3 Things You Need to Know About Life After Addiction Rehab

Completing residential treatment for addiction doesn’t mean you are suddenly cured for life. Addiction treatment is about jumpstarting recovery, a lifelong process involving changes in your behaviors, thought patterns, and emotional management to help you navigate through life without falling back into addictive cycles. To stay sober after rehab, you need to know these three things.

Rehab Is Only the First Step

If you were suddenly diagnosed with a chronic medical condition, such as diabetes, your treatment plan wouldn’t end after leaving the hospital. You would receive initial care to get the illness under control and then be responsible for taking medication, having follow-up visits with your doctor, and making lifestyle changes to manage the disease.

The same applies to addiction. Rehab is the first and most intense step in recovery. Once you leave, however, you have to maintain your changes and utilize the tools you learn in order to continue to manage your addiction.

The Right Support System Matters

In order to be successful in the ongoing recovery, you need a strong and reliable support system. Some ways to incorporate this into your life include:

• Making new friends who lead healthy lives
• Going to therapy
• Attending a support group such as AA
• Reaching out to trustworthy people when life becomes overwhelming
• Learning a new skill or hobby, working, or volunteering

Relapse Is Normal

Few people can quit something cold turkey. It usually takes time and patience to overcome an addiction, so don’t beat yourself up when you relapse. Doing so will only fuel your addiction further. Instead, talk to your doctor and/or therapist about reviewing your recovery plan. Discuss what to do next time you slip up so it doesn’t turn into a full-blown relapse.

With this understanding of recovery, you can be better prepared for life after rehab. Start the journey off right by learning how the residential treatment at Brighton Recovery Center can help you or a loved one recover from addiction.