Approximately 23 million people have a substance use disorder in the United States, but sadly less than a quarter of those individuals obtain professional treatment. Addiction is a disease that is extremely difficult to treat independently. Making a full recovery from active addiction often takes several elements, such as detoxification, therapy, medication, and drug rehab aftercare. Without the care and attention provided by physical and mental health professionals and addiction specialists, getting sober is nearly impossible, which is why getting help is vital.

Even if you do receive addiction treatment for a substance use disorder, you may find that you can benefit from participating in drug rehab aftercare. Drug aftercare programs are programs where you can continue on with the progress you have already made in treatment, allowing you to strengthen your standing in your recovery.

Types of Drug Rehab Aftercare Programs

Many people who complete a treatment program utilize drug rehab aftercare programs to ease themselves back into the everyday world. There are numerous factors to be considered when determining if you should participate in one of these programs, including the following:

How severe your substance use disorder is
If you have a history of relapse
If you have a dual diagnosis (a substance use disorder and a mental illness occurring simultaneously)
What the living environment you are returning home to is like
What type of support you have around you at home, if any

If you decide that a drug rehab aftercare program is the next right step for you, there are several options to choose from.

Sober living homes

Sober living homes offer somewhat of a safety net if you are apprehensive about integrating back into the real world post-treatment. If you choose to move into a sober living home, you will be residing in a house with other individuals who are also in recovery. Depending on your location and where you attended treatment, you very well may live with some familiar faces, which can add an additional sense of support during this vulnerable time. The people living in a sober living home enforce a set of rules that everyone in the house must abide by, such as no using drugs or alcohol at any time. You can work, go to school, continue on with individualized therapy, go to meetings, and more when you live in a sober house, as the purpose of living in this type of residence is to protect your sobriety by living among like-minded individuals with similar recovery goals.

Intensive outpatient programs (IOP)

An intensive outpatient program is designed to offer the most structure possible for individuals looking for addiction treatment without having to live at the facility. IOP’s run for the majority of the day, nearly every day a week, requiring all patients to be at the facility regularly. As a result, maintaining a full-time job or being a full-time student is not typically possible, however if you are in need of an IOP as an aftercare option, it is likely that your focus is best served on further developing your recovery. Most IOP’s run anywhere from 6-12 weeks.

Individual therapy

You may complete your addiction treatment and find that your thrive best by continuing on with individual therapy. Therapists are flexible in their schedules, so when you first get out of treatment you may see your therapist frequently and adjust your appointments based on your needs as you continue to progress in recovery. Individual therapy offers you the opportunity to build on what you have been working on in treatment, allowing for further healing and transformation. Your therapist can conduct different methods of therapy during your sessions, such as behavioral therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).

12-Step meetings

12-Step meetings, such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA), can help you stay connected to your recovery even though you are no longer in treatment. Attending 12-Step meetings puts you in direct contact with other individuals who have also struggled with the disease of addiction but who are dedicated to staying sober. All meetings are a little different, but every one of them follows the 12-Step model of recovery — admitting powerlessness over drugs and alcohol, committing to righting wrongs, taking frequent personal inventory, and striving to achieve a spiritual awakening that promotes a lifetime of sobriety. One of the greatest benefits of 12-Step meetings in that you can get a sponsor to help guide you in your earliest days of recovery and on. A sponsor is another member of 12-Step meetings who has worked the steps themselves and is available to support and guide you as you do the same.

Benefits of Drug Rehab Aftercare

Studies show that the longer you remain involved in addiction treatment, the more likely you are to maintain your sobriety for a longer period of time. So while it might feel like a knock to go into an aftercare program after you have already completed a treatment program, know that it is anything but. There are countless benefits of getting involved in drug rehab aftercare, including the following:

Therapy – Staying connected to treatment through an aftercare program allows for you to keep yourself involved in therapy. This allows you to keep working on the personal issues that you were addressing in treatment, as well as address other issues that may be preventing you from meeting your recovery goals.
Medications – Almost half of all individuals with a substance use disorder also have a mental illness like depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. As you move into your aftercare program, you can continue to be seen by professionals who can prescribe the appropriate medications you need to preserve your mental wellness. Additionally, you may have been prescribed a medication in treatment (such as Suboxone or methadone) that can continue to be maintained by a professional in your aftercare program.
Family therapy – In addition to individual therapy, drug rehab aftercare programs tend to offer family therapy. This is a critical resource for most patients, as addiction affects everyone in the family, not just the user. Family therapy sessions can help improve communication, encourage empathy, and help the family unit function as a whole again.
Support – No matter which type of aftercare program you participate in, you will be surrounded by people who are on your side and supporting your success. Conversely, you can offer support to your peers as well, promoting a sense of responsibility to those outside of yourself.

The benefits of drug rehab aftercare programs are endless. If you are interested in a drug rehab aftercare program, consider reaching out to us right now.

Call Ohio Addiction Recovery Center Today

We understand the complexity of addiction and how it can affect everyone it touches. If you want to stop using and begin developing your recovery, call us Ohio Addiction Recovery Center today. We can help you get started on your journey now.