Addiction is a disease that requires a life-long commitment to maintaining one’s sobriety. While attending an addiction treatment center is a great first step toward long-term sobriety, seeking treatment doesn’t guarantee long-term sobriety.
This is why setting long-term goals for sobriety is essential. Goal-setting helps guide and keep you accountable to take actionable steps towards maintaining your sobriety and not falling back into old habits.
At Rise in Malibu, our innovative Malibu luxury drug rehab facility offers comprehensive care and individualized treatment plans to help you wherever you are on your recovery journey. Through a series of traditional and modern treatment methods, we help clients treat their whole selves so they can live a long-lasting life of sobriety.
Are you or someone you know struggling with addiction? Contact us today to learn how we can help you break free of addiction.
What Happens After Treatment?
Seeking treatment at a drug rehab center is a great first step toward life-long recovery. However, it’s essential to understand that just because you completed treatment doesn’t guarantee you’ll be sober forever doesn’t mean all your old triggers and cravings to use will vanish.
After treatment, a person in recovery oftentimes returns to their normal life. While this can be comforting for some returning home, it can also be anxiety-provoking because you’ll likely be surrounded by triggers that will make you want to abuse drugs or alcohol.
Likewise, depending on the severity of your addiction before treatment, you’ll be working on rebuilding relationships, both personal and professional, that may have suffered at the hands of your addiction. While mending relationships with friends and family members is important, it can make you feel at times stressed, putting you in a potentially vulnerable place to want to relapse.
Therefore, while resuming normal life after treatment is an essential part of an addict’s recovery journey, there’s no denying that you’ll likely experience some old triggers and new stressors that may put you at risk of relapsing.
What is the Importance of Aftercare Recovery Treatment?
Just because you completed treatment at a drug rehab facility doesn’t mean you can never seek treatment again. Seeking aftercare recovery treatment can be extremely beneficial to maintain your sobriety and help you resist any urges you may have to relapse.
Aftercare recovery treatment allows you to transition into daily life, while still receiving ongoing support to prevent you from relapsing. There are several options, from going to group therapy sessions to checking in with a counselor/mentor or attending recovery meetings which can all help you maintain long-term sobriety.
What Are Some Long-Term Goals For Sobriety?
The overarching long-term goal for recovering addicts is to maintain long-term sobriety. However, this is easier said than done. This is why setting long-term, SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) is important.
Some examples of long-term sobriety goals may include:
- I will spend 20 minutes each morning journaling or meditating.
- I will attend recovery meetings each week on X day at X time.
- I will see a therapist once a week.
- I will exercise for at least 30 minutes every day.
Long-term goals for sobriety may vary depending on your unique needs. You may be seeking external support from a mentor, therapist, or support group, from which you can set recovery goals to attend/ meet with that individual consistently. Or, you may have mental or physical health recovery goals that can also help you maintain your sobriety.
Rise in Malibu Offers Aftercare Planning in Southern California
There is no cure for addiction. While addiction recovery treatment can help an addict detox and learn the necessary skills to maintain sobriety, ongoing support is important. Seeking aftercare recovery treatment and setting long-term goals for sobriety to keep yourself accountable are essential to prevent you from relapsing.
At Rise in Malibu, we are a Malibu drug and alcohol treatment center committed to helping you throughout your recovery journey. Our team of highly experienced, compassionate addiction specialists is here to provide the individualized support and care you need to live a lasting life of sobriety.
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, contact us to learn how we can help you break free of addiction for good.