Choosing where to go after rehab can make the difference between lasting sobriety and an unexpected relapse. Life after rehab still takes work to ensure that you’re putting the skills learned in treatment into practice, and some settings are better equipped to help you handle these challenges than others.
When looking for substance abuse treatment programs, consider whether your treatment center has transitional or community housing options for patients who have completed treatment. If you need help finding addiction treatment programs or community housing, contact the experts at Serenity Grove today by calling 844.904.3485 or connecting with us online.
Understanding Post-Treatment Vulnerability
Post-treatment vulnerability is an essential factor to consider when looking at the risk of relapse. Relapse can be a major setback in recovery and, if left unchecked, can lead to full-blown addiction again. To reduce the chances of a relapse occurring during post-treatment rehabilitation, it’s essential to understand what puts someone at higher risk for relapse, manage those factors, and have a solid support system in place. This should include aftercare and sober living.
Common post-treatment relapse triggers are life stress, environmental cues, and cravings for a substance. Stress can be caused by external factors like job loss or financial worries, but it can also come from within an individual’s own mind—such as unresolved emotions or trauma. Environmental cues can include anything that reminds someone of their past drug use, like people they used to use with or places they used to get drugs. Finally, cravings for a substance can occur when someone is exposed to an external cue or just thinking about past use; this can be difficult to resist without proper support and treatment.
Where To Go After Rehab
One of the steps taken before discharging from treatment is choosing where to live after rehab. People generally have several options, some of which include:
- Going back home
- Finding a new house or apartment
- Extending their stay in residential treatment
- Moving into a sober living house or community housing
Each option has its merits, but community living proves to be the best choice for most people.
Community housing, also called sober living or recovery housing, is a supportive living situation intended to help people successfully transition from addiction treatment back into the real world. You pay rent, just like you would with roommates, but the members of the house itself are all recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction.
While many people prefer to go home after treatment, it’s not always the best choice for lasting sobriety. Transitioning from a treatment facility that is highly structured back to the place you lived in during your addiction can be too much to handle.
While independent living is always the goal, most people will benefit from continued support when deciding where to live after rehab.
The Benefits Of Community Housing
There are several benefits to moving into a community housing program. Choosing sober living means choosing structure, accountability, and support. Since all of the members of the house share a common experience of addiction, they can help hold each other accountable and practice the skills they learned in addiction treatment.
Further, community housing typically includes several other measures to ensure that everyone in the house remains sober and on the right track. This could include random drug testing, house meetings, and working to ensure that people keep up with the support groups they need to stay sober.
Life After Rehab
Recovery doesn’t stop after you exit treatment. Addiction recovery programs teach people the skills they need to stay sober, but you have to put these principles into action after rehab. This could mean different things for different people, including:
- Attending sober support groups
- Meeting with a therapist regularly
- Keeping up with medications that support your mental health or recovery
- Staying away from places that could trigger you to relapse
Before leaving treatment, make sure you have a plan in place to continue your recovery practices.
But, of course, life after rehab isn’t all about work. This is a time to enjoy your new sobriety, try new things, and build a new life as you see fit. You’ve overcome addiction; now, the world is your oyster.
Start Your Recovery At Serenity Grove
If you or a loved one is struggling with a substance use disorder, professional addiction treatment can help. Serenity Grove offers a comprehensive set of drug and alcohol treatment programs, including rehab alumni programs, to help people overcome their addictions and achieve long-term sobriety.
When you’re ready to start receiving care, contact us by calling 844.904.3485 or reaching out online. From the moment you reach out to the day you discharge, our experienced team will be there to support your new life in recovery and help you to break free from addiction.
