Extended Care Addiction Treatment Center
When someone with an addiction goes through recovery, they will need as many resources as possible to prepare themselves for a life of sobriety. There are numerous skills they need to learn as they adjust to their new lifestyle, and there may be a lot of ups and downs along the way. Even after completing their inpatient treatment, they may need extra support in order to get accustomed to day-to-day life without drugs or alcohol.
Even though staying a few months in a treatment center is a great way to address many of the issues that cause addiction, it is not the same as being at home. In a treatment facility, patients are isolated from real life – and it’s much easier to succeed without any bars, parties, or drinks around. Once a patient returns home, they will be confronted with potential triggers that they weren’t faced with during treatment.
Extended care rehab gives people a chance to continue getting help while they get used to the experience of being sober in their normal routine. They can go to work, hang out with friends, and learn how to deal with specific issues that come up as they are happening. Aftercare programs can be a crucial factor in preventing relapse.
Outpatient Treatment
Extended care for drug and alcohol abuse includes outpatient treatment. Outpatient programs are similar in philosophy to inpatient or residential treatment centers; however, you do not live onsite at the facility.
These programs can work with a person’s schedule and are meant to be a transitional period for someone that has undergone inpatient treatment, or as primary treatment if the addiction is less severe. Outpatient treatment includes individual therapy, group therapy, relapse prevention programs, and education.
Sober Living Facilities
Sober living facilities, also called sober living environments (SLEs) or sober living homes, are a great transition between treatment and home. These homes are a safe, drug and alcohol-free environment that provide structure and support for a few weeks or months after treatment.
There are usually some house rules meant to help people stay accountable and prevent relapse. These requirements usually include maintaining a 100% clean and sober environment, with random drug tests, on-time payment for the stay, and involvement in work, school or an outpatient program.
Sober Coaching
Sober coaching has become popular over the last few years and can be extremely beneficial to individuals who have had trouble staying sober in the past or want to work with another person to stay accountable.
A sober coach or companion is with a person 24/7 and is usually also sober themselves.
Therapy
Individual or group therapy sessions are recommended, especially if this was a route that the person found helpful in inpatient or outpatient treatment.
Therapists at extended care addiction treatment centers are non-judgmental and are usually seen between one and two times a week and every other week. Having a person keep your confidentiality and know all of your triggers and issues can have a great positive impact on sustained recovery.
Learning to Cope with Triggers
One of the most valuable aspects of extended care rehab is that it allows people to learn how to deal with triggers as they occur during the course of the day. While living in a treatment facility, they may still experience triggers, but they will not be the same as when they have the real chance to relapse. There also may be different kinds of triggers that they hadn’t anticipated while in treatment.
During aftercare, patients can receive much needed counseling and discuss what they are dealing with. Having that support system can mean the difference between successful sober living and relapse. Talking to others about what you are going through is critical to success in staying strong with sobriety.
In aftercare counseling, former patients can identify any new triggers they have noticed and get advice about the best way to deal with them. They might not know what to do when an old friend they used to drink with invites them to a party, or if their coworker suggests they go out for drinks after work. There is also much more stress involved in daily life than in treatment and learning to deal with that stress is essential to recovery.
Reintegration and Life Purpose
After completing their inpatient stay at a treatment center, former patients may feel better but still feel little lost. They might need to make new friends, find a new career, or make other big changes. Reintegrating into real life without the escape offered by drugs and alcohol can be painful at first.
People in recovery need to find the activities, people and things in their life that make them happy. In the past, their days might have been fueled by the desire to get drunk or high and obtain more substances to get by. Filling the hole left by cutting out these activities is something that they need to work on after treatment.
During aftercare, former patients can have the opportunity to work on finding the things that give them a sense of purpose. They might have the chance to volunteer, engage in new hobbies or spend time with other people who are adjusting to sobriety. As they work to discover what they need to feel satisfied with their daily existence, they have the support of counselors and group meetings to help them along.
Learning to live sober can be a long process, and it is not resolved in only a few months of treatment. It takes a lot of work and focus for people to feel comfortable in their sobriety. Managing the disease of addiction can take a lifetime and getting as much treatment and support as possible can make the experience easier in the long run.
Finding Aftercare
Many treatment centers offer extended care programs to ensure that their patients are successful in recovery. Before entering treatment, consider asking about the facility’s extended care options. Aftercare can be an essential element of your journey to sobriety, so researching and selecting a treatment center based on their aftercare can be a good decision.
Addiction can take a long time to treat, and the longer that a patient can have access to treatment and support the better they will feel in recovery. If you or someone you love has an addiction, find a treatment facility that has the type of aftercare that you feel will work best.
