To find success in recovery, avoid relapse, and have a joyful life, follow these 5 steps to facing life after rehab. The best men’s and women’s addiction treatment centers in PA prepare you for life after rehab, but some people need more support than others in and outside of rehab.
5 Steps for Facing Life After Rehab
If you are preparing for a stint in rehab or if you are already out and feeling lost, here are some steps you can take to start rebuilding your life.
1. Plan Recovery Treatment
That’s right, you still need treatment. If you thought rehab was it and that you were done with addiction treatment, think again. To live a substance-free life, you need ongoing care. Addiction is a chronic disease, which means that if you ignore it, it will flare up again. Work with your East Coast rehab center to create a plan for how you will continue with treatment. This could mean finding a support group to join or going to outpatient therapy once a week.
2. Find A Support Network
Healing from addiction is not something you can do alone. In rehab, you had the support of your fellow recovering addicts as well as all the employees there to help guide you. Don’t go from full support to zero when facing life after rehab. It’s a recipe for disaster. Consider joining a self-help support group in PA, but also make sure you have friends and family members who support your sobriety and plan to spend time with them.
3. Plan for Work or School
What happens in rehab is not the real world. Now that you’re back in it, you will need to do something with your time. For most people, this means going to work every day. If you don’t have a job and no hopes of getting one, consider going back to school. Get a new degree or certificate that will help you get a job you’ll love.
4. Prepare Relapse Prevention
Your ultimate goal facing life after will be to avoid relapse, as well as establishing a new, post-rehab life. However, you should not be so confident that you don’t have a plan. Relapse happens to at least half of addicts in recovery. Be ready for it with a plan of attack. Will you go back to rehab? Will you spend more time in therapy or with your sponsor? Do your supportive friends and family members know what to do? Make a plan and be ready to deal with relapse. Remember that relapse can occur even with the best-laid plans. This does not mean failure! Part of your relapse prevention plan should involve what to do if relapse occurs. Know who to reach out to and what programs to attend.
5. Find Fun in Life
Now that you’re facing life after rehab, you know that you are destined to be always in recovery. You can never be cured of addiction, but don’t let this get you down. Remember how to have fun without drugs and alcohol and rekindle that fun with exercise, yoga, community outreach, and more! Community involvement is an excellent way to have fun and give back. Find a local cause or charity to regularly donate your time to. Not only are you helping those around you, but you are enriching your own life and preventing relapse in a feel-good way.
Facing Life After Rehab with Support
Life after rehab is tough for all recovering addicts. If you plan for it, though, and take these vital steps, you can ensure that you will get the most out of life while maintaining your sobriety. Contact The Ranch to continue your road to lasting sober living. There are various programs available after inpatient or outpatient rehab including:
- Life skills training program in TN
- Relapse prevention program
- Addiction therapy programs
- Aftercare program in PA
- Alumni program in PA
Call 1.844.876.7680 to stay involved with The Ranch’s aftercare programs and local events.
