Addiction Aftercare in Orlando, FL

Addiction is a chronic and relapsing disease that can be sent into remission through a comprehensive drug or alcohol treatment program. Yet, the disease is never fully cured, and a variety of factors can trigger a relapse if one does not engage in addiction aftercare in Orlando. Addiction aftercare in Orlando is of utmost importance if an addict plans on maintaining long-term sobriety. Orlando Alcohol Treatment Centers recognize that addiction aftercare can guide you on the path to a lasting recovery. Call (877) 804-1531 for information on treatment options that can help give you your life back.

Drug and alcohol treatment begins with detoxing the body of the substance to break the physical addiction and is followed by treatment for the complex psychological issues surrounding addiction, including any co-occurring mental illnesses. Treatment therapies include group and individual counseling, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and family therapy.

Addiction aftercare is the final component of addiction rehab. Individualized addiction aftercare plans are developed to help patients maintain sobriety after rehab is complete. Each plan is designed to provide the various supports patients need for enjoying successful long-term recovery.

Addiction Aftercare Is Critical for Successful Recovery

Relapse rates are high for drug and alcohol addiction. More than half of alcohol rehab patients will relapse within the first year of treatment, but during the second year, that rate drops to 40 percent and drops again after the fifth year of sobriety. The aftercare plan helps get patients through the critical first months of recovery after treatment when the risk of relapse is the highest. The best way to prevent a lapse in sobriety and relapse of the addiction include having a strong support system at home and in the community, having resources available to address issues that can lead to a lapse, and being armed with necessary skills and techniques for coping with high-risk situations, cravings, stress, and various triggers that can lead a patient to use after treatment. Those are the goals of aftercare plans.

Why People Relapse

People lapse for a variety of reasons. These include:

Being unprepared to address the various issues in the "real" world that may lead to a lapse, including cravings and high-risk situations.
Not having a comprehensive aftercare plan in place, or having an inadequate aftercare plan.
Having ambivalence toward recovery or a conscious unwillingness to recover.
Having unrealistic expectations about how easy recovery will be or how long it will take.
Returning to the places associated with using or reigniting relationships with current users.
Feeling overwhelmed by the triggers and stress of "real" life or by the recovery process and the difficulties faced when trying to abstain from drug or alcohol use.

Aftercare Program Components

Quality aftercare programs are individualized to meet the unique needs, issues, and challenges faced by each patient. While every aftercare plan is different, they typically all include:

Ongoing group therapy sessions to provide support from other non-users in various stages of recovery and offer the opportunity to share experiences and resources.
Ongoing family therapy to restore function in the household, repair damaged relationships, and improve communication skills among family members.
Ongoing cognitive-behavioral therapy, which promotes self-awareness surrounding the issues that led to the abuse and addiction and helps patients identify and change harmful ways of thinking and behaving.
Participation in 12-Step or similar community programs, which provide additional support and offer sponsors who are available at any time to help patients through rough patches in recovery.
Regular evaluation of the plan by a caseworker to ensure new and changing needs are being met through the plan.

Depending on individual need, the aftercare plan may also include:

Spending time living at a residential sober living facility to help ease the transition from rehab to living at home.
Vocational rehab to help prepare patients to re-join the workforce and enjoy successful employment.
Help finding a safe place to live.
Ongoing management of a mental illness and continual evaluations of the medications used to treat it.

Recovery Is Challenging

If recovering from an addiction were easy, relapse rates would be much lower. An aftercare plan must be individualized and packed with resources and programs to help patients stay on the road to recovery for the long-term. Building and maintaining motivation to recover is critical. Aftercare plans are a big step in helping patients remain aware of their thoughts, attitudes, feelings, and behaviors and recognize the signs of an impending lapse. Call Alcohol Treatment Centers Orlando today at (877) 804-1531 to learn about treatment options that can give you the fresh start you deserve.