What Aftercare is, and Why It’s So Important in Recovery

A common misconception surrounding addiction recovery is that individuals can “snap out” of addiction as easily as they developed a substance use disorder in the first place. So long as they have the proper support and resources before them, they’ll be sober in no time. 

In reality, healing your mind, body and overall life from addiction is rarely completed in a short amount of time. Addiction, especially a long-standing addiction, can wreak havoc in multiple areas of our lives, and sometimes the damage is substantial, requiring extensive care to rebuild.

One of the most critical phases in this healing and restoration process is recovery aftercare.

In this article, we’re going to define what this phase of recovery looks like, as well as walk you through why aftercare is so essential to achieving sobriety and maintaining long-term healing.

What is aftercare?

Aftercare refers to the ongoing support and services that individuals continue to receive after completing the initial stages of addiction rehabilitation. These initial phases are generally considered to be the detoxification process, followed by an inpatient or outpatient program.

The purpose of this vital phase of recovery is to help make a person’s transition from intensive support to independent living as smooth as possible. 

Regardless of whether you’re going to spend some time in a sober living home or return straight to your personal residence after completing a rehabilitation program, aftercare is beneficial. Depending on each person’s unique situation and how they’re progressing along their recovery, aftercare will look a little different from what others may be going through. 

Recovering from a substance use disorder is no small feat, and oftentimes, there are multiple areas of our lives that require healing from the impact of substance abuse. Aftercare provides an ongoing container for healing after you’ve overcome initial hurdles of sobriety and are ready to tackle healing other areas of your life.

Why is aftercare important in recovery?

Recovering from a substance use disorder is no small feat, but recovery encompasses so much more healing than solely breaking a dependence on drugs or alcohol.

Recovery is also the healing of your mental and physical health through different nutritional and mindfulness-based changes. It’s learning healthier and more productive coping mechanisms than turning to drugs and alcohol. 

Recovery is also the repairing of relationships, readjusting to employment and the re-learning of how to successfully balance various personal and professional adult responsibilities.

To begin recovering from addiction is to embark on a multifaceted healing journey, and having an aftercare plan is one of the best ways to help yourself achieve and maintain sobriety. Rather than tackling difficulties on your own, you’ll have a professional support network to help guide you through any challenges or unexpected setbacks you face in your new sober life. 

As eager as so many people are to begin living completely independently, many statistics continue to show that over half of all people in addiction recovery relapse at some point. Most commonly, these relapses tend to happen in the first few months after completing a rehabilitation program when their sobriety and newly established state of mind are especially vulnerable. 

Aftercare provides the ongoing support and services that so many individuals benefit from after immediately completing a rehabilitation program. You never have to go through anything alone.

Start your aftercare today

If you or someone you love is struggling with a substance use disorder and you’re feeling lost about what to do next, we’ll help you out.

Freedom Detox specializes in providing inpatient detoxification treatment to adults who have developed a substance use disorder or addiction. No matter the type of substance or how long you’ve been struggling with substance abuse, recovery is possible, and we’re here to help.

Though our medical team consists of top-tier physicians, nurses and counselors, we are not a hospital-style setting. Your safety and comfort are our top priorities, and we’ll be there with you every step of the way to make sure your recovery is progressing smoothly and successfully.

Send us a message or give us a call today to speak with one of our advisors and learn more about how you can take the first step toward recovery today.