When choosing a rehab for alcohol abusers, an abuser may simply be focused on the convenience and activities of the facility. He or she may also mainly be concerned with speaking to former patients who attended the facility or getting the opinions of family counselors and friends who know about the rehab program. While all of these strategies in choosing a rehab for alcohol are effective, the potential attendee should also be concerned with the aftercare that the program provides.
Completion of an alcohol rehab program does not automatically mean an alcoholic is cured of his or her disease and may now go on to live a sober life. While the program graduate may feel empowered and confident in his or her power to stay alcohol and drug free, a program that offers relapse support or prevention is important for the graduate’s future. According to Hopelinks.net, a person who completes a rehab program should have an intricate plan for the future and that plan should include relapse prevention meetings or courses.
A rehab program attendee who has gone to an inpatient rehab facility should feel balanced and comfortable with being sober by the time he or she leaves the facility. However, the graduate is then thrown back into the “real” world with old friends and family members, everyday demands and temptation. The world may feel new again after being in a rehab facility for a few weeks and it is not uncommon for graduates to feel the urge to drink again to cope with the stressful changes.
According to addiction specialists, one of the best ways to prevent a relapse is for a recovery program graduate to attend a sober living facility for a few weeks before going home. This allows the patient an easier transition from a center to a sober house and eventually to their home surroundings. The counselors and fellow alcohol rehab graduates at the sober living facility can give them the support they need while transitioning back into a normal and sober life.
Making sure there is an aftercare program in place for an alcoholic once he or she has completed the rehab for alcohol is crucial. A patient works extremely hard at a rehab facility to complete the program by confronting his or her inner problems and developing a plan to stay sober. All of that hard work can easily be for nothing if the graduate thinks he or she can just go back to living a normal life. It is important for a rehab graduate to constantly be reminded to work hard at sobriety and relapse prevention meetings or counselor therapy sessions can help with recovery.
Relapse prevention can be chosen in the form of a sober living facility, meetings or counseling sessions. An addict who graduated a rehab for alcohol should have a relapse prevention plan in place before attending a facility.