Access to educational and vocational resources in your community can potentially ensure a more successful recovery. Regular check-ins with a therapist, case manager, or otc xanax replacement group meetings hold you more accountable for your recovery. This structure encourages honest reflection and provides gentle course correction if needed.
Surround yourself with encouraging individuals by joining a support group, attending counseling sessions and participating in meet-up activities. You can also participate in many types of continuing care, including individual therapy, check-ups, 12-step meetings and alternative support groups. Rehab is not a quick fix for getting clean, but it is a step in the right direction for sober living.
#1. Create a Relapse Prevention Plan
Many folks in recovery find that they have no choice but to face the financial consequences of their addiction. That may mean debt, making financial amends, or rearranging your priorities. Reacquainting yourself with your newly sober body can help you tend to its needs without resorting to alcohol. Other risky situations could be hanging out with friends who use, letting your recovery activities lapse, or engaging in old coping behaviors like going with coworkers to a bar after work. Research suggests that relapse happens in stages, often starting with difficult emotions and obsessive thinking.
Instead, focus on things, experiences, and activities that will support your new, healthy lifestyle. The goal of alumni programs is to connect people with continued support. In-person events allow individuals to meet other people in recovery, discuss their experiences and struggles, and receive advice and encouragement. These events may also involve participating in fun sober activities. Studies show that engaging in mind-body relaxation techniques can be effective in long-term relapse prevention. Practicing self-care, learning to say no and avoiding what is salvia trip unnecessary stress — a common trigger for relapse — are also vitally important.
Practice Healthy Living
Embrace your ability to avoid relapsing by listening to yourself and following along in what you learned during treatment. To find local or virtual 12-Step meetings, search the websites of different groups, including Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. Find a local chapter to find meetings nearby, or search for virtual meetings. Some 12-Step meetings are targeted at specific populations, such as men, women, or members of the LGBT community. Resilience is the ability to adapt and bounce back from life’s challenges. It plays a crucial role in both mental and physical well-being, especially during recovery from addiction.
When you’re feeling tempted to slip back into old habits, remember why you wanted to get sober in the first place. If you’re wondering if you should go back to rehab or need help staying on a sober path after rehab, there is help available. For many people with a substance use disorder, it’s simply a matter of never having learned the appropriate way to manage anger. Talk to your therapist, other healthcare provider, or sponsor about how to deal with your anger in ways that won’t cause you to harm yourself or others or turn to alcohol or drugs. Other types of recovery meetings exist for individuals looking for an alternative to the 12-Step approach. Think of aftercare as the vital bridge between treatment and sustainable, group activities for substance abuse long-term sobriety.
What is Aftercare?
- People who are addicted to substances may require treatment in the form of medication, counseling, and in some cases, medical care.
- Strictly speaking, sobriety is the state of being sober—not being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- While rehab provides crucial initial interventions and skills, the support of family and community can make all the difference in sustaining sobriety and recovery.
- If you’re ready to transform your life and embrace lasting recovery, reach out today.
- People won’t always necessarily follow these steps in a linear, forward progression.
The medication and treatment plan your healthcare providers recommend can depend on several factors, such as the type of substance you’re using, your health status, and the goals of treatment. Aftercare program can provide those that are sober with the tools and resources to prevent relapse, as well as offer a support network. It’s best to make any financial decisions with the support of your financial advisor or certified public accountant (CPA). Some financial institutions, private financial professionals, and community organizations provide financial services at low or no cost to help people who need assistance to regain financial health. Cravings are a perfectly normal part of recovery, especially if you used alcohol or drugs for a long time. You don’t need to be frightened of them, but you do need to have a plan to overcome them.
However, there are also alternative support groups available if the 12-step model isn’t a good fit. Anger is a normal and natural emotion, but how you deal with it will make a difference in maintaining your recovery. Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) involves withdrawal symptoms that persist past the detox period.
For example, if you lack a stable and safe living situation, then finding a sober living facility will be an important component of your plan. If you find it difficult to make new, sober friends, try joining a support group. Developing an aftercare plan in early recovery can help prevent a relapse by providing an individual with support and allowing them to continue to work on issues surrounding their addiction.
It may not seem like celebrating is a major part of staying sober after rehab, but reaching 30, 60, or 90 days is a huge achievement that should be celebrated. Many people in recovery continue to celebrate their sobriety each year throughout their lives. That’s why it’s important to take steps for staying sober after rehab.