In A Drug And Alcohol Treatment Program
So you have just left a drug and alcohol treatment program, and now you’re going home back to the same environment where all of the triggers existed that got you into the drug and alcohol treatment program in the first place. Whether you spent a week in a drug and 
alcohol detox program or spent 28 or 60 days in an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment program, the hard part of your journey of sobriety is just beginning.
An inpatient drug and alcohol treatment program provides a cocoon for the addict. They are protected from the outside influences and motivations that made them choose drugs or alcohol to cope with the stress of everyday life. Once their stay in a drug and alcohol treatment program is over, however, almost all recovering addicts or alcoholics need some kind of support system when they are back home if they are to maintain their sobriety.
There are many options to pursue after the drug and alcohol treatment program that will enable the addict to maintain their sobriety. These include attendance at 12 step meetings like NA or AA, enrolling in an outpatient rehab program where they will attend one-on-one or group meetings, or possibly beginning new hobbies that will support their sobriety like joining a gym or some other social club that focuses on healthy living.
If the addict was in a well managed drug and alcohol treatment program, then the counselors will have provided them with plenty of tools to use to keep them sober after they leave the drug and alcohol treatment program. More than likely during their stay in the drug and alcohol treatment program there was addiction counseling that focused on dealing with peer pressure, understanding what their triggers are and how to deal with them, and how to reach out to other people when they’re struggling.
No one expects perfection after leaving a drug and alcohol treatment program. If the addict slips and goes back to using drugs or alcohol, it is important that they “fall forward” and not make the mistake of beating themselves up for the slip. This will only drive them back into the old patterns that got them in to the drug and alcohol treatment program to begin with. They should use the relapse as a learning experience going through all of the activities they were involved in prior to the relapse. Understanding what triggers or situations led to the relapse can help avoid these dangers or at least recognize them in the future.
The key to long term abstinence from drug and alcohol abuse is a desire to lead a healthy, happy, and productive life. If you have this once you leave the drug and alcohol treatment program, and you develop the type of support system that will allow you to discuss your feelings about using and what is triggering those feelings it will improve your chances of long term sobriety.
If you or a loved on is seeking to begin leading a happy, healthy, and productive life then contact Pathways Recovery to discuss our drug and alcohol treatment program and see what your options are.