Life After Rehab: What Happens When I Leave My Free Treatment Program?
Choosing to attend a free rehab program is a very beneficial decision for recovery. But what happens when you leave your free treatment program and start life after rehab? If you are still looking for a safe, reliable treatment center or have questions about recovery, call 800-934-7205 (Who Answers?) now.
Setting Up Aftercare
When your free rehab program ends, you will begin a new kind of life in recovery. But doing so doesn’t mean you should work without a net, and it definitely doesn’t mean that your treatment is completely over.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Most patients need long-term or repeated care to stop using completely and recover their lives,” and aftercare is a helpful option that can allow recovering addicts to continue practicing what they have learned in treatment.
Your free rehab facility is likely to set you up with an aftercare program––or several––that will allow you to do all these things and more once your initial treatment has ended. Aftercare can be essential to a safe recovery as well as to preventing relapse, which can still occur after one’s initial treatment has ended. Some common aftercare options include:
Aftercare can guide you through the recovery journey after rehab ends.
- 12-step groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous
- Many free rehab facilities encourage patients to attend these programs because they are free and extremely helpful during and after treatment (NIDA). For those who do not feel comfortable with the 12-step approach, there are other types of support groups, such as SMART Recovery, that utilize different methods.
- Booster sessions
- Booster sessions allow patients to return to their treatment facilities periodically for an evaluation. According to the NIDA Archives, these programs hare meant to be available “if a relapse or similar crisis should arise” and to “help the individual develop a personal program of recovery” while still providing reminders of what they learned in treatment.
- Outpatient care
- Many individuals need to start with inpatient treatment because of the severity of their addictions. Afterward, their rehab facility may refer them to an outpatient center where they can seek treatment in a less intensive environment, making the transition back to regular life easier.
Referrals for Community Services
Free rehab centers often provide patients with referrals to community services both during and after treatment. This helps individuals get the assistance they need without them having to search far and wide for it, and in most cases, it is free or low cost.
Especially if you seek free rehab, your caregivers will understand that your financial situation is volatile, and in many cases, that you have experienced monetary issues because of your addiction. You may be referred to a financial advisor or a vocational counselor in order to reestablish your fiscal situation and to be able to start a better life in recovery. Other services you may receive a referral for after treatment include:
- HIV education and prevention
- Individualized or group counseling
- Housing help
- Drug education
College Students: Knowing when You Need a Rehab Center for your Drug Addiction
Living in Recovery
Once you leave treatment, your life will be different, but it is important to remember that you will still be living in recovery. You will need to maintain your current situation without returning to substance abuse by remembering how to cope with cravings and stress, avoid triggers, and practice better life skills. Leaving treatment can be daunting but remember: you are not alone.
Asking your friends and loved ones for help can make the process of readjusting to life outside of treatment much easier. And if you choose to attend an aftercare program or community program referred to you by your rehab facility, your life will be much easier, and you will be able to stay focused on your recovery. Free rehab can do many things to help you establish a better life, one without substance abuse and its dangerous effects, but once treatment is over, the most important thing you can do is to continue to practice what you learned there and to work hard every day to maintain your recovery.
Are You Still Looking for Treatment?
We can help you find the best free rehab program available for your needs. Call 800-934-7205 (Who Answers?) today, and we will answer any questions you have about treatment as well as match you with a safe, reliable, and free rehab center.