Rehab Aftercare & Life After Addiction Treatment
Rehab Aftercare at Sunrise House in New Jersey
Rehab aftercare—also referred to as continuing care—is a valuable part of addiction treatment. While your time in intensive treatment is important for learning new skills to help manage addiction, substance use disorder can be chronic and require on-going care.1 This page will cover what rehab aftercare is, how aftercare plans are created, and how aftercare helps support long-term recovery.
Rehab aftercare is a plan for maintaining sobriety and recovery after completing more intensive addiction treatment. A rehab aftercare plan can help a person transition from a higher level of care, like detox or inpatient, to a lower level of care, like outpatient. It can also help a person who is discharging from treatment and needs to prepare for how to manage their sobriety without the structure of a program.1
An aftercare plan is developed while a person is still in treatment. A mental health or addiction treatment professional will assist you in creating a long-term plan for the future. It will include ways to prevent relapse, stay engaged in recovery, and improve functioning in other areas of your life.
The goals of rehab aftercare programs are to help a person:1
- Maintain sobriety at a lower level of care or after discharging from addiction treatment.
- Have a plan in place to address a relapse if it does occur.
- Connect with a sober support system.
- Address other issues that are important for substance abuse recovery, such as finding employment and housing, repairing relationships, and improving finances.
An aftercare plan will include specific steps to help you reach your goals. For example, it may include:
- Attending 12-Step meetings or other peer facilitated meetings.
- Finding a sponsor.
- Staying in a sober living facility.
- Attending individual, family, or group therapy.
- Taking medications as prescribed.
Each person’s rehab aftercare plan will be different.
The length of an aftercare plan will also vary from person to person. There is no standard timeline for an aftercare plan. Instead, rehab aftercare programs are expected to change and evolve alongside each person’s needs.1
How to Create a Rehab Aftercare Plan
While in addiction treatment, you will have an opportunity to work with your therapist, counselor, or case manager on creating an aftercare plan. They will help you identify what your aftercare program for substance abuse should cover based on your personal needs.
Preparing this rehab aftercare plan may take place across several meetings. Depending on your individual situation, your treatment team may help you set up sober living, outpatient therapy, or job training. Your aftercare plan will include relapse prevention strategies and what to do if cravings arise or if you have a relapse.
It is common for many people to have local recovery meetings listed in their aftercare plan. These can include 12-Step recovery groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, and non-12 Step recovery programs like SMART Recovery.
You can choose to attend these meetings in person or virtually and as often or as infrequently as you would like. If you choose a 12-Step group, then your aftercare plan may also involve finding a sponsor. The role of sponsors in recovery is to help support your sobriety by guiding you through the 12 Steps.3
Benefits of Rehab Aftercare Programs
Rehab aftercare programs can have several benefits for someone in drug and alcohol recovery. These may include:
- Helping you stay on track with your goals and recovery. Aftercare is linked to better outcomes, especially among people at high risk for relapse.1 It can help you not only maintain abstinence but also improve other areas of your life that may have been negatively impacted by your addiction.
- Continued support for both your addiction and mental health recovery.4 If you have a co-occurring disorder, then aftercare may be especially beneficial. You may consider finding a co-occurring disorder treatment program and/or attending a mental health support group. If you are taking medication, you should continue to do so and follow your psychiatric provider’s recommendations.
- Therapy to help you and your family members process your addiction and learn healthy communication skills for the future. You may consider couples or family therapy or inviting your loved ones to one of your individual therapy sessions.4Addiction can affect your relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. After treatment, you may find that those close to you feel angry or fearful. They may also have a difficult time trusting you. Repairing relationships after rehab can help you and your loved ones move forward.
- Connecting you to other important resources such as financial planning. Finances are another area of your life that may be impacted by your addiction. Repairing your finances after rehab is a process, but you can start by connecting with a financial advisor, accountant, or coach with experience in this area. They can assist you in creating a budget and learning tools to manage your spending and eliminate your debt.
Relapse prevention is an important component of aftercare. The goal of relapse prevention is to reduce the risk of relapse through education and skills.5 Your aftercare plan should include:
- The identification of triggers that may urge you to use drugs and alcohol.
- A plan for managing these triggers.
During aftercare planning, you’ll anticipate what people, places, things, and emotions may trigger urges to use drugs and alcohol and develop a plan for managing them. This way, when triggering situations arise, you can refer to your plan and utilize the skills listed and contact your support system for help.
