Continued Recovery
What happens after rehab? Completing a drug and alcohol addiction treatment program is a huge accomplishment. An accomplishment that should be celebrated and respected. While an addict about to enter a recovery program is likely not looking into the future, it is critical to understand that sobriety is a lifelong process.
Making the false assumption that all of your problems are resolved following your 30-day or 60-day addiction treatment program is dangerous. The reality is that recovery treatment must be sustained long after rehab. Maintaining a sober life means surrounding yourself with the right people, involving yourself in safe, productive hobbies, and building a support system that facilitates sustained sobriety and healthy habits.
Once a patient completes drug or alcohol detox and an inpatient rehab program, a recovering addict is then able to return to their normal routine and normal life. So, what does that mean? How can an addict return to their family, friends, work, and hobbies while remaining sober? How can you manage triggers to avoid relapse?
These questions are common and they are best addressed by involving yourself in continued recovery groups. Continuing support is imperative to long-lasting sobriety. In addition to support groups, we highly recommend individual therapy as well as regular check-ups with a mental health professionals. In doing so, you will be able to address triggers, work to uncover withdrawal symptoms, and have guidance as you work to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The following continued recovery programs have proven to be instrumental in helping addicts to avoid relapse and live a healthy, happy, and sober life.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings are community-based fellowships for recovering alcoholics to lean on one another for sobriety support, guidance, and encouragement. AA meetings can be found worldwide, with over 2 million active members. The infamous 12-Step Program was developed by AA’s founders, Dr. Bob Smith and Bill Wilson.
Narcotics Anonymous
Following the massive success of AA, Narcotics Anonymous (NA) was founded to offer to support to people recovering from drug addictions other than alcohol. NA also incorporates the AA-established 12 steps into their meetings and does not distinguish between drugs types, rather addresses all addictions.
Cocaine Anonymous
Cocaine Anonymous (CA) also adopted the AA-established 12 steps into their meetings, where the focus is on addicts recovering from a cocaine addiction. The only requirement for members is that they have a desire to stop using cocaine and any other mind-altering substances
Adult Children of Alcoholics
Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) is an organization created to offer a place for individuals to help one another in recovery from growing up in a household with an alcoholic. While meetings are typically informal, ACA is an excellent resource for members to work toward emotional sobriety.
Overeaters Anonymous
Overeaters Anonymous (OA) is a 12 step group created to help those suffering from food-related problems. The most common issues that members deal with include overeating and binge eating linked to eating disorder such as anorexia and bulimia. OA welcomes anyone who has a problematic relationship with food and desires to stop eating compulsively.
Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA) is a 12-step program geared towards people who are recovering from sex addiction as well as love addiction. SLAA aims for its members to pinpoint their own “bottom-line behaviors”, which refer to sexual and/or emotional acts that lead to a loss of control. Members of SLAA must maintain a desire to abstain from their bottom-line behaviors.
Recovery Podcasts
Podcasts have grown into an incredibly useful tool for those recovering from drug or alcohol addiction. The ability to listen to podcasts in your own environment and at your own time serves as an excellent resource for invaluable peer support. Some of the most popular recovery podcasts include The Bubble Hour, That Sober Guy Podcast, Recovery Happy Hour, and Busy Living Sober.
Recovery Communities
Building a community of like-minded, sober individuals is extremely important to maintaining a sober life. Peer groups allow for addicts to feel less alone in their pursuit of a new life and a way to establish a new group of friends who share the same goals.
SMART Recovery
Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) is a program established for those with addictions as well as behavioral disorders. SMART Recovery uses self-empowering messaging to help addicts to control their addictive behavior, manage cravings, and live a balanced life.
Refuge Recovery
Refuge Recovery utilizes Buddhist teachings that focus on their four “truths of refuge recovery: addiction creates suffering, the cause of addiction is repetitive craving, recovery is possible, and the path to recovery is available. Refuge Recovery approaches recovery in a spiritual manner.
Fitness and Nutrition
Focusing on fitness and nutrition is a main factor in recovery after rehab. Eating healthy and regularly exercising offers a wide range of benefits such as stress relief, increased energy and physical stamina, pain relief, improved sleeping habits, and general emotional healing.
Celebrate Recovery
Celebrate Recovery is a 12-step program ideal for someone looking to incorporate Christian spirituality into addiction recovery. Using the spiritual aspect of Christian teachings, Celebrate Recovery is “part of a movement that God is a blessing”.
Relapse Prevention
While successfully completing drug and alcohol addiction treatment is an incredible achievement, research points out that 40 to 60 percent of people will relapse. As such, relapse prevention is vital to remaining sober. By focusing on the potential for emotional, mental, and physical relapse, addicts are given a greater opportunity to prevent a relapse from occurring.
Whether leaning on the guidance from a 12-step program or an alternative recovery program, continued recovery is critical to sobriety. Since every person’s path to sobriety is different, having a variety of options when it comes to continued recovery is beneficial to all. Finding a program that is right for you is essential to maintaining a sober lifestyle.