RECOVERY:
The process of treatment for drug addiction doesn’t end when the addict stops using drugs. During his or her stay in a treatment program, the addict must address medical, psychological, social, vocational and even legal problems that may all have played a part in initially turning to drugs. The onset of a problem in any of these areas could become a trigger for relapse, if they aren’t dealt with as part of a holistic approach to recovery.
These issues are frequently dealt with during treatment, and the recovering addict gains new insights and better social coping skills through participating in group counseling, where these tools can be practiced. Medical supervision during treatment will address physical and psychological issues, while one-on-one therapy with a counselor can also help the patient develop strategies to deal with vocational and legal problems.
Following release from the treatment facility, recovery will be an ongoing process. One reason many 12-Step programs encourage participants to find a sponsor is so the addict in recovery can benefit from the experience, strength and hope of someone with long-term sobriety.
Another benefit of transitional living is the support it provides recovering people to continue learning and practicing “sober behavior.” When the person was using drugs, his or her life was run on self-will. Getting to the next “high” was more important than being a loving and responsible family member or spouse, a hard worker or a thoughtful friend.
In sober living, the former addict is continually exposed to situations where self-will is no longer the proper or appropriate response. By seeing how other members of the household relate to one another, the individual can learn better ways of responding to those situations when they arise in his or her own life.
While it is possible to return to one’s daily life directly from a treatment center, transitional living provides greater support in nurturing new habits and positive thought processes. It allows the newly sober individual to plan for or practice new responses to old “triggering” situations. Many people have referred to the time they spent in sober living as an insurance policy on the sobriety they achieved during treatment.
Florida Transitional Living can be your insurance policy, too. For more information, contact us as (800) 231-8021. You'll be glad you did.