Outpatient mental health treatment is not one specific type of treatment. Instead, it is a general term for treatment that takes place in an office, hospital, or clinical setting, but involves no overnight stay. Unlike residential or inpatient treatment, patients who receive treatment in an outpatient setting return home each night.
Like other treatment programs, outpatient mental health treatment can be tailored to each individual’s needs. The nature and severity of the person’s mental health condition will determine how much and what kind of care they need. Treatment may involve:
- Individual or group counseling
- Psychotherapy
- Psychiatric medication
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Chemical dependency treatment
- Bipolar disorder treatment
- Anxiety disorder treatment
- Depression treatment
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
- Stress management skills
- Family therapyNo two people are exactly the same, and no two outpatient treatment programs are exactly the same either. Where one person may be able to manage their symptoms and maintain a healthy lifestyle with an hour or two of mental health treatment per week, another may need more support and structure. Some outpatient programs provide as many as 6 or more hours of treatment per day. Treatment begins with a full evaluation of the patient’s current condition in order to determine the type and level of care that will best help optimize their mental health.
Benefits of outpatient mental health treatment
For patients with a strong support system at home and who are able to maintain high levels of independence, outpatient treatment for mental health has a number of benefits: Outpatient treatment enables patients to maintain a strong connection to their support network
- Outpatient treatment allows patients to continue to manage their day-to-day responsibilities
- Outpatient treatment provides patients with opportunities to integrate new coping skills into their everyday lives
- Outpatient treatment assists patients in the transition from inpatient treatment back into the real world
- Outpatient treatment is more affordable than inpatient treatment
