Aftercare in drug recovery crucial
Aftercare is the treatment that follows rehabilitation.
What you need to know:
- Aftercare is the treatment that follows rehabilitation.
- It is the collective plan to support an individual during their early recovery and help them prevent relapse.
The media is awash with stories of high-profile individuals checking into drug rehabilitation centres. But after therapy, they relapse to substance abuse. This often raises the question of how effective the rehabilitation programs are.
Unfortunately, people often point fingers in the wrong direction. After therapy, aftercare programs exist to complement the process.
Aftercare is the treatment that follows rehabilitation. It is the collective plan to support an individual during their early recovery and help them prevent relapse.
Addiction treatment is the first step towards building a drug-alcohol-free life. They learn coping skills and other important tools they can use to avoid slipping back into addiction. Treatment facilities provide the ideal environment for them to stay clean and sober.
The true recovery begins when addicts leave rehab. Saying no to drugs is easier when it’s done in a rehab. Continuing to say no after returning home is a new challenge and it’s for this reason that aftercare programs are key in guiding the affected.
Aftercare programs
Relapse is always a possibility, which makes it challenging to measure the effectiveness of an aftercare program. Effective treatment reduces symptoms, and poor or absent treatment is linked to increased frequency of symptoms or occurrences such as relapse.
If treatment facilities dropped people back into their daily lives with no support, relapse rates would be high. Treatment equips individuals with tools they can use to stay clean. Aftercare provides another avenue of ongoing support after an individual leaves the facility.
There are different types of aftercare programs. The four popular ones are 12-step programs, dual-diagnosis support, family counseling, and traditional care. The 12-step programs are an excellent option for individuals who want to consistently check in with a group of people who share similar recovery goals.
Families are able to analyse any behavioral patterns that may have enabled their loved one’s addiction. Dual-diagnosis support programs are available for individuals who are interested in getting to the root of their addiction by identifying potential mental disorders or psychological factors that may have contributed to substance abuse.
Finally, traditional care provides assistance for individuals who don’t want to, or feel they can’t, return to their previous home.
Mr Mwangi is the corporate communications manager, Nacada. [email protected]
