When battling an addiction, the entire process of recovery must be maintained and engaged throughout. Many people who struggle with addiction fail to apply the proper level of gravity to the aftercare element of the recovery process.
An article published by DualDiagnosis.org suggests that paying proper attention to aftercare will significantly increase the chance of long-term recovery success. If you are struggling with an addiction, the quicker that you seek help from a reputable treatment program, the better the chance of achieving a complete recovery.
Finding a good aftercare program is essential to increasing the possibility of long-term success in recovery.
An Addiction is More Than Physical Dependence
Physical signs and symptoms are the most obvious ways to tell if someone is struggling with an addiction. However, to completely overcome addiction, emotional and psychological issues must also be addressed.
An aftercare program not only provides you with the necessary support to confront emotional and psychological triggers you may face in recovery. It also equips you with important coping skills for engaging the inevitable challenges of life.
Recovery Requires a Lifelong Commitment
Recovery doesn’t just take place during treatment. While the first four to six weeks of treatment are vital to confronting the problem of addiction, it is only the beginning.
According to statistics released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 75 percent of people who complete the initial treatment program will relapse at some point in their lives, with the vast majority of them suffering relapse within the first 60 days after leaving treatment. The high risk of relapse is what makes aftercare so vital to the recovery process.
The dynamic of recovery completely changes when you leave the security and structure of a treatment facility. Once the structure and control is removed, you will find that you will be constantly exposed to stimuli that has the capacity to trigger negative behavior. Being involved in an aftercare program will equip you to effectively engage these types of challenges.
An aftercare program is any plan designed to provide ongoing support and preparation for people recovering from an addiction. These programs incorporate the development of coping skills and provide support to ensure that the individual will be able to successfully confront the challenges of sobriety.
Who Needs Aftercare
Every person who is fighting to overcome an addiction should participate in an aftercare program. The numbers are staggering, when reviewing the high risk of relapse. While more than 23.5 million people in America are struggling with addiction, only 11 percent will receive treatment, and half of those will relapse within 60 days of leaving the initial treatment program — primarily due to the lack of an effective aftercare program.
When you enroll in an aftercare program, you become part of an ongoing support system that will help you face the uncertainties of life. You will also help with accountability for others in recovery, which will encourage you to make the right choices as you move forward.
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