One of the most important parts of addiction recovery happens after rehab and substance abuse counseling. A good aftercare plan reduces the risk of relapse and helps people who are overcoming the disease of addiction rebuild their lives. If your teen is entering rehab in Fort Lauderdale, be sure to consider the aftercare services before treatment even begins. Here are the answers to some common questions about addiction aftercare.
Aftercare is a general term that refers to the kind of support that a rehab center provides people when they finish their initial phases of drug or alcohol addiction treatment. People have different needs for aftercare based on a number of factors, from their age to the point they are in their treatment plan. For some people, aftercare can mean help finding a job and finding a sober living home to help them transition back to life outside of a treatment center. For teens who are getting treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, aftercare might mean family counseling and plans for dealing stress without relapsing.
Why is aftercare important?
Aftercare plays a number of important roles in addiction recovery. For many people, drug addiction or alcoholism leads to unemployment, financial and legal problems, and damaged relationships. Aftercare offers a support system for putting the practical parts of life back together after addiction. It also offers support as people transition to dealing with stressful events without using drugs or alcohol. Aftercare can make this transition easier to reduce the risk of rehab.
How can aftercare help teens?
For teens in addiction treatment, aftercare is usually focused on reinforcing positive behavior changes and helping patients learn new ways of coping with stressors.
With teen patients, aftercare is more of a family affair. Often, an aftercare program will include a clearly defined outline of behavioral goals and consequences for violating family rules. All of these services are designed to help reduce the risk of relapse and to spot the warning signs of a potential backslide into negative behavior.