Everyone fears the unknown. The uncertainty leaves people with different levels of apprehension.
The thought of what life will be like during your recovery process from addiction will undoubtedly send you all kinds of fear. It’s more frightening to think of relapsing after rehab than the act of going through the rehabilitation program itself. Truthfully, the period of recovery will be a long and challenging process—a lifelong battle that needs to be fought every single day. Despite the concern it brings, the promise of a brighter future is worth it all.
The purpose of this article is to tell you what to expect and how you can prepare for your life after rehabilitation. Here, the unknown will not remain unknown. Whether you’ve chosen an outpatient program or an inpatient facility, the step after rehab is to create a recovery plan with an addiction specialist. This long-term recovery plan should reflect and strengthen the lessons you acquired while seeking professional help. In short, your recovery plan will serve as a manual for your life of sobriety.
It’s essential to take the journey one step at a time. Despite that, knowing where to go and having a picture of the destination you’re seeking will motivate you to walk further. Here’s a list of what to expect as you go through the recovery process:
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Continuing care programs will be available for you.
Recovery doesn’t end once you leave the rehab facility or during your last session under the rehab program. You might fear the lack of professional support team once it’s over, but remember that there will be post-treatment support readily available for you.
Recovery coaches and case managers are trained professionally to guide you during the post-treatment recovery period. Help can come in the form of support groups, counseling or therapy, recovery checkups, medication, drug testing, and legal services.
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You will have to rekindle your relationship with people.
Having a support team will make recovery easier. For your wellness, choose the company of people who will not trigger your addiction. Know the individuals in your life who will encourage you positively and match with the healthy lifestyle you plan of having after rehab.
Join friends who are into fitness. From going to the gym or walking the dog, you can choose an exercise that will work for you. It has been proven that exercise can help in the recovery period by reducing stress and cravings. In addition, take the time to meditate daily to ease the anxiety. Think of holistic care for yourself, a kind of wellness that focuses on the mind, body, and spirit. Similar to how a rehab facility in Nampa focuses on the holistic health of every patient.
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You will have to keep your guard up for signs of relapse.
Keep in mind that addiction is a chronic illness; relapse can happen anytime. However, this doesn’t mean that you, as a person, are weak or that the rehab program didn’t work. Change will always be difficult.
Be aware of what will trigger your addiction. Are you triggered by extreme sadness or extreme happiness? Identifying your triggers is the first step in maintaining sobriety. Being aware will lessen the possibility of you entertaining the thoughts further. Include your support group on this. They can be observant, too, if you’re showing signs of relapse.
Recovery will require effort from the people who are with you on this battle, but most notably, the effort will come from you. In the midst of all this, you can finally be who you want to be.
