Frequently asked questions
Question: Why Seek Aftercare for Addiction Treatment?
Answer: Drug and alcohol addictions are often extremely complex. It takes time and multiple phases of treatment for most people to truly recover from them. That’s why many people decide to pursue aftercare once they’ve completed a traditional rehab program.
Aftercare offers numerous benefits that can help someone maintain their sobriety and stay on the road to recovery. We’ve put together this article to highlight those benefits. And to tell you more about what aftercare is like. Keep reading to learn more.
What is aftercare?
The purpose of aftercare is hidden in its name. It’s care that you receive after you’ve completed rehab. It’s generally the last phase of a person’s overall substance abuse recovery plan.
The goals of an aftercare plan are to help the individual
- Maintain their sobriety
- Develop new strategies for preventing relapse and put them into practice
- Live a fulfilled life
- Transition their recovery into the real world
Benefits of aftercare
There are numerous benefits that a person receives when they decide to pursue aftercare after completing rehab. We’ll highlight some of the most important ones in this section.
Aftercare can reduce the likelihood of relapse. The possibility of relapse is always present for someone who is recovering from substance abuse. But patients who receive aftercare lower their risk of this.
That’s because they have continuous support from mental health specialists who can help them deal with and overcome the various triggers that can cause a relapse to occur.
Aftercare smoothes the transition between rehab and the real world. It’s one thing to work on recovery in a place where you don’t have to deal with temptations. It’s another to do it while living your normal daily life and encountering triggers throughout the day.
Aftercare helps make this easier. It provides you with support that helps you successfully and sustainably bring your recovery out of the treatment center and into the real world.
Aftercare can help you find purpose and direction in the next phase of your life. Part of recovering from substance abuse is figuring out what you’re going to do with your life now that it’s not being ruled over by drugs and alcohol.
Aftercare provides you with support that can help you figure it out. You’ll get to work together with a therapist on an ongoing basis so that you get the guidance you’re looking for when you need it most.
What aftercare usually looks like
Aftercare isn’t a one-size-fits-all treatment. Instead, there are lots of different types of aftercare to choose from. This ensures that every individual is able to get the specific type of help that they need to continue moving forward with their recovery.
That being said, most aftercare plans feature some combination of the following types of treatment:
- 12-step meetings (or non-12-Step meetings if you prefer them)
- Individual work with a therapist or counselor
- Group activities
- Time spent in a sober living home
It’s often a good idea to start with a more intensive aftercare program and then gradually transition to one that gives you more freedom over time.
For example, many patients start by spending some time in a sober living home. While there, you may also participate in group meetings and individual therapy. Then, after a few months have passed, you can get your own place and continue seeing a therapist and participating in group meetings. You may just not do these things as often as time goes by.
Ultimately, you and your care team will come up with a solution that works for your unique needs. They can recommend the best options for someone in your situation so that you give yourself the best chance of maintaining your long-term sobriety.
Where to find aftercare
Where you choose to pursue aftercare can have a big impact on how successful your plan is. You want to make sure that you find a place that is able to customize the type of aftercare support you receive to meet your unique needs.
That’s why you should look into The House of the Rising Son if you’re interested in getting treatment in the Southern California area.
We offer a wide variety of aftercare services to help you transition back into your daily life without disrupting your recovery. Our programs can include therapy, 12-step counseling, and even fun outings and beach walks with other people who are in recovery.
