With more young adults and teens than ever struggling with substance use disorders and depression, many parents are turning to intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) to help their kids with addiction, behavioral challenges, mental illness, and more. If you’re the parent of a teenager or young adult and aren’t sure how an IOP treatment plan might work to help, read on to learn the ways it might be effective in giving your teen hope.
What is IOP treatment?
Intensive outpatient treatment, more commonly known as IOP, is a highly structured form of therapy that often serves as an alternative to residential treatment. In most IOP programs, commonly run through community hospitals and psychiatric centers, clients meet five days a week during normal working hours. In these programs, they participate in a combination of group therapies, therapeutic activities, and individual therapy sessions, and even meet with doctors and others on their treatment teams to make their mental wellness a priority.
Clients in IOP treatment have the benefit of being able to maintain employment, go home at night, and have weekends free. For students who take classes online, it can be possible to continue education while getting intense therapy intervention without missing a beat. For this reason, IOP programs are often popular with parents and teens looking to bring the teen into recovery but trying to maintain as many normal routines as possible, too.
How can IOP help teens?
As a parent, it can be hard to know what to do when you realize your child has an issue with substance use. For some parents, even knowing for sure whether your teen is experimenting as many teens do or if you have a bigger problem can be difficult. The reality is that the best way to know is to have a conversation with a licensed therapist or health care professional. They can help to assess the situation, explain various types of therapy and options, and even make referrals and recommendations for IOP programs if needed.
One of the best benefits of an IOP program for teens is that these programs are heavy on group therapy. This means your young adult will not feel alone while beginning their recovery journey. In fact, many teens report finding new and healthier friends through this process and often keep in touch with them as support systems during and after the completion of a program.
What makes IOP for teens effective?
Most people understand that there will always be normal teen milestones and challenges, but addiction is different. Helping your child make behavioral changes now could be the best thing you do for their future. One reason these IOP programs are effective for teens is that they often involve an element of family therapy where you’ll be apprised of any issues your teen is having. Your teen will be taught skills to help with conflict resolution, and any damaged relationships in the family will have support around them. You’ll also be able to keep your eyes on the situation as things change with your teen during the program. In a residential setting, you’d only have visits and therapy sessions to check in. With IOP, you’ll see your child nightly and be more aware of what’s going on.
At the end of the day, IOP treatment centers can be a great solution for families with struggling teenagers. The right outpatient program can mean a great balance between mental health treatment and the stability of home life and school. If your child needs teen counseling in Tucson and you’re looking for invaluable insight on their mental health concerns, consider talking with your teen’s health care provider about whether or not an IOP treatment plan could work for your young adult. Best of luck in getting your teenager the help they need. Try to remember that there is hope!