5 Pillars Of An Aftercare Program

You’ve made the decision to get sober and have completed the intensive work of detox and treatment, so now what? Your recovery doesn’t stop there. In order to ensure a smooth transition from addiction treatment to the rest of your life, another type of programing will begin. When treatment is over an aftercare program should begin.

Aftercare is a program designed to encompass all that you’ve learned while in addiction treatment and can be a combination of psychosocial and medical services. A comprehensive aftercare program will give you a sturdy foundation of support and direction to achieve a life of success and happiness in recovery.

Aftercare programs build on what you’ve already learned in addiction treatment and detox and generally include the following 5 pillars.

1. Coping Strategies

One thing you’ll begin to learn in recovery is how to deal with the emotional and social triggers you’ll come across in the real world. In aftercare, you will need to take your new coping strategies to the next level. This means you’ll need to practice them in group therapy sessions, sober living environments, and life skills training sessions.

2. Relapse Prevention

A relapse simply means recurrence of use of drugs or alcohol. Although the goal is to avoid relapse, it should be said that relapse is a part of the disease of addiction and does happen in some cases. Planning for prevention of these relapses is the key to sustaining long-term recovery. Relapse prevention planning in an aftercare program can greatly reduce the risk of returning to harmful behaviors after finishing rehab or detox.

3. Goals

Addiction can cause you to put your life on hold for months or even years. When you find recovery new doors open and old dreams can be rekindled. In an aftercare program, one of the most important pillars is the opportunity to receive education assistance or vocational training. Establishing a career path, a renewed purpose will set the stage for your new life.

4. Continued Therapy

It’s important that you continue to intensive therapy as a part of your aftercare program. These continued therapy services may include one-on-one therapy, family or marriage counseling, and support groups or 12-step meetings. These therapy sessions will help you build communication, establish and respect boundaries, and set goals for the future.

5. Establishing A Sober Life

Getting your life back on track after addiction treatment can take time. Your aftercare program should show you how to develop sober activities and relationships for your new life. During aftercare, you can participate in organized recreational activities, events, or classes that may help develop new interests and build new sober hobbies and friendships.

The 5 pillars of an aftercare program will set you on the path to living a life beyond your wildest dreams, a life full of happiness and peace in recovery.

Learn more about the path of an aftercare program after addiction treatment at the Orlando Recovery Center. Call 877.330.0937 today.

By – Kelly Fitzgerald

Kelly is a sober writer based in Cape Coral, Florida, best known for her personal blog The Adventures Of A Sober Senorita. She has been published across the web on sites like The Huffington Post, SheKnows, Ravishly, The Fix, and Buzzfeed. Read more