Entering rehab takes real courage, and it will take a good deal of effort in order to get the most out of this type of programme. Unfortunately, just because people make this stop on their journey does not guarantee they will be able to break away from addiction forever. Staying sober in rehab is relatively easy but things can fall apart upon returning home. This could happen to you if you were not prepared for your return home and you did not have enough support to help you deal with the challenges of your new life.
Why Do People Fail to Cope Following Rehab?
There are many reasons why people fail to cope following rehab:
- One of the most common reasons is that they do not have enough support in place to help them through this adjustment period.
- People can be overconfident about how they will manage, meaning they are not prepared for the challenges that will come their way in early recovery.
- The individual returns to their own way of life when they go home, meaning they are back dealing with familiar temptations.
- The only change that the person has made is that they are no longer drinking and this alone is not sustainable.
- The person has not developed the tools needed in rehab to help them deal with stress.
- The individual has not developed strategies for dealing with relapse triggers.
- The person treated their time in rehab as being similar to a prison sentence, meaning they didn’t gain very much from the experience.
- The individual only entered rehab to please other people, having no real intention of staying sober long term.
- The person is not clear enough about why they want to give up alcohol.
Making the Most of Your Time in Rehab
A common reason why people fail to stay sober after rehab is that they are just not serious about wanting this. They may be able to say the right things to therapists and loved ones but deep down they have not given up on alcohol or drugs. It is little wonder then that these people will later return to addiction. If you are fully committed to this new life, it means that you are already more than half way to your goal.
By entering rehab, you will be surrounding yourself with all the tools you need to build a new and better life, but it is going to be up to you to make the most of this experience. You can be surrounded by the best recovery resources on the planet, but they will be useless to you unless you actually make use of them. Nobody can do this work for you. The aim of rehab is just to provide you with the perfect environment and to give you access to the best tools – if you fail to take advantage of these resources then it will be you who pays the price.
Will You Be Able to Cope After Rehab?
Here are a few signs that you will be able to cope after rehab:
- You are worried about leaving rehab – this can be a sign that you are taking things seriously.
- You are eager to learn as much as you can.
- The therapists and other clients have noticed a change in your attitude.
- You feel positive about the future but you also expect there to be challenges ahead.
- You have taken steps to make sure that you have enough support once you return home.
- You do not just automatically dismiss suggestions for how you will strengthen your recovery.
- You feel highly motivated to continue making life changes.
- You have no ambivalence about recovery and do not wonder if you will ever be able to drink or use drugs again.
How to Get Ready for the Transition from Rehab to Home
The time when you will be most likely to relapse following rehab is the transition period during the first few weeks. If you are ready to cope, you should find that the challenges of this time are easily manageable. Here are a few ideas for how you can prepare for this transition back home.
- Recovery meetings can be a great option because they will provide you with support and somewhere to go. Even if you only attend meetings for the first few months of your recovery, it can be a great help.
- Plan to avoid old drinking and drug-using friends. You may still have a great deal of affection for these people, but it can be too risky to spend time with them when you are in early recovery.
- It is usually recommended that you avoid making any major changes during the first year of recovery – you will already have enough things on your plate.
- It can be a good idea to continue with therapy once you go home. This way you can make more progress on the issues that led you into addiction in the first place.
- Most rehabs will offer some type of aftercare programme and it is highly recommended that you take advantage of this.
- Make sure you get the phone numbers of people who you can call when you are feeling vulnerable. Having these numbers can make the difference between staying sober or relapse.
- There are now plenty of great resources available online and it is highly recommended that you take advantage of this option. It is even possible to find online recovery meetings.
- During your time in rehab, be sure to speak to the therapists about any concerns you have about going home.
- Try to get your family involved in your recovery as much as possible even when you are still in rehab. Many facilities these days will have sessions where the family will be involved.
- It is vital that you have realistic expectations of life after rehab. Things are almost certainly going to improve for you, but it will take time and there are almost certain to be setbacks along the way.
- One of the goals of rehab is to discover the reasons why you fell into addiction in the first place. You need to learn more about this driving force behind your addiction or it could lead you into trouble again.
- Make sure that you learn all about addiction substitution, and the steps you need to take in order to avoid this.
- It can be a good idea to keep a gratitude diary where you write down the good things that are happening in your life – a grateful person in recovery is unlikely to relapse.
- Be on the lookout for any signs that you may have started on the slide towards relapse. This could include symptoms like increasing anger and resentment, or romancing the drink or drug (remembering the ‘good days’ of substance abuse).
What to Do If You Do Not Feel Ready for Home after Rehab
Some people will just not be ready for home after rehab. This can often be the case if you have been addicted to alcohol or drugs for many years and you are just not used to being sober. If this is the case, the best option might be for you to enter some type of halfway house (dry house). This will mean that you will still get some support but you will also enjoy more freedom then you have in regular rehab.
