Relapse Prevention and Aftercare Options

Addiction recovery will not come to an end once you have checked out of a drug addiction treatment program. Instead, you should continue working towards your long term recovery through a wide variety of relapse prevention and aftercare options. Read on to find out more:

Importance of Relapse Prevention and Aftercare

At its most basic, relapse prevention and aftercare essentially refers to the continued treatment and support that you will receive once you have completed your drug rehab program. This aftercare plan will follow the period of drug treatment and care, whether you got this type of care through an outpatient or inpatient treatment program.

According to recent studies from 2012, more than 9 percent of the American population - about 2.15 million people - were struggling with substance use disorders. If you are among these people and you have already been through an addiction treatment program, it is important that you create an effective relapse prevention and aftercare plan to ensure that you do not continue using these substances again.

Through these aftercare services, you could also learn how to significantly reduce or completely eliminate your risk of relapse. This is vital especially when you consider the fact that only about 50 percent of recovering addicts take advantage of these services, and even fewer will complete the relapse prevention and aftercare programs that were designed for you.

You should not be like this people. If you plan to check into or leave an addiction treatment program, it is essential that you get the experts at the facility to help you create a proper relapse prevention and aftercare plan ahead of time. By so doing, you will be able to reduce your risk of relapse when you no longer have them watching over your wellbeing.

You should also pay close attention to the period immediately after your addiction treatment has come to an end. This is because it is during this time that you would face the greatest struggles maintaining your sobriety and recovery.

To ensure that you do not relapse during this crucial period, you should use your relapse prevention and aftercare plan to strengthen and reinforce the strides you made while you were enrolled in an addiction treatment program.

Options for Relapse Prevention and Aftercare

But how can you format your relapse prevention and aftercare plan to ensure that it is solid enough to help you maintain your long term sobriety and recovery? Essentially, you should consider including some, most, or even all of the following recovery options to reduce your relapse risk and continue expanding on the coping strategies that you learned while enrolled in a drug rehab program. These options include but are not always limited to:

a) 12-Step and Non-12 Step Support Groups

For starters, you should ensure that your relapse prevention and aftercare plan includes a component that requires you to continue participating in support group meetings. Enrolling in fellowship programs like Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) could ensure that you have the encouragement and support you need to maintain your recovery.

b) Group Therapy

During group therapy, you will get the opportunity to listen to the experiences of others who are struggling with similar addiction and recovery issues, as well as share your own experiences. You could also learn how to build new coping and social skills within these group settings.

c) Individual Counseling

While enrolled in individual therapy, you will receive therapies that would be similar to those provided during your addiction treatment program. Essentially, you will meet in person, talk over the phone, or encounter your therapist over the internet. These therapy sessions will ensure that you can still continue building upon the progress that you made during your initial drug addiction treatment.

d) Outpatient Treatment

Your relapse prevention and aftercare plan might also involve spending some time enrolled in an outpatient addiction treatment program. This is highly likely if you were receiving treatment on an inpatient basis but still need more support to continue reinforcing your ongoing recovery.

e) Sober/Transitional Living Homes

Finally, if your home environment is not supportive or conducive enough for your long term addiction recovery, you might be encouraged to check into a transitional or sober living facility once you are done with inpatient treatment or during your outpatient drug rehab. This environment could protect you from the triggers that might potentially cause you to relapse.

Getting Help

Irrespective of the format of your relapse prevention and aftercare plan, it is essential that you keep following it to the latter without deviating from its outline. By so doing, you will reduce your relapse risk, ensure that you keep up with your long term recovery, and finally be able to maintain your sobriety for life.

CITATIONS

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/treatment-recovery

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition/drug-addiction-treatment-in-united-states/types-treatment-programs

https://www.journalofsubstanceabusetreatment.com/article/S0740-5472(16)30380-4/abstract

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2670779/