Yes there is a difference between alcoholism treatment centers and a recovery program. Personally, I have been through inpatient treatment on three different occasions so these experiences are from my own point of few. Different treatment centers utilize different techniques and approaches so what I share is from my own experience. It's also important to mention that each time was somewhat of a different experience for me, but that will be more for a later article. For now, I'm going to stick with the differences, as I see them between treatment centers and recovery programs. at https://inoue19thgene.wordpress.com/2017/02/10/the-difference-between-alcoholism-treatment-centers-and-recovery-programsintensive-outpatient-program-partial-hospitalization-program/

1. The Difference Between Alcoholism
Treatment Centers and Recovery Programs
Yes there isa difference betweenalcoholismtreatmentcentersanda recoveryprogram.Personally,I
have beenthroughinpatienttreatmentonthree differentoccasionssothese experiencesare frommy
ownpointof few.Differenttreatmentcentersutilize differenttechniquesandapproachessowhatI
share is frommy ownexperience.It'salsoimportanttomentionthateachtime wassomewhatof a
differentexperience forme,butthatwill be more fora laterarticle.For now,I'mgoingto stick withthe
differences,asIsee thembetweentreatmentcentersandrecoveryprograms.
Treatmentcenters
Treatmentcentersare facilitieswhichprovide inpatientrehabprogramsand/orIntensive Outpatient
Programs(IOP).The purpose of these facilitiesistohelpthe alcoholicdeal withthe immediate
emotional andphysical issueswhicharise whenstoppingthe consumptionof alcohol.The most
immediate benefitof alcoholismtreatmentcentersis the enormoussupportthe patientsreceive when
beingadmitted.If the patienthasbeenconsuminglarge amountsof alcohol foranextendedperiodof
time,a detoxificationprocessisusuallynecessary.Manytimesthisisdone ata separate facility,suchas
a detox center,betterequippedandstaffedtohandle the seriousphysical and/ormedical side-effectsof
detoxification.Although,manytreatmentcentershave the staff andare qualifiedtodetox the patientat
the same facilities.
Treatmentcentersare where the alcoholicisintroducedandeducatedonthe aspectsof the disease of
alcoholism.Generallythe patientsattendlecturesandclassesthroughoutthe daywhichinformthem
not onlyaboutthe physical andmedical aspectof the disease,butthe greatemotional aspectsaswell.
In additiontoclassesandlectures,small groupsessionsare usuallyheldwhichgive the individual
patientsachance to getusedto the group therapyprocess.One-on-onecounseling(betweencertified
counselorandpatient) is mostcommonlydone eitheronaday-to-daybasisaswell oras many time as
the counselorsscheduleallows.Whenresearchingatreatmentcenter,itmaybe a goodideato inquire
aboutthe patienttocounselorration.Inmyexperience,Iwasable tomeetwitha personal counselorat
leastthree timesaweekandmore if needed.
The lengthof stayedrequiredatin-patienttreatmentcentersvaries,manytimesdependingon
insurance coverages.The mostcommonis28 daysand can range froma few daysto several years.
There are alsoprogramsreferredtoas an IOP,or Intensive OutPatientprogram.These due notrequire
in-patientaccommodationsandgenerallyconsistsof lecturesandgrouptherapythree tofour timesper
week.

2. There are those inrecoverywhohave achievedlong-termsobrietywithoutenteringatreatmentcenter.
A commonsayingheardaroundrecoveryis"treatmentisa greatplace for discovery,Alcoholics
Anonymous(AA)isathe place for recovery."Moreover,there are those whofeel treatmentscentersare
justout to make moneyoff informationandtechniquessuffererscangetfor free fromAA.Withthat
said,I personallyamgrateful fortreatmentcenters.Inmyexperience,theyare helpful ingettingastart
on learningaboutthe disease of alcoholismandthe toolsneededtobuildalong-termrecovery
program.However,toachieve long-termsobrietyandahappy andjoyful life,analcoholicmustwork
some type of ongoingrecoveryprogramwhichiswhatwe'll lookat next.
RecoveryProgram
A strongrecoveryprogramconsistsof an on-goingprocess,if maintained,will leadthe alcoholictoa
productive,joyful,andhappylife.Andmostimportantof all,sober!Inmyexperience,AA hasbeenthe
onlyrecoveryprogramthat hasworked,forme.Abstinence is notrecovery.Notinmyopinion.Just
because Istop drinking,all myproblemsdonotgoaway.Many timestheygetworse.Afterall,theysay
you'll feel betterif youstopdrinking.Yes,you'll feel everythingbetterincludingfear,anger,resentment,
sadness,etc..A sayingoftenheardaroundrecoveryis"soberupa horse thief,andyou've still gota
horse thief."Itisnecessarytodeal withthe underlyingfactorsthatcontributedtoonesdrinking.Thatis
where a 12 stepprogramcomesintoplay.
Most people are familiarwithThe Twelve StepProgramof AlcoholicsAnonymous.The programis
designedtohelpthe alcoholicdevelopaspiritual life,egodeflation,deal withtheirpast,move oninto
theirfuture,andisconsideredadesignforlivingbasedon asetof spiritual principles.Fromthe book,
Twelve StepsandTwelve Traditions,"A.A.'sTwelve Stepsare agroup of principles,spiritual intheir
nature,which,if practicedasa wayof life,canexpel the obsessiontodrinkandenable the suffererto
become happilyandusefullywhole."Forme,thishasbeentrue.
Before anyalcoholiccanrecover,theyfirstmustadmittheyneedhelpandstartmovingoutof denial.
One of the thingsthatkeptme indenial forsolong,was I refusedtobelieveIhadany emotional issues.I
drank simplybecause Ilikedit,Ihad nothingbettertodo,or it wasfun.But at some pointitstopped
becomingfun,eventhoughIcontinuedtoconvince myself otherwise.Itwasn'tuntil Iactuallyworkeda
recoveryprogramdidI realize there were things,emotionalthings,Ineededtoworkon.I acceptedthe
fact I neededhelpandfromthatpointonI was inrecovery.TodayI insistonbeinginthe solutionand
not inthe problem.
Resource

3. Intensive OutpatientProgram | Partial HospitalizationProgram