Life After Addiction

Addiction rehabilitation (rehab) is a healing process that helps individuals make positive changes to their thoughts, behaviors, and lifestyle. An important part of the rehab process is teaching people how to continue the healing journey after they’ve left their treatment program.

Usually, someone suffering from an addiction will have to make a lot of changes to their life to ensure an effective recovery. These new changes can be difficult to navigate, and they can cause unforeseen challenges to arise during the recovery process.

Understanding what life is like after rehab can help individuals take on the new challenges that they’ll face during the recovery process.

Starting the Recovery Process of Addiction Rehab

Professional rehab programs can provide the support and resources that are needed to effectively facilitate the recovery process. Trying to quit an addiction without professional help is difficult, and it can lead to hazardous withdrawal symptoms or frequent relapses. 

What Does Rehab Look Like?

Most people who seek addiction treatment will attend an inpatient facility where they can receive the highest level of care. Inpatient programs are particularly beneficial because they provide round the clock care and an environment that is structured for recovery.

The inpatient residential program at Sequoia Behavioral Health is designed with healing in mind to create the ideal environment for your recovery journey.

Others may opt for an intensive outpatient program (IOP) or a partial hospitalization program (PHP). To determine which level of care can provide the most benefits, consult with a mental health professional.

How Does Rehab Promote Addiction Recovery?

Rehab provides a level of care that can’t be found elsewhere. During rehab, clients will attend a variety of therapies that are proven to help individuals overcome their addictions.

Specific one-on-one therapies can help individuals identify the root of their addictions and teach them the skills that are necessary to live a healthier life. Group therapies are also common, and they help individuals connect with other people that share similar struggles.

Read our related article to find out why group therapy is helpful for addiction recovery.

Continuing the Recovery Process—Life After Rehab

It’s important to remember that addiction is a disease, and it normally isn’t something that someone can just “turn off”. In reality, recovery is a gradual process of continuous healing to achieve an addiction-free life.

Fortunately, there are many strategies that someone can use after rehab to enhance their recovery process. These helpful recovery strategies include:

• Continuing care
• Maintaining sobriety
• Developing a support network
• Focusing on self-care

Let’s take a look at these strategies in detail to discover how they can help promote recovery after rehab.

Continuing Care: Treating Addiction After Rehab

Continuing care for addiction is ongoing addiction treatment after rehab. The common forms of continuing care after rehab include:

• Outpatient and partial hospitalization programs
• Individual therapy sessions
• Group therapy sessions
• Support groups
• 12-Step Programs

When someone returns to their daily life after rehab, it’s called reintegration. Reintegration is a difficult period in the recovery process where someone has to readjust their old lifestyle to match their new, healthier lifestyle. 

Continuing care is essential to facilitate the recovery process during reintegration.

Sequoia Behavioral Health offers intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs that can help bridge the gap between rehab and daily life.

Maintaining Sobriety

Anyone treated for addiction should avoid using any substance that could disrupt their sobriety. During the recovery process, someone might feel compelled to replace the substance they’re recovering from with a different one. 

This can not only cause a new addiction to form, but it may also lead to a relapse of the original addiction.

Read our related article to discover the cycles of addiction and how addictions form.

Developing a Support Network

Creating and mending healthy relationships will provide a recovering addict with the support system they need to maintain their recovery. A reliable support network can be a determining factor in whether or not someone overcomes their addiction.

A support network can include friends, family, and addiction support services. Support services like anonymous groups and SMART Recovery can increase the likelihood of a long-lasting recovery. In fact, 17% of people successfully recovered through support services.

Are you part of someone else’s support network? Read our mental health resources for families to learn how to support your loved one with an addiction.

Focusing on Self-Care and Healing the Body and Mind

Taking care of your physical and mental health will enhance the healing process and help prevent relapses. Eating a healthy diet will provide the body with the nutrition it needs to physically heal. Exercising and doing yoga are healthy physical outlets for relieving the stress and emotions that could otherwise lead to substance use. 

Mindfulness exercises like meditation and journaling can help mitigate someone’s stress during their recovery. Heightened stress and emotions can lead to substance use or relapses. Mindfulness activities are much healthier methods of coping with stress, and they foster long-term resilience against addictive feelings. 

Achieving Long-Lasting Recovery: Life After Addiction 

As time goes on, the recovery process will get easier. Someone’s withdrawal symptoms will lessen over time as their body detoxifies the addictive substances. Also, their brain will rewire as they engage in healthier activities instead of using substances.

Read our related article for more information on how a brain rewires after addiction. 

What Happens if Someone Relapses?

Relapses aren’t failures; they’re an indication that someone needs to adjust their recovery method. There are many reasons why someone might relapse, whether it’s stress, negative emotions, or an influential environment. 

When someone experiences a relapse, they should:

• Connect with their support network
• Reach out to a mental health professional
• Avoid triggers
• Stay optimistic and determined

It’s important to understand that relapses don’t restart the recovery process or ruin any of the progress that someone has made.

Read our related article to discover why someone relapses when things are good. 

Overcome Addiction at Sequoia Behavioral Health

At Sequoia Behavioral Health, our mental health professionals are experts at helping individuals overcome their addictions. We offer a variety of therapy modalities that treat the root of your addictions and teach you the skills you need to achieve a long-lasting recovery.

If you or a loved one is suffering from the burden of addiction, reach out to one of our mental health professionals today.