The Importance of Aftercare in Recovery
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To free ourselves from alcohol or drug addiction, we must first recognize how alcohol or drugs have plagued our life. Once we accept the problems and why we desire to change, we will be ready to begin our recovery journey. Those who are ready to become sober and clean often obtain support from an alcohol or drug addiction rehab facility. Rehab facility treatment typically lasts between a week to a month, and sometimes longer, depending on the severity of the addiction.
What is Aftercare?
Your residential or inpatient treatment center team will likely discuss aftercare options. Aftercare refers to the treatment after inpatient treatment has ended. As we will further discuss in this article, there are various types of aftercare treatments, such as:
- Intensive Aftercare Services
- Outpatient Treatment
- Individual Counseling
- Group Counseling
Aftercare treatments help us learn more about addiction, prevent relapse, and navigate life without using alcohol or drugs.
Why is Aftercare Important for Recovery?
Becoming sober is a huge accomplishment. However, alcohol and drug addiction treatment does not stop after successful detox and withdrawal.
Aftercare focuses on staying in contact with your care team who will help you monitor progress, navigate challenging times, get back on track if you relapse, and modify recovery techniques. Developing an aftercare plan helps you prevent relapses by equipping you with support as you continue to work on your addiction concerns.
Benefits of Aftercare
Between 40% and 60% of people recovering from alcohol and drugs experience a relapse. Aftercare is associated with decreased rates of use and lower relapse rates.
Often, willpower is not enough to keep someone sober and clean. That would be like an empty tool belt carpenter trying to build a house. That carpenter needs tools, and so do you if you want to build a life that is free from the prison of addiction. Aftercare treatment services can equip you with the tools you need to continue building a strong foundation. Aftercare treatment also helps you navigate challenging situations. The support with help you identify, address, and consider healthier alternatives for the root causes that provoke cravings and temptations.
What is Involved in Creating an Aftercare Plan?
Typically, a substance abuse professional will help you create an aftercare plan while you’re in treatment. Here, at Annandale Behavioral Health, we help you bridge the gap between treatment and going back home with a tailored aftercare plan. You will learn what aftercare options are in your community and what you desire. In other words, what you want and need matters when creating an aftercare plan. We each have specific preferences and needs. Addiction also affects us uniquely. So, it is essential to create our unique aftercare plan according to what will best help us.
What Aftercare Services Look Like
Various aftercare services cater to different people, needs, and scenarios. You may attend one treatment modality or several. The following are various aftercare services to consider:
Intensive Aftercare Services
Some centers offer intensive aftercare services, where the professional comes to your home to provide support. Such services are helpful for those who don’t have transportation to other aftercare services or prefer to recover in the comfort of their home.
Common services include:
- Case Management
- Medication Management
- Individual Counseling
- 24/7 Phone Support
Outpatient Treatment
An outpatient treatment center is a facility that holds meetings or sessions throughout the week and weekend. You may attend sessions on various days or evenings. Typically, people attend about three to four weekly meetings, learning about addiction recovery, coping skills, and more. Outpatient treatment is especially for those who still need quite a bit of support in early recovery. There will be substance abuse professionals there who can continue to support and encourage you.
Individual Counseling
Individual counseling is also an aftercare plan option. Our additional concerns may often stem from emotional issues and old wounds that need healing. There may be childhood or young adulthood issues we never adequately resolved. Perhaps trauma or childhood abuse occurred and never really got discussed. Instead of fixing the root causes, we used bandages to help us temporarily get by. Or maybe there are health concerns, such as pain syndromes, stress, fatigue, anxiety, grief, trauma, emotional burnout, bipolar, mood or personality problems, or depression. A psychiatrist or psychologist will guide you to dig deeper and confront the root issues that could have provoked your substance abuse.
Group Counseling
In some communities, there may be group counseling or supportive opportunities for aftercare treatment. There you will be among others in the same shoes as you, wanting to stay free from alcohol or drugs. Group counseling sessions may be available at an outpatient treatment center or mental health agency. Explore if your community offers programs similar to Mindfulness Relapse Prevention or Cognitive Behavioral Relapse Prevention.
Various group counseling programs are incredible support networks for those in recovery, for example, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and SMART Recovery. These programs are often available in cities across the country and the world. They meet regularly, are free, and offer opportunities to transform with peers who are also recovering.
Reach Out for Help to Your Alcohol and Drug Rehab in Pasadena, California
If you’re concerned about your relationship with alcohol or drugs or prefer to reduce your consumption considerably, connect with your Annandale Behavioral Health support team.
With the many treatment options available, you don’t have to feel alone in your recovery. It’s not always easy to recognize that we need help, but sometimes in life, we must. Recovery aftercare services are critical to your successful recovery journey. Whether transitioning from treatment back to your home or a sober-living program, embracing a support network will help you navigate challenges and heal in healthier ways.
Annandale Behavioral Health offers various services, including a medically supervised detox program, residential treatment, and Annandale Post recovery aftercare services. Our clinical team includes reputable, compassionate physicians, therapists, psychiatrists, nurses, and support staff. We will collaboratively equip you with personalized support, tools, and structure for long-lasting change.
There is freedom on the other side of addiction, and you can experience that freedom as you move forward in your recovery. Contact Annandale Behavioral Health and begin your journey toward overcoming addiction as you thrive with a more fulfilling and meaningful life. Embrace the opportunity to grow with gratitude, joy, self-worth, and accomplishment. Surround yourself with our fun, supportive, and sober community members who strive to Annandale.
