What To Do After Rehab

Treatment is Only The Beginning:

60% of individuals who complete treatment for drug abuse relapse
90% of those who abuse alcohol return to using it

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse:

36% of clients who complete treatment remain clean for the first 12 months.

After 3 years, the abstinence rate is

86% showing that relapse is less likely with time.

Planning for Life After Rehab Should Begin During Rehab

Treatment programs can include some of the following strategies to help clients remain sober after treatment

Education so clients can identify warning signs of relapse and what to do about them.
Strategizing on how to react to cravings or external cues that could trigger alcohol or drug use.
Inclusion of close family members and/or friends in some therapy and education.
Exercises to build confidence that long-term recovery is possible on their own or with the help of counselors or family or friends.

The Importance of Having Daily Structure:

EXERCISE – Can reduce cravings and the risk of relapse by increasing levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical in the brain that gives pleasure. Levels of dopamine increase when drugs are used, and the increase in dopamine without using drugs is the goal.
TIME FOR REFLECTION – Reflection time will help reduce stress to allow better decisions when faced with possible cues to abuse substances.
CONSIDER FAITH-BASED ACTIVITIES – Clients can continue their journeys to health by deepening their relationships with God or a higher power. 12-step recovery programs and other faith-based treatment programs are based on the premise of a relationship with a higher power.
WORK AND CHORES – Staying occupied with work limits spare time in which one could potentially experience cravings. It also limits the time in which you could seek a source for drugs or alcohol.
FOLLOW-UP CARE (AFTERCARE) – Aftercare should include appointments weekly, monthly, or as frequently as determined necessary by the treatment center, client, and any involved physicians or psychiatrists. Aftercare can include one-on-one or group counseling and therapy.

Gender Differences in Recovery

Men were more likely than women to relapse in the six months following completion of treatment for drug dependance

32% of men reported drug use after completion of treatment.
22% of woman reported drug use after treatment.

On the other hand, woman are quicker to be impulsive ni their return to drug use after completing treatment

56% of women reporting using drugs when the thought first occurred to them.
17% of men acted on their first craving.

Recognize and Address The Warning Signs of Relapse

The keys to preventing relapse are to recognize the warning signs and react to them. Here is a look at some of the warning signs:

Exceptional Fatigue from being overburdened with responsibilities, such as family, school, work and social life.
Lying to Others or Oneself about accomplishments or how time or money was spent.
Feelings of Being Down or incapable that do not go away and may be signs of depression, which can lead to relapse.
Overconfidence in the ability to stay in recovery without continuing to work and stay abstinent.
Unrealistically High Expectations that can lead only to failure, which can trigger a return to substance abuse.

Build a Support System

Parents should take an active role in their children’s recovery by participating in the treatment process and planning for the transition back into life.

Family members can remove cues to substance abuse, (alcohol or prescription drugs in the house) since cue-induced cravings can be very strong. 96% of those who completed a treatment program for substance abuse said, “Lifestyle improvement activities were valuable in preventing relapse.”