Okay, so you are considering entering a rehab treatment program. Have you considered what life after rehab is like? What happens when you leave the facility? Where and how does one begin a clean and sober life? What are the steps you can take now to start planning for long-term recovery?
Life after rehab needs to be carefully planned in order to support lasting recovery efforts. At the 12 Keys Rehab, we offer Individualized After Rehab Care Planning and work with our clients to develop a tailored plan of action that supports life after rehab. After Rehab Care Planning equips clients with the tools necessary to confidently re-enter society and gain a greater chance at long-term recovery.
If you want to maximize your long-term recovery efforts, here are several tips to consider.
After-Rehab Top 10 Checklist
- Support Group Meetings
After rehab, it is very important to continue attending support group meetings. Individualized therapy may help provide additional support for you during this transition period. Group therapy can give you a safe forum for expressing your fears and challenges in life after rehab. It can also help you learn from others and be inspired by those in long-term recovery.
- Positive environment
It is extremely important that you surround yourself with positive people and a positive environment. Stress and anxiety present major roadblocks for long-term recovery. You need the support and encouragement that a positive environment can offer. This may mean moving to a new apartment, changing your social circle, looking for a less stressful job, etc.
- New friends
During rehab, you had a real opportunity to evaluate your life. After rehab, it can be necessary to let go of some relationships that no longer serve the new you that is committed to long-term recovery. As you let go of old ties that may be destructive for you, you make room for new relationships to enter. Seek new friends and social circles that offer positive and rewarding experiences for you.
- Community group
As you adjust to your new life, you will want to find new leisure opportunities and places that offer positive experiences for you. Consider joining a local church or meetup group (http://www.meetup.com/) where people share similar interests as you. A non-denominational church, such as Unity (http://www.unity.org/) can be a good place to start.
- Minimize stress
It cannot be stressed enough that STRESS is a trigger for addicts in recovery. It is up to you to do everything in your power to manage your stress levels and support your long-term recovery efforts. Consider developing a morning meditation or pilates practice to help keep you calm and focused throughout the day. Evaluate your environment. Do you need to look for a less stressful job? Is your living environment stressful? Are you exercising? Are you eating well? Are you sleeping at least 8 hours a night?
- Maximize self-care
Go ahead, spoil yourself! You deserve to be spoiled everyday for the rest of your life! Love and respect yourself first and you will be able to love and respect others. This is your opportunity to take care of yourself. The more you take care of yourself, the more you will want to keep doing it. Deprivation is a self-destructive trigger. Don’t go down that path. Do what is important for you to maintain optimum physical and mental health. Get your nails done. Join a gym. Go for a massage. Go to therapy. Be good to yourself…
- Realistic goal planning
Having a plan of action is important for your long-term recovery. Set realistic goals for yourself. Pace yourself and your progress. Establish rewarding goals. For example, you could aim to grocery shop weekly and cook a new meal one night a week. Maybe you’d like to take a class, develop a hobby or volunteer in the community. Start small and begin developing healthy patterns to sustain the new you!
- Health & fitness
The importance of exercise and good nutrition can help to stabilize your moods and provide natural stress relief for you. Okay, maybe you aren’t a fitness buff, but you can go for a walk. Try 20 minutes a day to start with. Or get a stationary bike and read a book while logging a few miles. Eat well and take your vitamins. A nutrient-rich diet helps to fuel a sound mind and body.
- Journal
This is for your eyes only. Put your thoughts down on paper. Sometimes just the practice of releasing the thoughts can help to clear your mind. Take a few minutes each evening before bed and recap the events of the day or write about whatever is on your mind. Writing can give you an opportunity to re-evaluate your thoughts and see things in a different light. Writing can also help you to focus and quiet your mind, just as meditation can. If a keyboard is more your style, type in a notepad application or a word processing document.
- Avoid temptation
Long-term recovery is your opportunity, but it comes with challenges. When you enter life after rehab, temptations from old friends and social circles may come calling. Value yourself above all temptations. Keep your sponsor’s number handy when trying times present themselves. It is important to know your limits. And, if you can subscribe to the first 9 items in this list, you will be well equipped to manage temptation and keep moving toward long-term recovery.
We at The 12 keys Rehab wish you the best in your journey. If we can be of assistance to you, please call us 24/7 at 1-888-331-6779.