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How Do I Find Continuing Care Following Treatment?

It can feel scary to exit an inpatient treatment program. An inpatient environment is highly controlled, offering you fewer triggers and stressors. You might worry about staying on the path to recovery when faced with these external factors. If you need continued mental health and sobriety support, aftercare can offer an effective solution.

Planning for Aftercare

When preparing to finish a high-quality inpatient program, medical professionals will usually help you set goals. These goals can include what kind of environment you want to live in, who you want in your support system, and what kind of mental health care you would like to receive. They should help you create a safety plan, including contact information for emergency support resources.

Additionally, they should connect you with aftercare services for your mental health needs. You and your doctors should collaborate on this specific element because there are many forms of aftercare. Which options you will choose depends on your individual needs.

Aftercare Options

Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) usually provide group therapies, skills courses, and individual psychotherapy. The schedule is highly structured, offering you consistency. If you enter an IOP, you will attend the program for nine to twelve hours a week. Unlike residential treatment, you can tend to outside obligations, like work or school.

Sober living homes provide a transitionary, safe, substance-free living environment. All residents of a sober living home must follow social, employment, and house guidelines. This includes group meetings and attending 12-Step programs. According to a 2010 study described in an article in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, it is common to stay in a sober living home for 166 to 254 days.

12-Step programs and support groups offer a social support system for you if you understand the experience of addiction. You can attend multiple groups every week if you need more extensive support.

Individual psychotherapy is probably the most common form of mental health aftercare. A therapist can help you manage the stress of day-to-day life. They can teach you skills to manage your response to trauma. You will work together to create treatment goals. The therapist will usually utilize many modalities throughout the treatment period.

Selecting Your Aftercare

When deciding on an aftercare option, you should look at your external factors. Will you work most of the day? How intense do you need your support to be? Do you have a safe place to live? How much money do you have to spend on aftercare? These questions should help you determine the right option for you.

When you’re coming out of a residential treatment program, you may need aftercare to continue your newfound recovery. Aftercare offers you support and accountability. It can look as comprehensive or loose as you want, depending on the specific type of aftercare you select. The Guest House provides many levels of care, including medical detox, residential, day/night (an extreme IOP), IOP, and outpatient. Their day/night, IOP, and outpatient programs can serve as aftercare. Additionally, they offer an alumni network to ensure you’ll never go through difficult moments alone. For more information, contact The Guest House at (855) 483-7800.