Give an Aftercare Plan a Chance

Give an Aftercare Plan a Chance

Last night I had dinner with a friend. His son who was my age suffered from addiction and unfortunately his addiction eventually took his life. Over dinner we were discussing what the difference is in people who are able keep their sobriety and those who suffer from relapse. My friend informed me that he spent nearly half a million dollars on various addiction treatment programs throughout the country and every time his son completed one he would go home  not do what was taught during his stay in drug and alcohol rehab and not follow a plan of action or an aftercare plan. Quality addiction treatment will work closely with each client that comes through their facility and provide them with a quality aftercare plan that is catered to an individual’s specific needs. These aftercare plans are likely to include time spent at a halfway house and attending twelve step meetings be it Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous as well as work closely with a sponsor. By not following the aftercare plan one will not receive the amount of support that is needed in order to achieve long term sobriety. Recovering from addiction is a process that needs to be methodical while carefully following an aftercare plan put together by addiction professionals. Recovering from addiction can requires one to take direction and learn from those who have walked the path ahead of them. For whatever reason my friends son was not willing to take the direction that was advised to him. Maybe he was fighting demons that he was not willing to share with others or maybe he was just really stubborn. Going to addiction treatment can lay the foundation needed in order to achieve long term sobriety but if the aftercare plan is not followed carefully and meticulously then relapse is more likely to occur.