8 Things to Remember When You’ve Completed Treatment

Preparing yourself to leave treatment can be a very intimidating time for most. You’re leaving an environment that you’ve thrived in, but it was easy to excel because you were surrounded by people who would inevitably support your sobriety. The immersion back into the real world really helps any recovering addict realize they’ll always be in recovery. The statistics of those who relapse after rehab is disappointing, but it’s further proof that addiction is a disease of the mind.

Although it may seem like the transition can only be difficult, there are tools and tactics to use that will help make the transition slightly less stressful. At Florida Recovery, it’s our goal to continuously support those who leave our facilities as alumni, because few things are more gratifying than knowing you helped someone get back on the road to a healthy and rewarding life.

8 Tips to Remember When Leaving Treatment

  1. Refrain from going home

    A good and trustworthy treatment facility that cares about your well-being will do their best to advise you to not return home once you leave treatment. It increases your chances of relapsing because you’ll be taunted by your old triggers. So, it’s best to stay away from that and stay close to your therapist as well as familiar AA (alcoholics anonymous) and NA (narcotics anonymous) groups. If you move to a new location, you’re also giving yourself more distractions from sinking into old habits because you’re able to explore plenty of new areas and keep your mind off things from home that would otherwise distract you.

  2. Find a group of sober friends

    While you’re in treatment you should really work on making connections with those who are in there with you. It’s no surprise that many addictions form through the influence of others; therefore you want to avoid those who would tempt you to break your sobriety. When you surround yourself with other people who are sober, you’re diminishing those temptations and cravings because they have different and more positive priorities.

  3. Pay attention to your mental health

    If you return to that old routine that you slumped into before treatment (see tip 1), you can create unnecessary stress and anxiety. Therefore, you want to set aside some time for yourself each day where you can just relax, even if it’s only for an hour or so. You need to do something that can help you calm down and escape your own thoughts. Whether you choose to do yoga, go to the gym, go for a run, go for a walk, or even just pick up a book – you need to pick an activity that helps you refocus.

  4. Find a support group and stay in touch

    Staying in touch with those who you went to treatment with as well as those AA/NA groups that you went to while in treatment is vital. For those days where you feel lost or like you’re not focusing as you should be, or even if you feel yourself slipping back into that depression you so desperately tried to avoid, those people and those groups can help. Keep in touch with your therapist that helped you map out your recovery plan because they know better than anyone the thoughts and worries you had while leaving treatment and they can help bring you back to center. Plus, it’s always nice to have someone to talk to.

  5. Listen to those who express concern

    If the sober people in your life and your family are expressing concern, don’t get mad, listen to them. They are only expressing their concerns because they care and they may be noticing something that you’re not. This could help in determining if you’ve skipped out on meetings without noticing or if you’ve seemed more depressed than usual. The positive people you keep in your life you keep for a reason, and they’re there to help you reevaluate for the better.

  6. Follow the 90 meetings in 90 days rule

    It’s recommended that when you leave treatment, you complete 90 AA/NA meetings in 90 days. This will help you realize that you can in fact set a schedule and follow through without the scheduled life in treatment. Plus, this will help you connect with other people in recovery which will again, surround you with positive influences.

  7. Help someone else

    Helping people is one of the most gratifying feelings in the world, that’s why at Florida Recovery, we’re in the line of work that we’re in. So, when you leave treatment, whether it’s volunteer work or sponsoring someone who left treatment after you, you’ll feel good about yourself knowing that you helped.

  8. Consider an aftercare program

    Once you complete your 30, 60, or 90 day treatment program, it’s alright to feel like you’re not ready to be left to your own devices. However, that’s why aftercare treatment programs exist. At Florida Recovery, we provide after treatment programs that help integrate you back into the real world without being left to all the devices given to you while in treatment. If you’re concerned that you’re not ready to dive back into your realities, contact us at Florida Recovery group and we can provide you with any information you need.