typically provided in a hospital setting.

Treatment Advantages: Inpatient vs. Residential

Both residential and inpatient treatment have advantages. Not everybody can afford to live away from home and family, career, and other responsibilities in a residential treatment facility. Others, on the other hand, may require this type of environment to develop life skills, manage substance abuse problems and mental health difficulties, and medically stabilize. Staying in a long-term facility, where your abstinence is monitored closely and you are accompanied by others who share your aim, gives you a sense of safety.

Inpatient treatment requires less time than residential treatment, allowing patients to reintegrate into society sooner. You can be connected to medical, psychiatric, and community resources once you’ve completed inpatient treatment. These can also include doctors who can supervise your medications, outpatient therapy for mental health issues, local support groups, and other community resources that you may need. In essence, you can get the same treatments that you would get in a residential treatment center on an outpatient basis. The only distinction is that you can stay at home and take care of your everyday obligations.

Addiction Are Treated In Inpatient Rehabilitation Centers

Inpatient rehabilitation centers may be able to treat all sorts of drug and alcohol addictions. In addition, some inpatient facilities focus solely on one type of addiction. This could imply that you get the most up-to-date, evidence-based treatment for your substance abuse problem.

Addiction and substance misuse does not occur in a vacuum. This indicates that a variety of factors interact to cause and maintain addiction. These characteristics may include:

  • Substance abuse and addiction run in the family.
  • Age
  • Age Ethnicity
  • Gender
  • Support from friends and family
  • Drug accessibility.
  • Lack of social skills
  • There are underlying mental health problems.

7.9 million people had both drug addiction and a mental health condition in 2014, out of the 20.2 million individuals who had a substance abuse problem.

If you have a drug addiction problem as well as mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, or other disorders, it’s critical to seek a treatment program that treats both. American Addiction Centers (AAC) provide inpatient treatment for both mental illness and addiction. Underlying depression and anxiety can often play a role in drug and alcohol abuse.

Inpatient Specialized Treatment

People who are battling with drug addiction alone or substance use and mental concerns can benefit from inpatient treatment. Teens, adults, and elderly folks can all benefit from treatment. Relapse is an unavoidable aspect of the rehabilitation process. Inpatient treatment facilities understand how tough the road to recovery may be, as well as the dangers of relapse. Inpatient treatment is a viable option for you if you have been able to stop using substances but have recently relapsed.

Professionals in the field of substance abuse and addiction recognize that many people require more than one enrollment to an inpatient treatment center in order to recover. That demonstrates the nature of addiction and how difficult it is to break free from it. Even if you have already finished therapy, inpatient treatment is a possible choice.

Some facilities provide treatment that is particularly suited to the needs of a certain group of people. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and queer (LGBTQ) people face social prejudice, intolerance, and unfairness, which can have a negative influence on their mental health and drug use. LGBTQ-specific programs can help. Trauma affects soldiers, veterans, and first responders, which can be handled in an appropriate treatment program. In addition, programs may be gender-specific, and facilities may include executive and luxury services.

The Scope of Rehab

As the science of addiction grows more refined, doctors are coming to the conclusion that each person responds differently to different types of therapy. You can explore a wide range of holistic, experiential, and psychoeducational therapy in residential rehab. Most people need to try a variety of different types of care to figure out what works, so getting access to as many as possible is a good idea.

Patient-to-Staff Ratio

When it comes to inpatient rehab, you’ll almost certainly be in a hospital with regular staffing levels. Depending on where you reside, you may find yourself in an understaffed ward with caregivers who aren’t trained in addiction treatment. The number of customers in a premium residential treatment is usually limited to six or fewer.

This guarantees that each person receives the time and attention they require to investigate the causes of their substance use disorder and create appropriate coping mechanisms for difficult situations.

Residential recovery programs are often focused on one goal: assisting clients in overcoming their addiction. This implies you gain from being a part of a group whose main purpose is to help others heal. Operators build their facilities with the goal of giving patients the best possibility of recovering from addiction. They’re usually pretty proficient at it because it’s their main emphasis.

An Atmosphere Reminiscent of a Resort

The type of facility you get to stay in as opposed to inpatient rehab is one of the most tempting parts of residential rehab. Hospitals are practical institutions that must cater to the demands of a diverse spectrum of patients.

You have availability of homelike luxuries like a swimming pool, gym, hot tub, and game areas, as well as attractively furnished rooms at a residential rehab. Plus, with your close-knit social support network, you will enjoy excellent family-style meals 3 times a day.

Individualized Treatment

When you start a residential recovery program, you’ll go through an assessment procedure during which medical professionals get to know you. This allows them to provide you with highly individualized treatment that is tailored to your unique requirements. A one-size-fits-all approach is more common in inpatient programs.

The type of program that is appropriate for an individual depends on where they are in their recovery.

As an inpatient client, you will often complete the first stages of treatment, such as withdrawal or detox. Following this stage, there are a variety of treatment options available, including inpatient care such as partial hospitalization or outpatient therapy such as intensive outpatient or outpatient rehab. The appropriate level of follow-up care is determined by a person’s recovery progress as well as their mental and physical health.

The type and severity of a disease, as well as the sort of program and environment that best suits an individual, all influence the choice of a residential program. Additionally, psychiatric comorbidities frequently necessitate additional treatment or attention and should be taken into account when choosing a treatment strategy.

The types of treatment available and the amount of time a person can spend in either inpatient or residential treatment differ.

The following are some important key factors that will help you in choosing between an inpatient or residential center:

  • Inpatient rehab, which typically includes supervised detox or acute care, is frequently the initial step in recovery.
  • Residential rehabilitation is a more intensive form of treatment than inpatient rehab, and it can help people develop skills and resilience so they can return to their normal lives following recovery.
  • Residential vs. inpatient care access may be limited by a person’s medical or insurance coverage.
  • The type and duration of treatment are determined by the severity of the illness and the patient’s desire to seek treatment.
  • Inpatient and residential treatment can be beneficial in the recovery from a drug or alcohol addiction as well as a co-occurring mental health issue. Getting help can improve a person’s quality of life and help them regain and enhance their mental and physical health.

Help is available if you or someone you care about is struggling with both a substance use issue and a mental health condition.

FAQs