Progressing through an initial rehab programme is a significant achievement. Marking your sobriety by completing a range of transformational steps, such as addiction treatment will be one of the best feelings you ever experience.
However, the transition in between rehab and post-rehab life can sometimes be nerve-wracking.
This is very understandable, as you’ve spent some time away, working on yourself. With this in mind, knowing what to do after drug rehab can be unfamiliar, can cause vulnerabilities.
Once you do return home, this is the true test. Here is where your new skills, your new outlooks on drug abuse, your new desires to remain sober will show themselves.
For some, a natural transition can be experienced, making life after drug rehab, normal and sustainable. However, this can be a harder transition for some, requiring further guidance, self-help tips and treatment.
Here’s what to do after drug rehab, what to expect from the transition, and how to reach for sustainable recovery.
Initial achievements through Drug Rehab
As touched on above, great achievements can be reached through drug rehab. Rehab is the most successful recovery route, promoting vast transformations.
With this in mind, you should be very proud of how far you’ve come, of the steps you’ve progressed through, of the life you’ve selected to maintain after drug rehab.
It is however important to note that drug rehab can only influence the initial stages of recovery. A cure doesn’t exist, long-term probabilities cannot be set in stone. As a result of this, what you do after drug rehab can have a direct impact on your ongoing recovery rates and quality of life.
Although this may be disheartening to hear, it is important to remember the complexities of addiction recovery. You’ve made it this far through committing to drug rehab. You can continue this level of rehabilitation by committing to post-rehab life.
Through professional recommendations, through tried, tested and advocated self-help tips, through the research, life after drug rehab can be positive, happy, healthy and drug free. Here’s why you must continue your efforts along with what to do after drug rehab and beyond.
Why continue your Recovery efforts after drug rehab?
Understandably, it can be disheartening to realise that recovery is a long-term commitment. It is however a commitment that will serve you well when considering your future.
By enabling old habits, by turning your back on your new skills, by focusing on the negatives of rehab, instead of the good, you’ll likely unravel all of your hard work.
Although small relapse risks are likely for some clients after drug rehab, larger, impact physical relapse risks can be controlled.
However, by giving in now, by neglecting ongoing recovery efforts, you’ll either develop a further drug addiction, or you’ll need to complete a comprehensive rehab programme once again.
If you maintain a positive life after drug rehab, your relapse risks will substantially reduce. Through research, a large majority of recovering addicts will experience reduced risks after 5 years of sobriety. If you’re wondering “how to stay drug free after rehab?”, see our guidance below.
What to do after Drug Rehab and beyond?
Life after drug rehab will be very different to your pre-rehab reality. Your outlooks will have changed, your physical and mental health will have improved, your desire to abuse drugs will have decreased.
It’s very likely that you’ve completed the initial foundational steps of recovery through drug rehab. However, it’s important that you know what to do after drug rehab to ensure that you can remain drug-free, helping to reduce your relapse risks, helping to ease your transition.
Through the below tips, changes and improvements, sobriety can be normalised, can be set as a sustainable goal, soon requiring little focus.
- Change your lifestyle and routines
Negative, unhealthy lifestyle choices or routines combined with underlying causation will usually fuel a drug addiction. Through rehab, you will be educated on lifestyle choices, helping to prevent future drug abuse.
In order to lead a future without drug consumption, you must change your lifestyle and routines to mirror healthy and positive choices, including:
- Opting for regular physical activity.
- Completing activities that you enjoy.
- Associating yourself with positive and supportive individuals.
- Eating healthy.
- Maintaining optimal levels of sleep.
- Participating in activities that reduce stress.
- Being honest to yourself and your loved ones.
- Maintaining your mental health.
Through healthy and consistent routines, you’ll soon devalue drug consumption and the lifestyle that it offers. By avoiding this step, there are risks that additional treatment may be required.
- Maintain your relapse prevention plan
A large proportion of relapse risks do occur within the first 6 months after rehab. Through this time frame, exposure to drugs or associations can heighten risks. Additionally, as new experiences, routines and connections are made, this can become overwhelming, sometimes resulting in emotional, mental or physical relapse.
Alongside following positive choices and routines, maintaining your relapse prevention plan is recommended. Here you will have an up to date plan in place to support you, post-drug rehab and in the event of cravings.
- Continue through aftercare treatments
Knowing what to do after drug rehab can be overwhelming. By continuing with professional support and treatment, you will have a greater idea of how to maintain sobriety.
Aftercare treatments are in place to support and guide you. They are available to motivate, to encourage, to inspire, to back you and to ensure that you remain on your selected recovery path.
By embracing these resources, you’ll benefit greatly after drug rehab. You’ll continue to treat any remaining associations to drugs, reducing your future relapse risk.
- Recover as a family
Addiction recovery is important, for the user and for all associated family members and friends. for all Recovering as a unit, sharing concerns and emotions, being honest and understanding each other’s decisions is very important.
Steps will be recommended through family-led treatment options, usually completed through drug rehab. Via your transition home, these steps should be activated, ensuring that positive behaviours and choices are enabled.
Knowing what to do after rehab can be tough, especially when it is a new experience for most. It is an exciting yet daunting time, where a large proportion of recovering clients will hope for long-term sobriety.
By following the above steps, by upholding your efforts, by recognising your recovery achievements so far, you will have a chance at sustainable recovery.
If you are struggling, if you’re looking for an initial rehab programme to work through or if you have any questions on what to expect after drug rehab, reach out to our team here at Addiction Advocates.
