Life After Addiction

Leaving rehab is both exciting and terrifying. As much as you might be looking forward to being with family and friends again, fearing what happens after rehab can cause great anxiety and even panic attacks. Before attending rehab, your addiction was your life’s purpose, and everything else came second. Imagining living without your addiction to support you during difficult times was probably almost inconceivable. 

The cause of your addiction will have been addressed but can not be resolved entirely during your time in rehab. Before leaving rehab, you will have a discharge or recovery plan to help you set goals and provide a course of action if you are tempted to return to your addiction. 

External triggers, combined with the challenges of everyday life, can trigger cravings and relapse. Life after addiction is an ongoing journey of recovery, and rehab is an initial part of drug and alcohol addiction treatment that needs to be continued daily.

You will likely need to rebuild trust and relationships and avoid certain people and places that could trigger you to return to your addiction. Your emotions when you return home are likely to change from day to day. Some days will be harder, and you may feel down and less motivated. This is normal during adjustment to not being in the safety of 24-hour care. 

Ten key things you can do to help maintain your recovery are:

1. Put your recovery first.
2. Cut off previous friends and contact with people who do not support your abstinence and recovery.
3. Surround yourself with people who are clean and sober.
4. Join support groups and attend aftercare groups.
5. Accept you are not and will never be “cured”. 
6. Take up a new hobby, activity or volunteering.
7. Connect with nature and spend time outside.
8. Eat three nutritious meals a day at regular times.
9. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
10. Do something enjoyable daily, such as reading, watching a movie or cooking.