Life after Rehab: What to Expect

After you have successfully graduated from a drug rehabilitation program, there is no question that a lot of things in your life are going to be different. If you are reading this right now and you are just a few days removing from rehab, you are probably wondering what you should expect. You might even be a bit apprehensive or stressed about the situation.

Is life going to be harder? Will I be able to get through it? The answer to that question is an emphatic “yes!” All you have to do is remain committed. Consider the following:

Look into a long-term recovery plan.

Life immediately after rehab can be great. For the first few days after graduating from the program, you will definitely undergo a honeymoon effect. However, this won’t last forever, and you will need to devise a plan for long-term sobriety.

Some steps for doing this would include plans for writing down some goals, listing the steps to meet them, reestablishing trust with family members, finding another hobby besides drugs to be involved in, learning how to tackle those inevitable impulses, and joining a support group.

Work on readjusting back to life after your rehab program.

You will also need to transition back into day-to-day life after you are done with rehab. This would include doing such things as finding a living arrangement, staying away from personal triggers, managing stress, establishing a healthy routine, and establishing friendships with sober individuals.

It is also important to realize that life after rehab might at times seem like a merry-go-round, which is one of the reasons why the relapse rate can be very high. However, the good news is that the chances of relapse will go down significantly the longer you stay sober.

Begin constructing a new social life. 

In many cases, it can be important to avoid going back to your old social life and your former circle of friends, even if these are all now sober activities. One of the main reasons why some definitely would prefer to avoid their old life is because it can extinguish the “trigger” factor. Avoiding triggers is a major way for you to stay sober on a long-term basis.

The good news is that there are plenty of hobbies and outside interests, you can pursue in order to stay sober. Some of these would include playing video games, watching movies, joining a book club, volunteering, going to conventions, learning how to play musical instruments or even taking some extra independent college courses are just a random sampling of some of the nice and clean things you can do. 

Go to regular mental health checkups.

There are times that a substance addiction can go hand-in-hand with a mental issue. This is one of the main reasons why Florida drug rehab clinics and many other clinics worldwide will recommend these regular checkups. Any drug counselor worth their salt will want you to stay sober on a long-term basis.

When choosing a drug rehab facility, it is important to do your homework thoroughly. Find the one that will meet all of your needs, and you are definitely more likely to be successful in beating your addiction issue.