Preparing For Life After Rehab

Substance abuse disorders, alcoholism, and addiction are progressive and chronic. Addiction can impact your physical health, finances, and relationships. Substance abuse can also increase your risk of experiencing an overdose and reduce your quality of life. Attending a substance abuse treatment program is the best way to improve your chances of recovery. Treatment programs specialize in giving you the tools you need to cope with triggers and help you with preparing for life after rehab. A life skills training program in NJ can also help you in preparing for life after rehab. 

How Addiction Works

Substance abuse disorders cause users to compulsively use drugs and/or alcohol despite experiencing repeated negative consequences and having a strong desire to quit. Drugs and alcohol cause your brain to release a rush of pleasurable neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA. These neurotransmitters are responsible for the rush of intoxication.

However, when you continue to use drugs and alcohol, your brain’s pleasure and reward changes and begins to associate your substance of choice with pleasure. This causes your brain to reward your drug and alcohol use, and punish your abstinence by controlling the release of your neurotransmitters.

This process causes significant neurotransmitter imbalances, which can impact your behavior and impair your judgment. Drugs and alcohol increase your risk-taking behavior, which can lead to serious legal and financial consequences. Additionally, drugs and alcohol are both physically and psychologically addicting, meaning that treatment is necessary in order to recover.

If you become physically dependent on your substance of choice, you can experience painful withdrawal symptoms if you immediately stop using it. Withdrawal symptoms can include:

• Intensified cravings
• Insomnia and exhaustion
• Restlessness, depression, and anxiety
• Vomiting, digestive issues, and nausea
• Tremors, shakes, and seizures

Withdrawal symptoms can last for several days or for as long as several weeks. Once you complete the withdrawal process, treatment focuses on providing you with the guidance, coping skills, and tools necessary to remain clean and sober following treatment. Preparing for life after rehab starts the day you begin treatment and is an important part of relapse prevention planning.

Preparing for Life After Rehab

Outpatient substance abuse programs can last anywhere from several weeks to several months, depending on your needs. The risk of relapsing is high during early recovery, which is why preparing for life after rehab is a central part of your treatment plan. It is important to ensure that you maintain healthy relationships, avoid people who use drugs and alcohol, and have a supportive living arrangement when you complete rehab.

It is common to experience unstable employment during active addiction, which means creating a plan for how to support yourself financially is a great way to support your recovery. Addiction can cause you to neglect your responsibilities, which means learning how to balance your daily needs can help limit your stress during early recovery. Stress is one of the most common triggers, meaning employing effective life skills can greatly improve your chances of recovery.

Finding Help Today

If you are trapped in addiction, finding help is the first step in the recovery process. Substance abuse treatment programs in NJ provide you with the support and skills you need to navigate sobriety. Preparing for life after rehab ensures that you have a plan to manage your recovery successfully. To find out more about your treatment options, call us today at [Direct].