Life After Rehab

Make a post-treatment plan

Whether you’re returning home after rehab at an inpatient facility or reaching the end of an outpatient program, it is important to develop a plan to maintain recovery. Ideally, you will work with your treatment provider before rehab ends to define how you’ll stay on track in recovery. For many people, a plan that includes continuing care after treatment improves their chances of staying off drugs or alcohol.

• Connect with reliable support, including health care professionals, friends, and family members, to assemble a recovery team.
• Practice a healthy lifestyle.
• Manage situations that may trigger the desire to use drugs or drink alcohol.

Some programs offer post-treatment support. This is also called continuing care, aftercare, disease management, or recovery support services. This care is typically overseen by trained professionals, such as case managers and recovery coaches, and may include any combination of the following:

• Individual or group counseling or therapy
• Support groups
• Medication
• Recovery checkups in-person or by phone
• Drug testing and feedback
• Services related to employment, housing, legal needs, and relationships

If your program does not offer these services, ask to be referred to someone who can help.

Gather your support team

Friends and family members often ask how to help someone after rehab, and these people can be a key part of your recovery team. As part of your post-treatment plan, list the people who you can rely on for healthy support and encouragement.

Build relationships after rehab with people who can help you stick to your plan for recovery. Find support or self-help groups of other people in recovery. They can also help you adjust to life after rehab. At the same time, avoid people in your life who misuse alcohol or other drugs. Being around them can make you want to start using again.

Consider recovery housing

Recovery housing is a drug and alcohol-free environment in a home or residential complex. It can be a good option for people who have completed treatment but need additional support while adapting to life after rehab. These short-term programs usually provide supervision and peer support. People living in recovery housing may be encouraged or required to attend a 12-step program and connect with community groups that offer employment, health care, legal support, and social services.

Recognize and manage triggers

It is important to recognize situations that trigger cravings for drugs or alcohol, because they may lead to relapse after rehab. Keep a list of triggers to help you avoid them or cope in healthy ways. Triggers may include:

• Stress and life challenges
• People who used drugs or alcohol with you in the past or who are using now
• Homes, workplaces, bars, schools, neighborhoods, and other places where you have used drugs or alcohol
• Situations or feelings that are like the ones you experienced when you used drugs or alcohol, such as certain times of day, emotions, social activities, smells, and sounds

Be ready if relapse occurs

As with many other health conditions, relapse after treatment is always possible: It can occur soon after rehab or even years into recovery. Remember that resuming substance use is not uncommon, and using after treatment does not mean a person, or their treatment, has failed.

It's important to be prepared and practice self-compassion in the event that you use again. Start by making a plan for what to do if you or someone you care about has a relapse. The plan should list the people to contact (such as a health care provider, sponsor, or family member) and the steps to take to get immediate help from an addiction treatment professional. Having a plan can help in quickly finding support or getting back into treatment. The sooner someone who has relapsed gets into treatment, the more likely they are to continue their recovery.

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