5 Things To Do After Rehab Treatment

When it comes to recovering from an alcohol or drug addiction of any kind, recovery is a process that lasts for a lifetime. For some people who suffer from addictions, this can take some time to sink in. When you finish your rehab treatment, this doesn’t mean that your recovery is completely over. You will need to continue with the recovery process long into the future and for the rest of your life.

Aftercare and what you do after rehab are sometimes just as important as what you do in the rehab treatment centre. During your treatment, you will learn a lot and gather many skills that will help you with your long-term recovery. The transition from being in a drug or alcohol rehab centre to going back to your home environment can often be very daunting and can be difficult at first. However, the things you have learned in rehab should help you with this process.

There are many things that you can do after your rehab treatment to help ensure you continue with your recovery and avoid falling victim to relapses. Below, we look at five major things that everyone should consider doing after completing a rehab treatment plan and returning home.

Connect with a Support Group

When you are in alcohol and drug rehab, it’s very likely that you will take part in some kind of support group. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are two of the main types of support groups for addicts. These programmes are great as they can bring people together and make them feel less alone during the process of recovery.

When you finish rehab, you may be more prone to wanting to skip your support group meetings in favour of spending time with your friends or family. However, it’s important to continue to take your recovery seriously.

Support groups can provide certain benefits that your friends and family won’t be able to do. When you attend a support group meeting, you will continue to learn about addictions and what life is like with and without drugs. You will meet with a network of likewise individuals who are going through similar experiences as you.

Support groups can be very inspirational and motivating. Plus, you have the opportunity to bring up things that may be stressful or uncomfortable to bring up with your family or friends. It’s very important to find a support group where you feel comfortable and you must avoid skipping your meetings as they are an essential part of your ongoing recovery.

Create a Daily Routine

It’s important to create a daily routine when you return back to your normal life. Staying idle and getting bored can encourage old memories to come to the surface and this may lead to triggering your addiction. Boredom can be your worst enemy when you leave a rehab centre. With this in mind, it’s important to come up with daily routines to ensure you remain busy at all times. Come up with some healthy pursuits for each day so that you can stay on the right track in your long-term recovery.

It would be a good idea to consider doing something with your hobbies. Perhaps you could attend a class or volunteer your time for a cause that means something to you. Alternatively, you may want to consider a part time job to help keep you busy and to increase your earnings.

However, you should avoid making yourself too busy because you still need to take some time to relax and calm your mind. This is why routines are important as you can give yourself time to do everything you need, including making time for relaxing.

Develop a Healthy Lifestyle

When you go back to your home life, it’s important to develop a healthy lifestyle. This applies to all areas of your life. Consider whether you are eating healthily and think about whether you have healthy relationships in your life. It’s also important to fit regular exercise into your lifestyle.

Developing healthy relationships with people who do not consume substances regularly is a very good idea. These people can help to encourage a healthy lifestyle, can provide you with positive conversations and help to create some positive distractions.

It is important to have a plan when you leave that includes every part of your health. A healthy lifestyle will give you the best possible chances of successfully maintaining your long-term recovery and avoiding any possible chances of relapsing.

Address Underlying Addiction Triggers

Returning home after rehab can be quite stressful as you will be surrounded by all of your old triggers. When you are in addiction recovery, it is important that you avoid your triggers at all costs. When you are in rehab, you should have gained an idea of what triggers your addiction.

It’s a good idea to take some time each day to think about positive things and keep your mind off anything triggering. Meditation is a great thing when it comes to long-term addiction recovery. This could give you the peace you need to get through the day and avoid any triggering experiences.

Exercise is also very important as this can greatly improve your mental health. Consider taking a daily walk or going for a daily swim. This can help to boost your mood and help you avoid your underlying triggers.

Set Recovery Goals

When you leave rehab and go home to your normal life, it’s a good idea to set yourself some recovery goals to help you stay motivated.

Consider sharing your goals with your loved ones and keeping them updated on your progress. This will help you to remain inspired to continue with your long-term recovery and will help you stick to your goals.

It’s also a good idea to write your goals, thoughts, feelings, and achievements in a journal. This can then be used as something for you to come back to and feel proud of yourself and this can be especially helpful in times when you’re struggling.

For any questions or additional support, you can contact us at Step 1 today. Call us on +44 (0) 800 012 6006 for advice.