After completing your rehabilitation treatment, whether a full or partial hospitalization program or a fully outpatient one, the perspective of transitioning to independent sober living can be daunting. Thankfully, your rehabilitation center and the team that has supported you throughout your treatment are here to provide you with aftercare resources to set you up for success.
To avoid temptations and continue to live a healthy and sober life, you may need specific resources to address your specific needs. Avoiding relapse is central to maintaining your health and the progress you made during your treatment. Your provider should create a personalized discharge plan with recommendations and referrals to assist you in living sober in the long term.
Sober Coach
Even with new and healthy coping mechanisms to soothe yourself and avoid temptation, the transition can trigger certain cravings and disrupt your new sober patterns. Your treatment center can refer you to a sober coach. This type of professional provides a safe space in which you can bring up difficulties you encounter and how your current coping skills work and where they may be lacking. Talking with a sober coach can help you navigate the transition and its challenges more easily and give you new ideas and strategies to stay sober.
Sober Living Environment
If you are concerned about going home because it has a deep association with your substance abuse disorder, you may consider staying in a sober living environment as a transitional step. Your provider can help you find a nearby community where you can live sober and get used to being out of rehab for a while. This way, you may choose to visit your home to get used to spending time there again without having to live there full-time right away. Once you feel more confident in going home, you can leave the sober living environment.
Continuing Counseling
You may have attended individual, group, and/or family therapy during your treatment. Many people find that they benefit from continuing counseling during their transition into sober independent living. Your rehab center can recommend one or more therapists to become your primary one in the area, based on your needs, your finances, insurance provider, and the therapist’s specializations. Continuing family therapy can help you and your loved ones maintain the connections you may have rebuilt in addition to supporting you during your transition to independent sober living.
If the initial consultation with the first therapist you see after completing your treatment does not feel like a good fit, you can ask your treatment provider or your primary care physician for a referral to a different professional.
Alternative Therapies
Alternative therapies often play an important role in customized rehabilitation programs because they help you learn healthy coping skills that you can carry with you as you move on with your life after treatment.
Common alternative therapies include:
If practicing one or more specific holistic therapies has been beneficial to you, you may want to continue doing so when you transition to sober independent living. While you can do many of those alternative therapies on your own, finding someone to guide you or a safe place where you practice as part of a group can help you uphold your commitment to alternative therapies. Your treatment center can once again offer nearby referrals to appropriate mentors or classes.
Exercise Programs
Although exercise is important for everyone as part of a healthy lifestyle, it may have been especially helpful while you recovered from addiction. If you enjoyed working out in a guided setting or are still building your fitness routine to make it a sustainable habit, you can ask your provider about local gyms or even a personal trainer depending on your daily schedule and finances.
Professional Training
Your substance abuse disorder may have interfered with your employment and earning capabilities. After completing your rehabilitation program, you may want to pursue additional training to find a new job. You can discuss your goals at your treatment center so they can help you identify which nearby or online resources can help you achieve your professional goals.
What to Expect for Your Aftercare Services at The Carter Treatment Center
At the Carter Treatment Center, we prioritize customized treatment plans at every stage of your recovery, including when we discharge you and plan your aftercare options. We want you to be successful when transitioning to independent sober living, and we know how additional resources can help you achieve your personal and professional goals. We tailor our recommendations to your specific circumstances, and we offer solutions that can support both single individuals and those who have a family. No matter what your situation is, we are committed to helping you sustain a sober lifestyle.
Are you unsure of how to transition out of addiction rehabilitation treatment? Contact The Carter Treatment Center today at (678) 737-4430 to discuss your aftercare rehab options in Cumming and Suwannee!