Co-occurring Addiction Aftercare Alumni Programs, Purpose, Benefits, Support

Mental Health Co-occurring Secondary Addiction Aftercare Purpose

For those suffering from mental health disorders with underlying secondary substance abuse, addiction aftercare is important. Achieving co-occurring addiction sobriety is a huge accomplishment.  But recovery from alcohol and drug addiction does not stop when the treatment period ends.  Taking measures to live a drug-free or alcohol-free lifestyle is a long-term commitment. Therefore, addiction treatment aftercare is an essential part of overall recovery.

Addiction Aftercare is any ongoing care the person receives after leaving rehab.  The most common forms are 12-step meetings, outpatient care, counseling, and sober living.  It is a plan to support someone in their early recovery, prevent relapse, and help them work toward their life goals. 

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) [1], individuals who take advantage of addiction aftercare services experience lower relapse rates than those who do not.  Also, there is convincing evidence that aftercare can be effective in sustaining the positive effects of the initial phase of care.

People in recovery also learn how to involve their families in their recovery, giving much-needed support by participating in self-help fellowships, celebrating the person’s successes, and encouraging healthy habits.

AAddiction Aftercare aims to:

• Help the recovering individuals cope with cravings during the period of abstinence.
• Educate them about the steps to reduce and manage cravings.
• Provide the necessary skills and lifestyle changes to prevent relapse.
• Help them find and engage in new social networks and peer-group programs under the guidance of a healthcare professional.
• Encourage them to engage in programs to aid self-reliance and smooth transition to a substance-free life.
• Help them identify possible triggers of addiction and gain coping skills to reduce the effects of the triggers.
• Promote community-based self-help support groups to aid social reintegration and maintain abstinence.
• Develop the physical and psychological wellbeing of recovering substance dependents.
• Help them live with a high degree of personal dignity and self-worth.
• Teach new skills to handle the stress.

Relapse Prevention

Relapse could happen during the Addiction Aftercare process and is defined as the use of a substance from a past addiction after a period of abstinence. A very well-known saying to keep in mind during moments of weakness is that things often get worse before they get better. Relapse is not is a sign of failure and does not mean that an individual is doomed to struggle with addiction their entire life.

If you have a co-occurring disorder like depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder, the temptation to revert to substance abuse to manage your symptoms is even stronger.  The main goal of aftercare is to prevent a relapse into drug or alcohol use.  By providing continuing counseling, group sessions, and other scheduled meetings, aftercare programs provide an extra level of accountability that helps ensure that the individual has not fallen back on an old habit.

Types of Co-occurring Secondary Addiction Aftercare

The appropriate type of addiction aftercare will depend greatly on the individual’s symptoms. Upon completion of the initial rehab program, one’s personalized needs and status will determine addiction aftercare treatment.

Sober Residences or Halfway House

Sober residences may be an appropriate aftercare option for people with risky home living situations or those who lack strong support at home. It is a transitional living facility that offers a safe, structured environment for people recovering from alcohol or drug addiction.

Sober residences also called sober living house or dry houses provide a safe and secure home after treatment. Halfway houses may adopt a 12-Step model of treatment. The duration of the program is between a day and three hundred twenty days. The significant benefits of this model include lower costs, a higher level of satisfaction in residents, and improved abstinence.

Outpatient Treatment

Outpatient treatment is an aftercare program. Clients generally attend treatment during the day and return home at night.  This option may be best for people who work, have childcare responsibilities, or have personal support that makes recovery possible without the intensity of residential treatment.  Options for outpatient treatment include:

Co-occuring Addiction Recovery Groups

It is a group of people who work together to overcome their addiction and prevent relapse.  

Some features of recovery groups match those of group counseling. These include group work and social skill development. These groups are typically non-professional.  These groups include people who are in recovery themselves or have gone through the same type of experiences. Their goal is to help each other. These options for aftercare include:

Family Support

Aftercare programs help provide support and instruction for the family members of recovering addicts. Unfortunately, there is still a great deal of tension between the individual and the family, caused by events that occurred during drug use.  Other times, the individual struggles to blend back into a “normal life,” which is causing stress for the family. In both these cases, aftercare programs provide counseling and advice for the family to help get them through this difficult time.

Take Control of Your Life Today. Our friendly mental health specialists won’t give up on you.  Let us help you or your loved one today – visit We Level Up FL to learn more about primary mental health & secondary co-occuring addiction aftercare treatment options.

Inpatient medical detox and residential primary addiction treatment may be available at our affiliated facility at Level Up Rehab Clinic West Palm Beach. For some primary behavioral health treatment clients, medical detox and or addiction rehab may be required first.  If you have a co-occurring severe substance abuse diagnosis, please contact us prior to beginning inpatient mental health therapy.

Programs, services, and treatments vary. We Level Up FL is a primary mental health center offering co-occurring treatments. We treat the entirety of behavioral health disorders including their secondary corresponding illnesses to improve long-term recovery outcomes. Get a free mental health assessment and find out what treatment options are most suitable for you. Call to learn more.