Completed Treatment
Completed Treatment Now What?
Congratulations! You’ve completed treatment! The day you’ve been waiting for has arrived. You’re headed out the door, feeling hopeful and excited. Returning home to family and friends, free of alcohol and drugs, eager to prove yourself and show everyone that you’ve got this problem licked.
You should feel proud of yourself. But there is cause for concern. Treatment is a safe environment. You’ve spent your time there focusing on yourself and your issues. You’ve had support at hand, access to counselors and recovery specialists. When you re-enter the world at large, the safety net disappears. When I completed treatment, I was nervous. I knew that I had to return to the same job, the same people, and the same environment. I wondered how I’d be able to create a sober life in the “actual world.” What I discovered was it was up to me to manage my recovery, to reach out, and to find my own supports. Here are some things to watch out for in the first weeks or months post treatment.
Take Your Time
You didn’t become addicted to alcohol and drugs overnight. Completing 12 weeks of outpatient treatment, or completing a 28-day program will not cure you of your addiction. Recovery is a lifelong, day by day process. Take your time. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. You will have cravings and thoughts of using. It’s OK, reach out and don’t use.
When we return from treatment, we are faced with cleaning up the “mess” we’ve made. This means unpaid bills, unstable housing, and damaged relationships. We can’t fix this all at once. We need support, and help in prioritizing what to tackle first. Focus on two things; staying sober, and taking care of your basic needs. Food, clothing, and shelter are priorities. Staying sober will help things fall into place in those areas. Once your basic needs are met, then you can move on to focusing on where you fit in this big sober world.
Support Groups
In treatment, they emphasize the importance of getting involved in support groups. There’s a reason for this. I don’t know a person in recovery who claims that they got sober without support of some kind. In treatment, you were encouraged to attend support groups like AA/NA, Rational Recovery, and aftercare programs. These are all great programs, but if you’re one of those folks who doesn’t seem to jive with more formal support groups, there are options. Join a meditation group, get involved in your church or a spiritual community, join a sober exercise group, or go to the gym. The point of all this is to get you involved with other people, who are not your using friends. Also, please get a therapist or a recovery coach. Many people who enter recovery have mental health issues or have experienced trauma in their lives. These issues need to be addressed and you need a safe person to talk to about this stuff. Remember, we’ve been using substances to cover up our feelings and run away from our problems for a long time. When faced with challenges, we need support to learn and practice alternative coping skills.
People, Places and Things
Change your playgrounds, playthings, and playmates. I know these are your friends and you’ve known each other forever. But, hanging out with old friends that you used to drink or get high with is an invitation for relapse. We want to believe that our old friends will support us, but many of them can’t. They have their own problems, own addictions, and their own paths to walk. When I got sober, I had to change my phone number. Even though I told my friends I was no longer drinking, they would call me up and ask me to meet them at bars or parties. I don’t think they were being malicious, but we just had nothing in common anymore. Surround yourself with supportive people who don’t drink or use.
Places where we used to use can also be challenging. We have to be realistic about our surroundings. If I know that my buddy has weed at his house, and is more than willing to share with me, why would I be going there? We need to find alternative places to hang out and get our social needs met. I used to watch a lot of professional football when I was drinking. Once I got into recovery, I would get “thirsty” when watching games. I had to eliminate that from my life for a while, until I had a better handle on things. Getting involved in support groups helps us in this area. We have somewhere to go where we can interact with others that doesn’t involve using drugs or alcohol.
Create a Sense of Purpose
Treatment provided us with structure. We had a daily schedule and had to show up places, on time. We need to continue having a schedule when we return to the “actual world.” Develop goals for yourself. Get a job, go back to school, re-engage with hobbies you had prior to getting involved with drugs and alcohol. Find meaningful activities that enhance your life. Wake up at the same time every morning and develop a morning ritual meaningful for you. Go to bed at a reasonable hour every evening. Do things that make you feel good. Challenge yourself with physical or artistic activity. I’m a huge advocate of journaling on a daily basis. Use journaling as a tool to help guide your recovery and keep you aware of any potential hazards that might be headed your way.
The first few months post-treatment can be challenging. Many people relapse in the first 90 days. If you slip up, it’s not the end of the world. Start again the next day. As long as you’re alive, there’s a chance to do it different. If you do relapse, take a look at your program and see if you can determine which of the above areas might need shoring up. Never be too proud to take an honest look at yourself and take action.