Family and friends also play a critical role in reducing the drug and alcohol relapse risk. There are many options for helping a loved one with addiction, such as attending therapy and support groups together. Loved ones can also help people with addictions anticipate and prepare for high-risk situations that could lead to a relapse.
If you do experience a relapse, you should reach out to your sponsor and support system. You may also benefit from returning to rehab treatment to better understand what led to the relapse and how to avoid it in the future. Relapse is not a sign of failure, but rather a learning opportunity.5
Sunrise House Treatment Center is an inpatient rehab facility in New Jersey. At Sunrise House, we offer different levels of addiction treatment, including medical detox and residential treatment, for people dealing with addictions to alcohol and drugs.
An average day in inpatient rehab at Sunrise House includes:
- Individual and group therapy sessions.
- Recovery meetings.
- Time set aside for rest and relaxation.
- Recreational activities.
Our therapists provide evidence-based therapies for addictions, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on modifying negative thoughts and behaviors. We also offer specialized groups for:
- Anger management.
- Co-occurring disorders.
- Veterans and first responders.
Sunrise House is part of American Addiction Centers (AAC), the nation’s leading provider in addiction treatment. While Sunrise House does not offer outpatient rehab or sober living, many of AAC’s other facilities throughout the country do. Aftercare programs offered through AAC include:
- Outpatient treatment: Outpatient treatment is a step down from inpatient rehab. It allows you to attend therapy sessions and continue to work on your addiction recovery but gives you the freedom to work, volunteer, or attend to other responsibilities. Recovery First Treatment Center in Hollywood, Florida is another AAC facility that offers outpatient treatment. Our staff at Sunrise House can assist you in transitioning to Recovery First’s outpatient program or one at another AAC facility.
- Telehealth: Some of our facilities also offer telehealth services for addiction treatment. This means that you can access therapy and treatment from the comfort of your home using secure, HIPPA-compliant technology.
- Sober living: A sober living facility is a safe, drug-free environment for people in recovery. It is particularly beneficial for anyone who lacks stable housing or is concerned about exposure to drugs and alcohol at home. While in sober living, you are expected to work, attend meetings or outpatient treatment, and follow the house rules, which include no drugs and alcohol. Multiple AAC facilities offer sober living including Oxford Treatment Center in Mississippi and Greenhouse Treatment Center in Dallas, Texas.
- 12-Step groups: At Sunrise House, we offer 12-Step meetings that you can continue to attend after treatment is over. If you reside out of the area, we can help connect you with the local chapter of AA or NA.
Sunrise House offers several different ways to pay for rehab, including health insurance. We are in-network with many providers and make paying for rehab with health insurance simple. We’ll verify your insurance benefits beforehand and give you a breakdown of the anticipated costs.
To learn more about Sunrise House Treatment Center, or to start the admissions process today, please call . Our admissions navigators are available 24/7 to assist you in verifying your insurance coverage and answering your questions.
You can also using our secure form.
Rehab Alumni Programs at Sunrise House
If you agree to be a part of our alumni program, you’ll receive check-ins from our alumni outreach staff on your recovery milestones, such as when you reach 30, 60, and 90 days of sobriety.
Sunrise House offers alumni events where you can connect with other people in recovery. We currently offer weekly alumni meetings every Wednesday from 7:30 pm to 9 pm at Sunrise House.* When you attend one of our alumni events, we encourage you to bring friends and family with you.
As an alumnus, you can also join our Facebook group to keep in contact with peers, hear about our seasonal alumni events, and reach out to rapid support, if needed.
*Meetings are currently being held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recovery App for Alumni
American Addiction Centers provides a confidential and free recovery app to patients who have completed treatment at one of our facilities. The app was created to support alumni after leaving our program. You will have access to the app after completing treatment at Sunrise House or another AAC facility.
The app allows you to:
- Monitor your progress in recovery.
- Keep a gratitude journal.
- Stay healthy through wellness challenges.
- Find and watch, read, or listen to recovery-related content.
- Remain connected to other alumni.
Our alumni will receive an exclusive invitation for the app by completing this quick and easy online sign-up form.
Quality Aftercare Developed Just For You
Develop a Strong Aftercare Plan
We will work with you to develop an aftercare plan that meets your specific needs. Our dedicated and experienced staff members can empower you to keep on track with your recovery with the appropriate plan.
Join Our Alumni Program
After you complete your treatment with us, we encourage you to stay connected by joining our alumni program. Doing so can offer you the continued support you need in order to remain sober for the long-term.
Connect With Our Alumni App
Connect to a sober community after you finish treatment with the alumni app.
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