The key to recovery is self-responsibility. During addiction recovery, people will need to learn to take charge of their lives and become financially stable. Aftercare programs come in many forms.
After rehab, the process of recovering from addiction continues. A substance abuse aftercare program might be just as important as the treatment. Click here to learn the benefits of aftercare following addiction rehabilitation.
Some are offered by rehab facilities, while individuals arrange others. The purpose is the same: to help people achieve a successful recovery.
Continuing Care
Continuing care is an important part of addiction recovery. Addicts who complete the intensive treatment phase need ongoing support to avoid relapse.
While this care can take various forms, the goal is to support clients in all areas of their lives. Various types of continuing care exist, including self-help groups, outpatient services, and intensive inpatient care.
Continuing care helps patients maintain the gains made in the initial phase of treatment, address relapse or non-response, and connect them with other support systems.
In addition to these activities, ongoing care involves interventions to enhance patient confidence, improve skill levels, and foster recovery. It also helps patients learn how to navigate relapse triggers.
Continuing care involves routine assessment, customized treatment, and ongoing monitoring. It also involves participation in group or individual counseling, self-help groups, and psychiatric care for patients with co-occurring disorders.
During this time, the patient may also receive drug and alcohol monitoring. These elements of continuing care help recovering addicts establish healthy routines, strengthen their recovery skills, and stay motivated.
Research has shown that patients who receive such care are significantly more likely to maintain their new lifestyle.
Maintaining Healthy Relationships
In early recovery, a recovering addict may find it difficult to build and maintain healthy relationships. It can result in a lack of social skills and an inability to form meaningful bonds.
The person in recovery may be too busy to be social and feel lonely or isolated. New relationships can easily become obsessions, pushing the previous partner away.
These relationships may become codependent or abusive and may not be healthy for both parties.
A healthy relationship during the early stages of recovery can help the recovering addict establish healthy neurotransmitters. It includes dopamine and oxytocin, which are produced in parts of the brain and are important in regulating basic body rhythms.
The chemical reaction these substances create is similar to substance abuse but without the potentially fatal side effects.
Once a person has a healthy relationship with themselves, it is possible to build healthy relationships with others. In addiction recovery, it is important to rebuild relationships with family and friends.
Relationships can be healthy if they are built on honesty and integrity. In recovery, the person should be able to do something positive for others. The person should try to make amends with someone who caused them pain.
Community Support
During addiction recovery, the community plays a key role in supporting the recovery process. It provides a safe environment for people to open up and share their thoughts and feelings.
It helps them face new feelings and rediscover their self. Many studies have found that a community of support leads to lower relapse rates
It also helps people in recovery build a social network and develop the practice of open and honest communication.
Community support can be found in many forms, including mutual aid groups, peer support groups, and recovery community centers. Faith-based organizations or community-based organizations often provide these services.
These organizations mobilize their resources to help those in recovery through these programs. Many of these programs offer ongoing emotional and practical support. They also provide resources for recovery housing, telephone counselling, and recovery coaching.
The community also helps addicts form friendships with like-minded people. These people can offer support and unconditional love.
In addition, many support groups will organize activities and outings for newly sober individuals. These social gatherings make it more fun for people to be together when they’re sober.
Treatment of the Whole Person
Treatment of the whole person is essential during addiction recovery because addiction affects all aspects of an addict’s life.
Therefore, the best rehabs treat the individual, including his social and physical environment and mental health. This approach improves the patient’s chances of success and keeps him healthy.
In addition to treating the individual, addiction treatment should consider any underlying health conditions or psychological problems.
Up to 29% of people with addictions also suffer from co-occurring mental illnesses. Identifying and treating these factors concurrently will result in a more holistic treatment plan. It will also prevent the person from developing another addiction.
And finally, addiction treatment should consider the individual’s life situation and circumstances since they may cause the current addiction.
In addition to addressing the individual’s physical needs, addiction treatment should also address the mental health and emotional needs of the patient.
Counsellors will select services according to the patient’s needs. These may include medical, legal, family, and social issues.