Drug rehabilitation is one of the most effective treatments for your drug or alcohol addiction. Your treatment may take a couple of months to a year, depending on the severity of the problem.
Those who don’t have a serious addiction problem may be able to fully recover after addiction treatment while others may need more treatment and therapy.
What happens after rehab? What is life after rehab? This article talks about what you need to do after rehab and how to prevent relapse.
What to do After Rehabilitation
Recovery is a long process. For some people, it may even take years to recover from addiction or alcohol treatment fully. After rehabilitation, you can either go home or stay in a sober living house.
When you decide to go home and be with your family again, make sure that you stay in contact with a support group or a therapist to prevent relapse.
Staying in a sober living home also has benefits. You keep your freedom and have constant recovery support that you can reach out to anytime you want. You will be surrounded by people in recovery. In addition, you will have recovery meetings to ensure that you are still in control and not leaning towards a relapse.
Whatever you decide to do, ensure that it’s beneficial for you.
Why You Need Continued Support
We recommend that you consider individual therapy sessions such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) after rehab to help you fully recover. Talking to a therapist allows you to understand your addiction fully and what causes it. It will enlighten you more and helps you effectively address your addiction problem.
Regular checkups as well as joining support groups are both beneficial for a recovering addict. Just make sure that you constantly attend to them. Don’t be embarrassed to talk about your addiction. Be open to them and seek help when you need to.
How to Prevent Relapse
For people with drug or alcohol addiction, a relapse could happen. But it can be prevented. Below are some of our effective tips to help you prevent relapse after rehab.
Follow Through the Aftercare Plan
To fully recover and prevent relapse, you must commit to following through with the aftercare plan. Keep in mind that recovery is a long-term process. Therefore, you need to fully commit to the program, including what needs to be done after treatment, so you never use certain substances or alcohol ever again.
Towards the end of your treatment, medical staff will walk you through the aftercare program that you need to do. This may include support group meetings or sober living.
Adhering to the program rigorously is one of the most effective ways to prevent relapse. If possible, ask for help from trusted friends or family members. They can help look out for you, ensuring that you adhere to the programs specifically designed to help you fully recover from substance abuse.
Build a Support Network
Depending on the severity of your addiction, staying away from drugs can be very difficult. You need all the help that you can get. It would be extremely beneficial to have a support group that you can turn to when you struggle with recovery.
If possible, try to be proactive in the support group. Stay in touch with people you are comfortable with, those you can confide in about your struggles or problems. You can also ask a family member or friend to help you, especially when you’re feeling alone.
After your treatment, you will be provided with a Support Group that you can reach out to or regularly see to help you prevent relapse.
Discover New Hobbies or Go Back to Work
Fortunately, there are a lot of things that you can do after completing rehab. If you have old hobbies, consider rediscovering them or explore new hobbies that you can do after rehab. And remember, you don’t have to do this alone. It’s always best when you have a friend who can join you.
You can also go back to work. Some treatment programs will help integrate you back into employment. It will really take your mind off from using any substance or alcohol again. Getting back to the workplace is a good distraction that is also beneficial for you: you can improve or develop new skills, make new friends, stay productive and even earn some money.
Just keep in mind to connect with friends who also do not use drugs. Otherwise, you may end up using the substance again.
Stay Active
It may take time to adjust to life after recovery but staying active should help you. Exercise can release chemicals that can boost energy and make you happy. You don’t even need to do strenuous exercise — walking, jogging, gardening, swimming, or yoga would suffice.
If possible, get an exercise buddy, so you have someone to talk to. Better yet, keep a journal and record your thoughts. Writing can be therapeutic and may help you with your struggles.
Don’t Hesitate to Ask For Help
Learn how to ask for help. Reach out to your therapist, if possible. Talk about your problems with your family or friends. Talking to people who can help you increases your chances for a full recovery.
Contact Wavelengths Recovery
Are you or a loved one struggling with alcohol or drugs? You are not alone! We at Wavelengths Recovery are committed to helping people fully recover from their addiction or alcohol problem.
We offer a range of treatments for every drug addiction problem. Whether you’re struggling with heroin, methamphetamine, or marijuana, we can help.
Our Rehabilitation Centers serve quality addiction treatment to those in Orange County and Sonoma County.
Our team of professionals will sit with you for evaluation. The treatment we recommend will always be based on your needs, and help to reach the end goal of maintaining sobriety. Talk to us today so we can get started on your full recovery.
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