Discovery Place’s continuing care and aftercare program for substance abuse in the Nashville area provides ongoing support. It also provides direction, and encouragement for our alumni in their first year of recovery. Providing support after formal treatment ends elevates a person’s ability to stay strong in their sobriety. For this reason, we make sure the people we treat have the opportunity to take advantage of our aftercare programs.
Addiction Aftercare Programs
Addiction treatment is not a process that ends after detox, or even the initial rehab program. Living a drug-free life requires a long-term commitment. As part of that commitment, aftercare programs are an important part of a person’s recovery journey.
The term “aftercare” describes any ongoing or follow-up treatment for substance abuse. It occurs after the initial addiction treatment program. No matter the setting, treatment provider, or methods, the goals of any aftercare program should include:
- Ways to maintain recovery from substance abuse
- Skills to cope and prevent relapse
- Approaches to strengthen relationships and achieve a sense of purpose in life
One reason why addiction aftercare programs are so important is that, in many cases, long-term substance abuse can alter normal brain functioning. Some of these alterations do not automatically reverse once the substance abuse stops. The physical impact of addiction comes with serious psychological changes.
These changes can affect a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. An effective aftercare program addresses these changes and alterations. As a result, people are enabled to prepare for and cope with these if and when they arise.
What Does Aftercare Consist Of?
Our aftercare program for substance abuse near Nashville acts as a continuation of the treatment received by an individual via formal care. The goal is to make sure a person has a plan for continuing to work on their recovery over the long term. Treatment facilities with aftercare programs provide vital services as people transition to their regular lives.
Some aftercare programs consist of helping a patient make plans for the care they will receive after they end treatment. Suggestions can be made for what will work best for them. Then, staff members can assist with making arrangements for it. Aftercare programs provide a healthy bridge between initial treatment and the time frame when a person no longer receives addiction treatment. Lastly, aftercare programs prepare them to thrive when that time comes.
Benefits of Aftercare Programs
When a person only briefly seeks treatment for their substance use disorder, they place themselves at risk of relapsing. Our aftercare program is committed to helping alumni accomplish sobriety throughout their first year of recovery.
Benefits of aftercare programs include:
Relapse reduction: One of the biggest benefits of an aftercare program involves how it reduces the rate of relapse. Research demonstrates that men who stay sober for one year dramatically increase their chances of remaining sober for a lifetime.
Accountability: For many people, having check-ins fosters an elevated sense of accountability. People want to do well in recovery and enjoy reporting their progress to those who understand staying sober.
Help with life challenges: Once a person migrates back into their daily lives, challenges come up. Additionally, these can be related to things like jobs or schooling, relationships, and planning for the future. Aftercare reps can help brainstorm ideas to make sound decisions, keeping recovery in focus.
Knowing someone cares: A sense of loneliness occurs during addiction and can settle in again once a person ends treatment. Aftercare programs provide caring outreach. In turn, this increases a person’s need to know that others care about them and can provide assistance.
How Do I Know If I Need Aftercare?
Our aftercare program for substance abuse around Nashville can benefit just about anyone, regardless of how much time they spent on their initial treatment. Aftercare proves particularly beneficial to those who only attend one treatment program. It also benefits those who attended programs for a short amount of time.
People who finish detox are often lured into thinking they have completed all necessary treatment. For them, aftercare provides a way to stay strong in their recovery once they return home. Aftercare consists of moving into a sober living home, which allows people to road-test their sobriety.
In addition, it addresses the temptations to relapse while they still live in a safe and monitored environment. A person who returns home to a living situation often needs aftercare to help them navigate stressful situations. Aftercare programs for substance abuse can be a lifeline for those coping with life after addiction. Activities like ongoing individual or group therapy offer an outlet to discuss feelings.
Also, they instill healthy coping skills. That is why those enjoying lifelong sobriety often use aftercare for months or even years after addiction treatment. Aftercare has no downside. For example, the benefits include attending outpatient sessions several days a week, weekly 12-Step meetings, and the ability to call alumni reps of their treatment center.
Types of Aftercare Programs for Substance Abuse
Discovery Place incorporates an aftercare program for substance abuse in the Nashville area into its treatment plans. This provides a blanket of care that covers patients after graduation. Before our 30-day residential rehab program, our staff works with guests to formulate a detailed aftercare plan.
Designed to allow our guests to sustain their sobriety, aftercare programs can consist of things like:
- 12-Step recovery meetings in their area
- Working on completing the 12 Steps
- Sponsorship
- Ongoing events and communication with Discovery Place
- Planning for peaceful activities such as meditation and prayer
For approximately one month after the 30-day program, our alumni receive weekly check-in calls. This helps to document their progress in recovery. We offer encouragement, validation, and any needed advice or direction. Weekly phone calls serve to reinforce the recovery spirit in a man’s first 30 days outside of Discovery Place.
Once our alumni transition into their second month out of the 30-day program, Discovery Place staff make check-in calls once a month up until the 90-day mark. Following that, they make one call in the following 90-day to six-month period, and then another phone call at the one-year mark. During these calls, we make inquiries concerning our former guests’ sobriety, document the results, and offer encouragement if needed.
In addition to providing ongoing support, our aftercare program allows us to measure the success of our programs. We are pleased to report that over the past three years, 61% of Discovery Place alumni are sober. To add, this is a year after leaving our residential and long-term programs.
Join Our Aftercare Program for Substance Abuse in Nashville, TN
Drug and alcohol addiction treatment doesn’t just end as soon as formal care concludes. Aftercare programs for substance abuse (from opioids like fentanyl, to stimulants like meth or alcohol) allow individuals to continue the important work they began in their treatment programs. This improves their chances of staying sober for life.
Contact Discovery Place to get started with our unique program. We are proud to teach men how to embrace sobriety and remain strong in it long after they leave.
