What is Aftercare?
Aftercare—also known as continuing care—is a post treatment plan designed to help support your recovery, monitor your progress after you leave a rehab treatment program, and respond to relapse if it occurs.
The primary goals of an aftercare program are to:
Support your recovery.
Monitor your condition.
Provide guidance and help if you relapse or experience a resumption of symptoms from a co-occurring disorder, such as anxiety or depression.
Benefits of an Aftercare Program?
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Some of the benefits of addiction aftercare programs may include:
- 1. Maintaining the positive results gained during your initial phase of care.
- 2. Continuing to engage in the recovery process and connect with others who are also in recovery.
- 3. Developing new, healthy behavior patterns
- 4. Assistance with challenges related to recovery like employment, housing, and relationships
- 5. Practicing and maintaining healthy coping skills—such as stress management or setting healthy boundaries—can play an important role in relapse prevention.
- 6. Relapse is common and doesn’t mean treatment has failed, but it could mean you need to try additional or a different form of treatment.
- 7. Offering encouragement and a strengths-based focus. Participating in aftercare can help you maintain focus on your achievements and the rewards of your recovery efforts.
