Undergoing drug rehabilitation at an addiction treatment center is a crucial first step on the road to recovery and getting your life back on track. However, it’s not enough to simply get sober. True success comes from staying sober, which is why the right aftercare and post-treatment habits are essential for building a better future.
This quick guide will give you the added support needed to steer clear of harmful substances once and for all.
Staying sober: the hardest part of the process?
For many people, simply admitting that there is an addiction is one of the most difficult steps of the entire process. However, the majority of people who visit an addiction treatment center will complete their detoxification and therapy to become sober. Sadly, far fewer stay that way.
It is statistically shown that 85% of people who complete alcohol rehab or treatments for other drug addiction treatments will relapse within one year. One of the chief reasons for this is that most successful rehab patients do not have a long-term relapse prevention strategy in place. While the right plans can’t guarantee that you will stay sober for life, they will make a significant difference.
Whether you’ve completed a drug treatment or alcohol treatment, the following 5 habits to help you while sober living after addiction treatment at the Louisville Addiction Treatment Center will give you the best chance of remaining on track,
5 habits to Help You While Sober Living After Addiction Treatment
With over 20 million Americans living with an addiction, almost half of all Americans have a close friend or family member who has at least one addiction. Whether you’re a loved one supporting a recovering addict or an addict yourself looking to stay sober after drug treatment, the following five tips will go a long way to helping.
Start with a smooth transition
The same research that showed the high rates of relapse also highlights that up to 2 in 3 addicts relapse within weeks of completing their drug rehab. Therefore, planning a smooth transition back into normal life could be one of the most effective ways to reduce the risks.
There are several ways that this can be achieved. Living in a recovery house – also known as a sober living home – can be useful. You will be living with other recovering addicts who can relate to your experiences. Moreover, the staff will ensure that you are suitably supported to stay clean. It offers a chance to restore some normal daily activities before gradually returning to normal life. Stays are often just a few weeks and may be covered by your insurance.
Another option is to follow up the initial drug rehab with ongoing outpatient services including weekly therapy sessions or AA meetings. Similarly, telemedicine treatments could be used by patients who need a little added support in staying sober for the long haul. It is especially useful for patients who are worried that the signs of a potential relapse are creeping in. Speaking with a therapist can work wonders.
The knowledge that support is available if needed is very therapeutic in itself, which will boost the hopes of staying sober.
Avoid temptation
You’ve probably heard it a million times before, but the fight against drug and alcohol addiction is a daily battle. While it does get easier over time, it is likely that you will continue to experience temptation for many months. Removing them helps you avoid falling off the wagon.
After completing the admissions for drug rehab, the detoxification stage is arguably the hardest as your body will experience withdrawal symptoms. While this is unlikely to be an issue once you have completed the treatment, the temptation will try to lure you in. It is vital that you avoid gatherings or situations where substances will be present – at least until you feel comfortable being in those scenarios.
Perhaps most importantly, you must ensure that your home is clean. It is best to get a trusted loved one to remove all traces of drugs and alcohol from the property before your return. You can also ask your local liquor store to ban you.
If the substances aren’t accessible, you will be less likely to give in to temptation. Even when you feel the urge surface, it should pass before you’ve even had a chance to get hold of the substances.
Crucially, once you have had a few weeks of not using substances at home, you will begin to stop associating the property with drugs.
Understand your personal requirements
Did you know that 9.5 million or 3.8% of adults over the age of 18 have both a substance abuse disorder (SUD) and a mental illness? If you are one of them (or your recovering loved one falls into this category), it is imperative that any post-drug treatment habits are supported by mental health treatments.
If taking medication for mental health disorders, it will be necessary to take precautions against prescription drug addiction. Meanwhile, cognitive behavioral therapy and other sessions with mental health experts can have a telling influence. Keeping your mental health in a good place will significantly reduce the risk of relapsing. Not least because many people turn to substances as a direct consequence of their anxiety or depression.
Coexisting mental health and addiction isn’t the only issue to consider. It is equally important to build a new routine that works for your personal situation. For some addicts in the post-drug rehab phase, a strong support network is the most important factor. For others, the routine of a job is the most crucial factor.
Take the time to sit down and consider what adjustments are needed to make the road ahead less bumpy, and your future self will be eternally grateful.
Embrace healthy living
Over 85% of the adult population consumes alcohol socially and millions have a healthy relationship with it. If you have needed alcohol rehab, though, it is likely that the substance was used to cover up something that makes you unhappy in your life. Embracing healthy living will help combat many of the issues and reduce your desire for substances.
Regular exercise is seen as the focal point of any healthy living strategy, and it has been shown to have a particularly impressive impact on removing the urge to drink or take drugs. Endorphins are released into the brain, which will serve as a natural high that makes you no longer seek the high provided by drugs and alcohol. This is a breakthrough for anyone wanting to stay sober after addiction treatment.
It is also worth investing in new hobbies. Whether it’s exploring the natural world or embracing a creative activity, keeping your mind and energy occupied elsewhere will reduce your interest in drugs or alcohol. Drug treatment is great for getting you sober, but discovering other sources of joy is what will enable you to stay sober.
Sobriety isn’t the only reward to be gained from following drug rehab with a healthy lifestyle, though. It will transform your entire physical and mental wellness for the better.
Talk
Whether you are about to start addiction treatment or you’re trying to stay sober, realizing that you do not have to face the battle alone is vital. Help is available, but you must be willing to reach out for it. For starters, your loved ones will be willing to help you secure treatment and provide post-treatment emotional support.
Asking for support could be as simple as getting a friend to stay at your house on an emotional day, such as the anniversary of a family death. Meanwhile, many people in post-drug rehab recovery find that local meetings and online forums can be very useful. A positive mindset is the most powerful asset at your disposal and having positive people around you will be contagious. Moreover, simply getting things off of your chest makes an impact.
You should feel no shame if you feel the need to seek further treatment. Louisville Addiction Treatment Center can provide a range of intensive outpatient, impact outpatient programs, telemed services, and multiple pathways treatment solutions. The sooner you reach out for help, whether it’s from experts or your loved ones, the sooner you can regain control of the situation. Frankly, that is the least that you deserve.
Conversely, if you keep things bottled up inside, it will soon lead you to a negative state of mind. Once this happens, the likelihood of relapsing will sadly increase.
The final word
If you are truly committed to staying sober after completing your drug rehab, it’s imperative that you make a conscious effort to ensure it happens. When you do, you will reduce the appeal of those substances while also keeping your mindset in a healthier place.
Louisville Addiction Treatment Center can provide the support you need before, during, and after your treatment to help you finally beat the addiction or substance use disorder once and for all. Regardless of how long you’ve been addicted, it is never too late to regain control.