Aftercare and Sober Living Programs
Aftercare and sober living programs promote self-efficacy, coping skills and relapse prevention in long-term recovery.
Effective drug and alcohol recovery fosters the development of healthy, long-term behaviors. While the physical, mental, and spiritual changes that ensue might be significant, they are also fragile in the early phases of recovery. Aftercare programs help you keep the coping skills you gained in treatment so you may continue to live a healthy and fulfilled life after you graduate.
Returning to drug or alcohol use is frequent, even among those who are committed to recovery. According to studies, as many as 80% of adults and teens who have completed a treatment program return to drug and alcohol usage. Recurrence is a frequent indication of addictive behavior, whether you’re dealing with alcoholism, prescription medication misuse, cannabis usage, or an eating problem, according to research. Aftercare services provide crucial assistance throughout the post-rehab period, allowing you to keep focused on your recovery goals. Sober life becomes a reality with the help of aftercare.
What Is Aftercare?
One of the many ways in which the therapy of addiction resembles the treatment of any chronic ailment is through aftercare planning. In many aspects, an aftercare plan is comparable to a discharge plan following a hospitalization for the treatment of a chronic ailment such as asthma or heart failure. Aftercare planning for chronic medical diseases and drug use disorders must include the following:
- Having a proper assessment of the severity of the problem is essential.
- Identifying possible roadblocks to effective treatment
- Expectations for outpatient treatment
- Making an appointment
- A practical and long-term self-management strategy
- In the case of a trigger, a protective plan is activated.
- In the case of a return of symptoms, a strategy for regrouping has been devised.
Creating An Aftercare Plan
Aftercare isn’t an afterthought when it comes to acute care; it’s one of the most crucial aspects of the rehabilitation process. It enables the design of relapse prevention measures as well as the development of coping skills. Aftercare officially begins once you’ve completed a treatment program and are ready to return to your community. The aftercare part of rehabilitation, in actuality, begins the moment you enter treatment. Your treatment team will work with you throughout detox and rehab to discover the tools and skills you’ll need to be successful once you’ve completed the program. Therapists and staff with a solid understanding of a program’s resources can assist clients in setting up schedules, contacts, and successful therapy. Therapists and staff that are well-versed in a program’s resources may guide clients through the process of establishing schedules, contacts, and successful treatment regimens for after treatment assistance.
Aftercare can be continued as long as you’re dedicated to living a healthy and meaningful life in recovery. Aftercare programs such as mutual support groups, 12-step meetings, alumni organizations, and volunteer activities that encourage sobriety are frequently credited by people who stay abstinent and sober following treatment. These activities may help you stay connected to others who share your aims and beliefs, as well as encourage and inspire you to achieve the future you truly desire.
Types Of Aftercare Programs
There are a variety of approaches to sustain the connectedness and responsibility required for treatment effectiveness once acute care is completed. Aftercare participation can begin when a client is finishing treatment, when he or she returns to work or school, or at any other time, however it is normally encouraged that clients begin aftercare as soon as acute care is completed. Many of the aftercare programs mentioned can be done at the same time.
Sober Living Homes
One of the most vulnerable times in a person’s rehabilitation is the transition from treatment to life in the community. Sober living homes, often known as halfway houses, offer a safe, stable environment in which rehab graduates may practice their coping skills in a drug- and alcohol-free atmosphere. No substance usage, required house meetings, frequent drug screening, and involvement in domestic tasks are all common regulations in sober living homes. These guidelines promote to self-efficacy by providing structure and responsibility. The majority of patients in a study of 300 residents in sober living homes published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs had favorable outcomes: more days of sobriety, greater social support, and fewer legal difficulties after treatment.
Alumni Programs
For past patients, many comprehensive recovery programs provide alumni associations. These organizations allow you to maintain contact with your treatment team and strengthen the ties you formed in recovery. A lifetime alumni group can provide you with the incentive you need to stay on track with your recovery objectives even after you’ve completed your program.
Benefits of Aftercare Programs
1. Addiction is a chronic disorder that requires continuing therapy.
Addiction is a chronic brain disorder, according to research. Addiction to addictive drugs alters brain chemistry over time, affecting a person’s thinking and decision-making abilities.
2. Aftercare is a type of support that continues after the original therapy.
When someone enters a residential treatment program for a drug misuse problem, their exclusive emphasis is on getting better. Inside the treatment center, there is a closed atmosphere. At the treatment facility, clients have the greatest contact with their counselors, nurses, and other personnel.
3. Ongoing assistance can help to lessen the chances of recurrence.
The danger of a recurrence is always there for persons who have a chronic condition. There are several things a client may do to reduce the chances of relapse in the event of addiction. One of them is to seek long-term therapy for addiction. Another option is to continue treatment with sober living, counselling, or outpatient care.
4. A therapist or support group can provide significant insight into coping processes.
A counselor or other support group members can offer insights that new acquaintances can’t or won’t give to someone who is fresh to recovery. They understand the difficulties of someone who has been in drug addiction treatment and what it’s like to try to rebuild one’s life after taking time off to seek assistance.
Avoiding Relapse
Creating structure via habits and goals might help you heal faster. People who are preparing to re-enter society benefit from sober life. Residents construct a plan of action throughout their stay, in addition to working on their recovery through twelve-step groups and treatment.
Residents who stay in sober living for a lengthy period of time will have the opportunity to think on the causes of their addiction as well as how to best avoid temptation after they depart. Preparing for independent life is an important part of preventing relapse. Relapse can occur even after lengthy, long-term periods of abstinence, therefore recovery is an ongoing process.
“Relapse-prone individuals cannot heal on their own,” according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. They require assistance from others. Only a handful of the various rehabilitation supports accessible include family members, 12-step program sponsors, counselors, and peers. When feasible, a counselor should ensure that others are included in the rehabilitation process.” People who have met via sober life have formed a new social network that is aware of the difficulties.