After Care for Drug and Alcohol Addiction Recovery
Making it through an entire drug and/or alcohol rehabilitation (rehab) program is a major accomplishment. Many patients suffer from anxiety before leaving an inpatient program due to lack of security in the real world again. Dealing with life’s stresses is difficult, and with newfound sobriety, it is even more difficult. It is important to have a supportive group of friends and family in place upon leaving the program. It is also important to have additional care setup in advance to help prevent relapses and re-adjust to life.
Relapse Prevention
Temptation, stress, and cravings will always be there. This is one of the most important things to realize upon discharge from a rehab program. Learning to deal with those demons and having the necessary resources to prevent relapse helps, and this can save your life. During those dark moments, call your sponsor and support group. Surround yourself with people who have your best interest at heart and use the tools that are given to you in relapse prevention sessions.
Transitional Housing
One of the best ways to ease your way back into society after completing a rehab program is to enter into transitional housing. This is also called a half-way house. The terminology represents your journey from addiction to treatment and having a normal life again. In this housing situation, you reside with other recovering addicts and alcoholics. These are safe homes where people are available to help you when temptation strikes. It also helps to re-teach you how to be financially responsible and support yourself.
Extended Outpatient Counseling
It is always a good idea to have outpatient counseling scheduled. The counselor is available to discuss your concerns and struggles with you and help you come up with solutions to get past the rough patches. This type of support is vital to your success and continued recovery. Drug addiction and alcoholism are diseases that can take over your life. The goal of continued counseling after rehab, or after care, is to help make sure that you don’t fall victim to the disease again.
Family Therapy
These addictions don’t just affect you; they affect all of those that are close to you including family and friends. Children and spouses need support to understand what you’re going through and to learn how to be there and handle situations when things begin to spiral out of control. Family therapy and support makes all of you stronger as a group.
Upon successfully completing rehab, after care is an absolute must. Those that return to their previous lifestyles have neglected to have after care in place. There is no specific amount of time that you have to stop using counseling, therapy, or relapse prevention. These services are available to you and your family as long as you need them. Including your family in your continued recovery helps them see how hard you’ve worked to stay alive, resist temptation, and not go back to a lifestyle that may have had you near death. Embrace the after care services that are available and continue working toward a drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle.