Which is Better for You: IOP or PHP?

The road to recovery is never the same from one person to the next. The treatment that works well for you may not work as well for your neighbor, and vice versa; it all hinges on the type and severity of your addiction, any co-occurring mental health disorders you have, and the amount of time you have to devote to treatment.

As such, while residential treatment is a common choice for those seeking addiction recovery, there are some other options to explore, including intensive outpatient (IOP) and partial hospitalization (PHP). These two types of treatment are sometimes lumped together, but actually differ in key regards—something we’ll illustrate here.

What is IOP?

First, let’s define the terms, starting with intensive outpatient treatment. Unlike with a traditional, residential approach, IOP does not require you to live in a rehab facility. Instead, you continue to live in your own home, or with family, and may even be able to continue going to school or work as normal.

Those who are in IOP will have both individual and group therapies throughout the week—often totaling 10 or 12 hours a week. In many cases, these sessions are scheduled in evenings, so those who need to go to work can do so.

What is PHP?

A partial hospitalization program is similar in some regards: It’s a treatment program that works on an outpatient basis, meaning you live at home or with family as opposed to in a rehab facility.

However, PHP tends to be a little bit more of a time commitment than IOP. In a partial hospitalization program, you will have therapy sessions and other clinical interventions structured throughout your day, meaning you’ll really just go home to sleep each night. In other words, it’s more involved than IOP, though less so than residential treatment.

Weighing the Benefits

It’s important to note that these two types of programs share the same basic goal—to set you up for lifelong sobriety. They have many other benefits in common, too. They are generally more cost-effective than residential care, and they can both function as transitional care models for those who have been through rehab and just need a bit more time to hone their life skills. In fact, some individuals use IOP programs as step-downs from PHP; these two programs often work best when they are used in tandem.

Choosing the Best Program for You

Ultimately, the decision largely boils down to the kind of commitment you need. Those who need a more robust and intensive program will do better with PHP. Meanwhile, those looking for something more transitional—or something that offers great flexibility for their school and work obligations—may find IOP to make the most sense.

To make the best decision based on your addiction recovery needs, it’s important to speak with an addiction recovery specialist. We can’t stress enough that there is no one-size-fits-all solution here. It’s important to talk to a healthcare professional who specializes in addiction rehab, and to determine the solution that’s the best fit for your needs.

Get Treatment from Experience Recovery

For those who are pursuing addiction rehab in Los Angeles, we encourage you to contact Experience Recovery today. We believe in the tailored, individualized care approach, and want to help you find the program that’s right for you. Contact us today to schedule an assessment, or to ask any lingering questions about partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient care.