Aftercare
Addiction recovery aftercare comes in many forms, though it is always a crucial component of any successful program of substance dependency treatment. The most common form of aftercare, one that continues for the remainder of a recovering addict or alcoholic’s life, is involvement in a 12-step program of recovery. Most inpatient treatment facilities will incorporate an extensive and comprehensive introduction to the 12-step method of recovery, oftentimes bringing clients to outside meetings and frequently mandating the initial stages of working ‘the steps’ alongside a sponsor. This is the most standard and most prolonged form of aftercare – one that has proven essential to the maintenance of meaningful, long-term sobriety in the lives of many recovering addicts and alcoholics.
In most instances, an individual who has just completed inpatient treatment will be provided with a thorough and comprehensive aftercare plan by the clinical team at their extended-stay facility. This aftercare plan will typically include an immediate transfer to a halfway house or sober living facility, continued one-on-one visits with an addiction specialist or licensed therapist, and daily incorporation of a 12-step program of addiction recovery. In some instances, clients will need to see a psychiatrist or prescribing physician once a month as well – especially if dual diagnosis psychological disorders were uncovered and diagnosed during inpatient treatment. Aftercare plans will vary depending on the needs and preferences of each specific individual, though some common denominators will need to remain consistent in order for meaningful and fulfilled sobriety to be maintained.
12-Step Recovery and Aftercare
As previously mentioned, the immediate incorporation of a 12-step method of addiction recovery is essential to success in early sobriety. Newly sober individuals will be expected to find a program of recovery that speaks to them – either Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous, or any other option that best suits an individual’s personal road to recovery. Newly sober individuals will be expected to find a home group and a sponsor, and begin working through the 12 steps alongside that sponsor. It has been proven that those who jump immediately into the program and stick with it have exceedingly higher success rates than those who do not. It has also been proven that those who transfer directly to a halfway house or sober living facility after inpatient treatment maintain prolonged sobriety at a much higher rate than those who return home after completing treatment. Halfway houses are designed to help newly sober individuals transition back into day-to-day, drug-free living, providing accountability and structure that are necessary to early recovery while allowing for an amount of personal freedom not provided at inpatient. Halfway house clients will be expected to find a job, participate in weekly meetings, upkeep specified chores around the house, and spend ample time focusing on their own personal emotional healing and spiritual recuperation.
If you are interested in committing to a program of aftercare, please contact one of our trained representatives today. We are available around the clock to answer any and all of your questions or concerns.