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Options for Drug Rehab Aftercare in North Carolina

Medically Verified: 2/1/24

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All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.

Attending drug and alcohol rehab is the most important step anyone will take in their recovery journey, but it is not the ultimate cure for addiction. Recovery from substance use disorder is a lifetime process, so a 30 to 90-day stay in an addiction treatment facility is not effective when utilized by itself. Because living a successful sober life takes time, adjustment, and changed behaviors, recovery is a long process. However, when combined with aftercare planning and strategies, individuals will experience the joys of long-term sobriety.[1]

Individuals tend to have a difficult time once they are released from the safety of an addiction treatment facility. This is because they become accustomed to being able to fully focus on their recovery, rather than navigating life stressors and substance use disorders simultaneously. When individuals leave treatment, they need to have an outline of coping mechanisms and continued care strategies to help them navigate everyday triggers. Fortunately, drug rehab aftercare programs in North Carolina consider these factors and more.

What Services are Offered in Aftercare Programs?

Individuals suffering from a substance use disorder often experience systemic and ongoing issues related to maintaining their sobriety. For example, individuals may have a hard time finding a job, securing affordable housing, and maintaining healthy relationships. Additionally, individuals recovering from addiction may be facing legal issues that are extremely stressful to navigate on their own. Unfortunately, stress is one of the leading triggers for substance abuse and often leads to relapse without proper coping mechanisms in place.[2]

Most drug rehab aftercare programs in North Carolina offer the following services to ensure recovering addicts live stress- and drug-free lifestyles:

  • Career counseling and support
  • Legal advice, support, and case management
  • Drug and alcohol testing
  • Life coaching, such as help with setting and reaching goals
  • Community building
  • Academic support
  • Continued mental health and addiction counseling
  • Financial planning and budgeting help

Aftercare planning is designed to provide recovering addicts with a support system that they may not have otherwise. By helping individuals with career issues, finances, schooling, legal troubles, and mental health, aftercare eliminates unnecessary worry and stress.

An Overview of Drug Rehab Aftercare Options in North Carolina

Similar to addiction treatment programs, there are also many different forms of drug rehab aftercare. Each form of aftercare is beneficial in its way and tends to provide the same form of overall support.

Facility-Based Programs

If you are currently enrolled in an addiction treatment facility, they likely offer an aftercare program to patients transitioning out of rehab. Each facility will provide a different level of aftercare planning, however, most drug rehab facilities offer extensive aftercare services.

Examples of aftercare services offered at facility-based programs include sober-living opportunities, continued therapy, medical evaluations, and alumni support groups. It is important to note that some facilities also offer case management, which is designed to help individuals find jobs, secure housing, and deal with pending legal issues.

Sober Living Programs

Sober living programs are defined as residential facilities for individuals who are recovering from alcohol or drug addiction. While some sober living homes are associated with addiction treatment facilities, others operate independently. Most sober living homes in North Carolina are designed for six months to a year of residency, however, some programs may offer more long-term options. These programs are known to increase the likelihood of long-term sobriety and are highly recommended to help individuals navigate the transition from rehab to normal life.

Most sober living homes have a person in charge who creates and enforces the rules, often referred to as a house mom or dad. However, some operate as a democracy, with collectively obtained rules and procedures. Both forms of sober living provide good outcomes. Additionally, these homes are mainly gender-specific.

While each sober living home will have its own rules, there are a few requirements that are common among all of these programs. These include:

  • A promise to remain sober, upheld by routine drug and alcohol testing
  • A strict curfew
  • Having a job
  • Attending sober support groups a certain amount of times per week
  • Contributing to household chores on a set schedule

Individualized Therapy

Therapy and counseling sessions typically occur daily while an individual attends drug rehab. Because of this, individuals need to continue to attend therapy at least once a week. As time goes on, individuals may reduce the frequency of therapy sessions to biweekly and monthly as they become more secure in their sobriety. Attending therapy is especially important for individuals who suffer from co-occurring mental health conditions.

Support Groups

It is always recommended for recovering alcoholics and addicts to attend support groups after finishing treatment. To explain, support groups are groups of recovering addicts who meet and discuss shared issues related to their substance abuse recovery. For example, individuals may discuss issues such as how they realized they had a drug problem to everyday life stressors and how they cope with them. Support groups offer recovering individuals a safe space to feel understood, find new methods of healthy coping, and a place for them to go when times get tough and they need extra support.[3]

Examples of addiction support groups include:

  • 12-step fellowships (Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous, and more)
  • Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART Recovery)
  • Women for Sobriety
  • Secular Organizations for Sobriety (S.O.S)
  • Moderation Management
  • LifeRing Secular Recovery

Find the Right Drug Rehab Aftercare Program in North Carolina Today

If you or a loved one are completing addiction treatment soon, please consider attending some form of drug rehab aftercare in North Carolina. At Carolina Recovery Center, we offer a facility-based aftercare program to help our patients transition back into their normal lives. We consider each patient’s unique needs and experiences to help them develop a full continuum of care that works. Contact us today to get started.

References:

  1.  https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/10826088509047759
  2.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3788822/
  3.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5047716/

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