Why Most People Relapse After Leaving Rehab
You go to rehab and spend a ton of time and even more money to get your addiction under control. So why do so many people fall through the cracks and start using as soon as they leave rehab? You've worked way too hard to get this thing under control to have to start all over again.
Let's look at common reasons people fall through the cracks after leaving a drug and alcohol program.
Some people fall through the cracks right after leaving because the whole time they were there, they counted down the days when they could use drugs/alcohol again. If this is what you're doing, you've already made your mind up, making it difficult to stop.
Some people can't wait to get home and relax.
Warning! This is not the time to let your guard down with your recovery! For most people that fail, this is when it will happen. It's in the transitions where people fall through the cracks, and I don't want that to happen to you.
As hard as it may be when you leave treatment, I want you to hit the ground running with your aftercare program. Before you leave, have everything planned out. Schedule all appointments necessary and because everyone recovers differently, some people go into an I-O-P program, and others go into sober living. Some people go to an aftercare counselor. Others go to 12-step meetings, or they get a sponsor. Have every meeting scheduled out and don't miss them.
Another thing to set up before you leave treatment is to have your system for accountability in place. If the problem is alcohol, you can choose to go ahead and arrange to have a Soberlink device set up as soon as you get home. Your chances of success will skyrocket using this and that's why Soberlink is my top recommendation for anyone trying to stop drinking. [AD]
Soberlink is a high-tech breathalyzing device where you and your support system schedule when you're going to test, usually three times a day, and you can decide on a plan that works for you. My advice is to test in the morning, somewhere in the middle, and before bed at night.
Once you start using a sober link device, you're not going to drink because you know you'll get caught if you do, and it takes it off the table as an option.
Another thing that helps people with not relapsing or having to start over is to be in alignment with the people around you about what will happen when you get home. Let family, work, and friends know your expectations for yourself.
If you set the stage correctly, you'll save yourself a lot of stress, fighting, and arguments, which is the other big thing that leads people to relapse.
Amber Hollingsworth
If you need help differentiating aftercare options to help you sort through what's helpful and what's not, watch this next:
