Outpatient treatment can be an intense process, as it requires a time investment and consistency in breaking old habits. When someone participates in an outpatient treatment program, they may find that mental and physical health issues or even crises can arise. However, these setbacks do not have to halt or reverse progress.
With careful preparation, most crises can be averted or handled swiftly. Once a crisis begins, determining what to do next can be overwhelming if an action plan has not been established.
Here is a checklist of what to do if a crisis occurs during outpatient treatment.
What Defines a Crisis
Outpatient treatment may come with numerous challenges, which means that the crises arising as a result may vary based on the person and their own path to recovery. Most commonly, four types of crises constitute the greatest threats to patients:
- Suicidal thoughts: Either due to the brain’s chemical changes as a person transitions from substance dependence or the state of their mental health, suicidal ideation can pose a risk during recovery. Any contemplation of suicidal behavior should be treated as a crisis and addressed immediately.
- Self-harm: A person need not be contemplating suicide in order to pose a risk to themselves. Self-harm through behaviors such as burning, cutting, taking excessive medication, or other choices is a crisis that should result in quick help.
- Harm to others: Some people going through outpatient treatment may discover that their moods are more unpredictable during recovery. As a result, they may be more prone to lash out at others. If this mood imbalance leads to direct harm to others, such as physical violence or problematic behaviors (e.g., theft), it should be addressed immediately as a crisis.
- External factors: In some cases, a crisis may not arise with the person undergoing treatment; it may start in some facet of their lives. For instance, outpatient treatment can quickly come under threat if the individual loses a beloved family member or needs to move.
What to Do During a Crisis
Because crises come in so many forms, it is important to maintain a wide range of potential solutions. The best things to do during a crisis are:
Contact your outpatient case manager: Most intensive outpatient programs provide participants with at least one point of contact who is in charge of their specific treatment. Be sure to reach out to this individual for guidance on what to do. Depending on the type of crisis, they may advise changing the treatment schedule, finding temporary options such as televisits, or providing support.- Turn to support systems: A crisis is best handled with the help of others, not alone. Turn to previously established supports, such as family or recovery groups, to receive more diversified perspectives and seek help from others with different skills.
- Leverage community services: Those recovering in outpatient programs have access to numerous resources to help them through difficult times. Community crisis centers are just one example; these facilities provide quick care without question to those who are experiencing a sudden difficulty, such as suicidal ideation. Those facing contextual crises such as housing insecurity can benefit from soup kitchens and other services.
- Stay in a safe place: For patients whose crises are directed at their own well-being, it is best to remain in a safe location to reduce additional stress. Stay at home or with a loved one, where resources such as food and a safe place to sleep are not a concern.
- Continue treatment: As crises arise during outpatient programs, it is important to try to continue treatment whenever possible. Most treatment options offer adaptable services, from group meetings to telehealth visits, online journaling, and more. Those who are in recovery make the most progress when they remain consistent, so while a crisis should be treated with special and immediate attention, the rest of the treatment program should continue as scheduled whenever it is feasible to do so.
A Crisis Does Not Have to Interrupt Outpatient Treatment
Crises come in many forms. From a sudden eviction to an unexpected change in mental health, those in intensive outpatient programs should prepare for multiple potential roadblocks.
By establishing strong support structures, creating a plan, and learning about community resources ahead of time, they can approach any crisis with the knowledge they need to come out the other side.
The professionals at Aquila Recovery Clinic in Washington DC can help you find resources to overcome crises and adapt your treatment to keep you on track toward recovery. Contact Aquila Recovery Clinic to enroll in intensive outpatient treatment for addiction recovery.