The Healing Continues: What Do I Do Now After Drug Rehab?
Abhilash Patel
Having gone through alcohol or drug rehabilitation is a major
undertaking. Congratulations. Now you might be wondering
several things. Where do I go from here? What do I do with my
new life? What are the best strategies for staying clean and
sober? The information in this article answers all of these
important questions. It comes mostly from the experts: people,
like you, who were once in a treatment center and have been in
recovery for many years. Additional information has also been
contributed from professionals that have helped recovering
alcoholics/addicts after the alcohol or drug rehabilitation
process.
Taking Action—The Process
* Create a plan for after you leave. Work with your therapist,
counselor or the treatment center you attended to assist you in
developing an after care treatment plan. These are designed to
give you a strategy for staying clean. It’s a plan that will
keep you on track in the recovery process. Lay person and
professional experts in recovery know that an outlined plan
detailing the things you can do to stay sober is valuable. Here
are some of the most common, and maybe not so common,
steps/actions/objectives that can be part of your plan towards
a goal of staying healthy, sober and free from addiction.
* Continue with therapy. Follow up sessions with a trusted
counselor or professional helps to address those issues or
problems that are new for you. Life after addiction comes with
new or confusing situations you will be faced with. For
example, there was a man that after having been in a drug
induced state for years did not know how to order his eggs at a
restaurant. He would say, “I just let them throw the eggs on the
plate, anything to get some food in my belly. I never paid
attention to or cared how they were cooked”. When you are
confronted with something you don’t know how to handle,
frustration and desire to turn to what you know best (getting
high) may become overwhelming. There is no problem too small or
large that a trained professional can’t help you with. It’s
better to seek their advice and look for solutions than to
return to abusing drugs or alcohol.
* Keep your body healthy. This part of the after care plan
should involve listing ways you can keep your body functioning
at optimum levels. Some steps may include:
* Nutrition and eating right are essential. There have been
studies recently showing that the right intake of calories,
vitamins and nutrients, staves off the craving for drugs and
alcohol. When your body feels good, the chances are you can
better fight the cravings for addictive substances.
* Drink lots of water. Water hydrates the body and maintains
your body temperature. Proper hydration allows for smoother
waste elimination, and keeps the body emotionally balanced.
Experts that work in the crisis industry (rape crisis centers,
nurses in emergency or triage, etc.) have long known the power
of water in regulating a person’s mood. It has a calming
effect. An added bonus among many, water keeps your skin from
drying out too.
* Exercise. Find an exercise routine and stick with it. If you
like the gym or workout centers get a membership Take evening
walks in your neighborhood after dinner. Use stairs wherever
you go instead of elevators. Remember to find exercises that
will bring your heart rate up (aerobic) and those that include
warm-up, stretching and free-weights.
* Keep your teeth clean. One of the first things to not only
put on your plan but to arrange is a dental exam. Drug use and
alcohol abuse damage teeth and gums severely over time. Studies
have shown that excessive plaque and tartar on the teeth carries
through to our blood stream and creates a plaque build up in the
arteries. This means potential heart problems and cardiovascular
disease. Also, clean teeth means you will smile more and that
alone will better your social life.
* Make social activities part of your plan. When you’re
developing your after care plan, be sure to include activities
that make you happy. Socializing will decrease depression and
keep you from feeling isolated. On this note, make sure to not
include former drinkers or drug using “buddies”. Chances are
very high that if you begin associating with your former
partying partners (that are still using) you will quickly begin
abusing the substance again. Find people that have been in
recovery for a long time or others that have never had a
substance abuse problem. Seek new friends, return to favorite
hobbies, whatever it takes to get you out and busy.
* Find your spiritual path. Whatever spirituality means to you,
discover or re-discover what it is that gives you strength
through the hard times. Returning to a spiritual place that
made you feel connected, worthy or special will help.
* Find the creativity within. Do you draw, paint, dance or
read? Bring the creative you back to life. Creativity gives a
sense of self-worth and accomplishment. This is important for
anyone recovering from an addiction. By the way, start your
creative processes with your treatment plan. Give thought to
the social activities you like. Outline some ideas to eat foods
that will not only nourish you but make you feel good, alive and
energetic. There are many healthy foods that can give this
feeling. Bring your creativity to your plan and make it
uniquely yours.
When preparing your after care plan, make sure it’s what you
want. There is nothing worse than having a plan that fits
someone else’s needs or expectations. Often in alcohol or drug
treatment and detox centers we hear quite a bit about what we
should do. Our days are planned with activities, counseling,
meal times and social events. We become accustomed to what
others think we should do to remain sober. Family and friends
offer advice, your counselor or therapist may suggest items for
your plan but in the end, the treatment plan belongs to you. It
needs to be tailored with the purpose of achieving your goal.
Your goal is to remain sober and clean. If the plan is one you
want and can live with, the chances are you will respect it,
follow through with the steps/objectives and stay sober for
many years to come.
About The Author: By Abhilash Patel sponsored by Passages
Malibu Treatment Center, a drug and alcohol rehab treatment
center. The Passages Drug Treatment Program
http://www.passagesmalibu.com/
provides residential substance
abuse treatment
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