You have reached the light at the end of the tunnel in completing an addiction treatment program. Commend yourself for accomplishing steps that not everyone can finish, and for being ready to take on the world with a fresh perspective. Now, aftercare planning comes into play. You may be asking yourself questions such as, “What’s next?” ”What can be done to maintain all that you have learned in recovery?” “How do you hop back into everyday life?” Continuing care is a key component to preventing relapse and also assists with sustainability in your recovery journey.
What Comes After the Aftercare Planning?
Addiction recovery is a long-term process that does not stop after treatment. The common form of aftercare planning is a 12-Step program. Other forms include:
- Outpatient care
- Counseling
- Sober living
- Community and alumni opportunities
First things first, you need to come up with an aftercare plan. Having a plan after treatment allows you to anticipate the possible challenges that can come during sobriety. In addition, you can be able to predict any signs of substance use disorder (SUD) that can occur due to certain triggers.
According to the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, “The results indicate that continuing care interventions were more likely to produce positive treatment effects when they had a longer planned duration.” Therefore, having a plan for yourself to maintain all you have learned helps build discipline. Developing an aftercare plan in early recovery can help prevent a relapse by providing support. Also, it allows individuals to continue to work on addiction-related issues.
What Is Early Recovery?
There are 5 levels of recovery:
- Pre-Contemplation: The first stage is where nobody is ready yet. It is characterized by defensiveness and endless justification of addictive behavior.
- Contemplation: The second stage is when they think about it but are still hesitant. While they are ready to change for a better future, they still see the benefits of using substances and addictive behaviors.
- Preparation: The individual is building a sense of urgency to prepare for sobriety. They have made steps to stay busy during recovery, such as going to the gym, seeing a counselor, or recovering without the need for on-site treatment.
- Action: The individual has made significant changes in their life and has no desire to revert back to addiction. This stage is characterized by prolonged periods of abstinence and the inclination to seek help before or after relapse.
- Maintenance: This stage can last up to six months to five years, and the individual is keeping up with their healthier lifestyles such as exercising, sleep hygiene, and support groups.
Each stage requires its own steps to recovery and readiness to move to the next stage. Envision yourself riding an elevator to the top floor of a skyscraper when suddenly the elevator stops. Now, in order to get to the top floor, you must climb the stairs. The higher you climb up the stairs, the more tired you become. However, the goal is not just reaching the destination because the destination is in the journey. Sure, you could skip a step or two to get to the top floor faster. However, if you cut corners or try taking shortcuts, you will not feel satisfied in your recovery.
Early recovery typically lasts up to a year. Most relapses happen within this time. However, once individuals transition out of the first year, they will have built more resilience and gain more perspective into why recovery is a life-long journey. This goal takes a lot of time and patience to achieve.
The first few weeks of recovery can fluctuate and come at a fast pace, which is completely normal. Each person’s recovery is unique to an individual, and the things that determine the trajectory of their recovery require more time in some areas than others. A small percentage of people complete all these stages within six months. Regardless, about 40% to 60% experience drug and alcohol addiction relapse within the first few months of recovery. Meanwhile, there are 10 guiding principles in recovery, which include:
- Hope
- Person-driven
- Many pathways
- Holistic
- Peer support
- Relational
- Culture
- Addressing trauma
- Strengths/Responsibility
- Respect
The four major dimensions that support life through recovery are home, health, purpose, and community. Through these dimensions, those in recovery will improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to meet their full potential. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) will lead efforts to advance the understanding of recovery and ensure the necessary support and services for those in need.
Aftercare Planning With Renaissance Ranch
Our collaborative and compassionate team at Renaissance Ranch has educational classes dedicated to alumni. For all stages of recovery, we offer on-site treatment and intensive outpatient treatment (IOP). We will work with you because we believe in building connections with all of our patients and alumni. They will provide, support, and assist those who are suffering from addiction throughout their recovery.
Aftercare planning, also known as continuing care, can make the transition back into the world much simpler. It is important to take what you have learned from treatment to make sure you can combat the emotions that revive life’s troubles. There are studies with various responses from patients with continuing care, but the majority of the data shows positive effects from aftercare. It can be hard transitioning from the treatment center back into your life, especially since the world keeps moving no matter what. Nevertheless, using the tools and learning experience you gained is essential If you or a loved one have any questions about aftercare planning, please call (801) 308-8898 for further information.