During addiction treatment, individuals learn the skills they need to cope with and overcome drug abuse. Unfortunately, the real test of these skills occurs when they leave treatment and return to their daily lives. It is during this transitional period that the risk of relapse is highest, which makes developing an aftercare plan and strategy important. Recovery aftercare is a support system that helps people stay on track with their recovery goals. It includes activities and resources that help people continue to develop their coping, communication, and relapse prevention skills in order to maintain sobriety.
A recovery aftercare program can vary in length and scope, depending on the individual and his or her needs. However, most programs include some combination of individual and group therapy sessions. This allows individuals to process the things that they may not have been able to work through in treatment and provides them with additional support from others who are also in recovery.
Aftercare programs can also help individuals reintegrate into their families and communities, by teaching them how to build healthy relationships and develop new ones. Additionally, some aftercare programs offer housing and employment assistance. This can help individuals find jobs that allow them to use their new coping skills, and provide them with the income they need to support themselves in recovery.
Addiction treatment arms individuals with the tools they need to recover, but relapses occur when these people are left on their own and face triggers that could lead them to using drugs or alcohol again. This is why recovery aftercare is so important; it gives recovering addicts the structure and support they need to avoid relapse. Recovery aftercare can include attending support groups like AA and NA, living in a sober home, or participating in family or marriage counseling.
Many addicts find that they have a difficult time staying sober when they are at home with their families. This can make it challenging to maintain an aftercare program, especially if the family members do not fully understand or support the addiction treatment goals of their loved ones. For this reason, recovery aftercare is often most successful when it includes family and marital therapy in addition to individual or group recovery support.
It is important for family members and friends to understand the signs of relapse so they can identify them and intervene when necessary. Common relapse warnings to watch out for include skipping recovery support meetings, drinking or using drugs again, exhibiting negative behaviors, or romanticizing past drug use or experiences. When these signs are recognized, it is possible to reach out to a therapist or sponsor for help and guidance, and to make an appointment for relapse prevention therapy. These types of services can significantly reduce the likelihood that a loved one will relapse and begin to use drugs or alcohol again.