Preparing to leave your treatment facility is an exciting time because it will allow you to put your sober abilities to the test in the “real world.” It can also be an intimidating experience. While in treatment, your inpatient rehab center might help you with plans and goals following your treatment. However, it is ultimately up to you to find ways to stay proactive, focused, and motivated in your recovery journey. Understand, you are not alone. The support networks you develop in treatment will be the same support you have in recovery. Let’s take a closer look at how to navigate your recovery after treatment.
Find an Aftercare Program
A study published in the journal Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention and Policy looked at the recovery paths of 4,165 persons. Regardless of the severity of addiction, researchers discovered that all these persons benefited from aftercare programs.
Some aftercare programs include:
- Sober living homes
- Therapy
- Counseling
- 12-step programs
When attending an aftercare program, you continue to engage with others, check up on your health, and ensure that you don’t fall into the same addictions again.
Find a Support Group in Your Community
Support groups are an essential part of the recovery journey. Having support within your community will help motivate and inspire you to keep moving forward, despite challenges and setbacks. With support, you will have access to guidance and advice from peers that will be helpful to your recovery. You will also meet new people, learn ways to overcome cravings, and have others who can hold you accountable. Having peers who share similar experiences will provide you emotional support because they will understand the challenges you face while managing addiction. It is reassuring to know that you are not alone in the process.
You can find local support groups online or through telehealth services. These services can notify you of the various recovery-based activities and events happening within your community. If you cannot find anything local, there are supportive recovery communities online.
Become a Part of the Alumni Group at Your Facility
Getting sober is a transformative experience. Many things might appear and feel different to you. Therefore, if you don’t have adequate support, it can become a challenging experience, and returning to your everyday life following treatment can be difficult. Alumni programs can help you acclimate back into your everyday lifestyle. Almost every rehab facility has its own alumni group that works as a helping hand for the people residing there.
Alumni programs offer opportunities to engage with fellow peers and to motivate and help them through challenging times. Joining an alumni program and helping another at a different point in their recovery can instill a sense of leadership, empowerment and help you appreciate how far you have come in your journey. Being in an alumni program will also help hold you accountable as you will be a point of guidance for another. Therefore, once you’ve completed treatment, it’s important to understand what your treatment center offers and how you can take advantage of alumni programs.
Find a Job Following Treatment
Finding a job following treatment can be a difficult process. However, a job is necessary for helping you with financial stability. Having a job will also help you develop a strong sense of independence. Rather than relying on another to support you financially, you will support yourself, which is very empowering. If you are uncertain about where to begin, you can look to your support network. Peers, sponsors, and counselors can connect you with job opportunities. If they do not currently have something, they will always act as a great reference. Remember, it will take time and patience to establish everything you need. Attending support programs, group therapy, or pursuing volunteering opportunities are all great ways to continue building your network and can lead you to find a job you love.
You can find additional support from these organizations:
- The Department of Labor’s One-Stop Career Center
- America in Recovery
- The National Hire Network
There are also many freelance opportunities offered online where you can create a flexible schedule to accommodate other obligations such as making meetings and appointments.
Start Exercising
Addiction changes your brain chemically over time; therefore, after heavy use or years of use, it will require time and developing healthy habits to rewire how your brain functions.
One of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health is exercise. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), being active for at least 150 minutes per week can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, certain types of malignancies, and other chronic diseases. Regular exercise can also help the brain recuperate from the adverse physiological effects of frequent substance use by increasing the brain’s number of new nerve connections.
Rehabilitation centers have their advantages as one can stay under expert supervision in the absence of drugs. The environment and peer support are amazing and the activities performed are meant to prepare any addict to lead a healthy life. However, at some point, you will need to return to your everyday life. At Clearfork Academy, we understand the challenges that come with leaving treatment. However, just because you leave does not mean that your support stays behind. Recovery is an exciting journey that will offer you the ability to recognize all the opportunities you have waiting for you. We offer both a conventional and experiential approach to care to ensure that you are developing the skills necessary to face real-world challenges. We work with parents and teens to help the family understand addiction and set the teenager up for the best success. Find out more and reach out to us today by calling (817) 259-2597.
Originally from the Saginaw, Eagle Mountain area, Austin Davis earned a Bachelor of Science in Pastoral Ministry from Lee University in Cleveland, TN and a Master of Arts in Counseling from The Church of God Theological Seminary. He then went on to become a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor in the State of Texas.
Austin’s professional history includes both local church ministry and clinical counseling. At a young age, he began serving youth at the local church in various capacities which led to clinical training and education. Austin gained a vast knowledge of mental health disorders while working in state and public mental health hospitals. This is where he was exposed to almost every type of diagnosis and carries this experience into the daily treatment.
Austin’s longtime passion is Clearfork Academy, a christ-centered residential facility focused on mental health and substance abuse. He finds joy and fulfillment working with “difficult” clients that challenge his heart and clinical skill set. It is his hope and desire that each resident that passes through Clearfork Academy will be one step closer to their created design.
Austin’s greatest pleasures in life are being a husband to his wife, and a father to his growing children. He serves at his local church by playing guitar, speaking and helping with tech arts. Austin also enjoys being physically active, reading, woodworking, and music.
