Who Will Benefit from Extended Care Rehab?

Some patients who recently completed a treatment program likely assume that they received all the tools needed to maintain their sobriety. Others will humbly admit that they need additional help, and will begin to wonder what’s next after the completion of conventional addiction treatment? Extended care rehab could provide the much-needed structure for smoothly acclimating back into society, and staying drug-free in the process.

What is Extended Care Rehab?

Extended care programs are programs that help individuals maintain their sobriety. It also means that patients seek treatment for extended periods of time. That extra time can help you or your loved one focus on getting better. By having these extended options, you are given the opportunity to master your recovery/life skills and reduce your chance of relapse. For many, this is the ideal option when transitioning out from inpatient or outpatient rehab to a life of normalcy. Surfside’s extended care will provide a safe, structured environment for those moving from addiction recovery to a life that is theirs for the taking. Our program is best described as an action driven phase program. Our extended care rehab is broken up into 3 key phases.

1: Phase One–The Rebuild Phase

This phase is about becoming sober. It’s more than just not using. In this phase, one will learn how to rebuild their character, seek guidance, and ask for help whenever it’s needed.

2: Phase Two-The Rediscovery Phase

Staying sober requires your active participation and ability to overcome challenges. During this phase, patients will take what they learned and try new activities. Residents are also required to complete specific steps through readings and with their sponsor. 

3: Phase Three-Recovery Phase

As we know, recovery is an ever going process. In the final phase, residents will acquire the necessary skills to set a steady space for their recovery goals, which seeks to prevent burnout in the face of adversity. 

Why Extended Care Rehab is Efficient

Anyone that completes a substance abuse treatment program is provided with a variety of tools that will serve them in their life and recovery. These tools allow you to successfully omit alcohol and drugs from your life. It’s very easy to maintain this drive and unwavering focus in the midst of treatment–but once it ends, that recovery support system begins to wane, unless you pursue continued care. When receiving professional help in extended care rehab, it will help participants overcome these barriers and reinforce the skills they were previously taught. Researchers conducted a study on sober living and extended care programs and found that many of its participants maintained their sobriety, but the improvements didn’t stop here. Patients also had fewer arrests, reduced psychiatric symptoms, and vast improvements in employment. The studies had followed patients over an 18-month period. 

The Types of Programs

Extended care programs are varied. They may incorporate extended stays at treatment facilities that exceed the standard 30, 60, 90 day cycles, or it could refer to post treatment methods designed to help the individual live a sober life. It may include outpatient therapy sessions, sober living communities, support group meetings, or management of medication. Of the aforementioned, sober living communities provide the most help. 

These environments facilitate healthy interactions between the patient and medical professionals, and the person receiving treatment will also abide by a core set of rules and regulations during their stay. They may be required to maintain a job, do household chores, go to group meetings, attend individual therapy and much more. For people who were deeply entrenched in the disarray of addiction, these lifestyle changes can be truly remarkable.

Who Benefits from Extended Care Rehab?

Almost anyone could benefit from extended care from sober living, but those with the following attributes could especially benefit from longer care programs:

• Patients with susceptibility to severe withdrawal symptoms
• Co-occurring medical conditions
• Lack of success in shorter addiction treatment programs
• Unstable home environment

The above-mentioned attributes could make for a more arduous recovery process if proper intervention doesn’t occur. Unstable home environments could lead to triggers and relapse, so avoiding these environments while in the early stages of recovery is for the best. The other attributes will vary from person to person, but they still warrant intense forms of therapy.

Staying Motivated: Embarking on the road to Recovery

It can be difficult to remain committed to long-term treatment programs, especially if the patient feels that their treatment program is going on for too long. They may want to break away from the rigid protocols of staying sober, so that they can experience the day to day of a normal life. However, controlling an addiction is a lifelong battle. Reminding patients of this reality will motivate them to continue to work at it, regardless of how long a program can last. At Surfside Structured Sober Living, we know sustained recovery is possible, and we will provide you with the tools to be successful. For more information, contact us today!