Scientific American asks if rehabilitation successfully treats clients with Alcohol Use Disorder or other substance use disorders. They arrive at a strong conclusion: yes, and the success of an individual’s addiction treatment aftercare program depends on the willingness of that individual to participate, as well as including the strength of the discharge plan.
Each person’s discharge plan varies depending on their specific needs. Certified interventionist, recovery coach, and Business Development Representative of Banyan Treatment Centers, John Roesch, helps clients establish recovery goals, and suggests the appropriate tools to achieve those goals amid their battle with substance abuse.
5 Tips for Sustained Recovery After Rehab
As clients prepare to rebuild their life, Roesch lays out a few critical components necessary for a smooth transition into recovery after completing inpatient or residential rehabilitation.
1. Plan Their Next Step
According to Roesch, when undergoing treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder or Substance Use DIsorder, many people experience a “treatment bubble.” He names it a treatment bubble “because you’re just eating, drinking, and sleeping recovery treatment, and then you get discharged. Then you’re back with the people, places, and things in the environment that got you into detox or residential treatment program in the first place.”
Finding safe housing after completing inpatient treatment can help soften the feelings of uncertainty that clients might experience immediately post discharge. Securing a supportive living environment can improve their mental health, and help them stay committed to their discharge plan.
A client named Jack agrees with the importance of having a plan after treatment. “After you get out of that treatment setting,” says Jack, “it gives you the ability to really lengthen that runway of your sobriety.” He continues to emphasize that having a plan in place gave “the opportunity to hold myself accountable and ensure those around me feel safe and aware that I am, in fact, sober.”
Why Planning is Important
The discharge planning process should start long before the day a client actually leaves their addiction treatment center. Putting a detailed discharge plan into place avoids a “last-minute scramble,” says John, and helps to promote peace of mind and confidence for moving forward.
Whether it’s finding an addiction psychiatrist or therapist to improve mental health, an outpatient program, or just a stable living environment, putting the pieces of the discharge plan into place as soon as possible helps create a clear guideline to follow.
2. Find Your Client’s Support Group
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To navigate the early stages of recovery while minimizing the risk of relapse, it’s crucial to find a support system. The early stages of a client’s recovery can be one of the most challenging periods in their lifetime. Having the ability to interact with other people going through the same changes reinforces the importance of maintaining sobriety.
The American Society of Addiction Medicine emphasizes the importance of connection to others. Finding a support group like a twelve-step recovery group can help improve mental health by putting clients into contact with other individuals working on the same steps as they are. Online recovery communities, such as Loosid or In the Rooms can also be beneficial for clients who prefer or want digital interactions from the comfort of their own home. Participating in recovery meetings, finding supportive in-person or virtual communities, and connecting with people who can relate to the challenges of early recovery are all key elements to removing the potential of isolation in early recovery. As one example, The ASAM also says that support group participation “opens the door to ‘AA-related activities’ such as volunteer service to one’s AA ‘home group’ or AA ‘clubhouse’ and involvement with AA-related social events, retreats, and local and state conventions.”
Having the help of a sponsor, a support group, and family and friends can make a huge difference in the success of addiction aftercare treatment.
3. Manage Your Client’s Medication
Using medication to control Alcohol Use Disorder can benefit clients in recovery and potentially help to reduce their urge to abuse alcohol.* Because there are differing opinions regarding medication use in addiction treatment aftercare, each individual should carefully consider this option. Combining medication with discharge planning and support groups might prove beneficial for many clients.
Explore Symptoms Contributing to Increased Alcohol Use
Besides medications that relate directly to the suppression of alcohol-related cravings, many clients may benefit from the prescription of antidepressants. These types of medications may help treat a secondary cause that has been contributing to increased alcohol use. Medical management with pharmacotherapy can allow clients to treat Alcohol Use Disorder from many different angles, furthering their journey to long-term recovery.
4. Foster Communication
Continually having the ability to communicate with a support group, family therapy, a twelve-step program, or any other outlet for communication is a huge factor in creating positive recovery habits. Overcoming obstacles and learning effective communication in recovery can be difficult, as clients work through emotions and patterns they’ve developed throughout their lives. Learning empathy, positive self-talk, how to uplift others, and skills such as assertiveness can establish boundaries and help with stress management.
Identify Triggers
Continuous communication can identify other known triggers that could hinder a client’s recovery and the discharge planning process. “Sometimes, once the primary Substance Use Disorder is being treated, other addictions that may have been secondary can become more prominent,” says Roesch.
“Like a food disorder, eating disorder, sex addictions, gambling addictions, that should be a conversation and something to be aware of.” Not only will communicating help connect clients to their peers, and increase their support system’s understanding of their specific diagnoses, but open and honest communication can also reveal secondary factors to address during the creation of a discharge plan.
For a client named Phil, consistent communication from Soberlink acted as a great deterrent for triggers. “I got wired differently by having that measure on me,” he explains. “Blowing in that machine was the amend to my mother. It was the amend to my family. It was the proof of my sincerity of my recovery. It felt so good having that proof in my life and for others that they could rest easy knowing that I’m not cheating in my program.”
5. Put Your Accountability Tools into Place
Incorporating accountability tools and establishing supportive relationships bolsters the possibility of achieving long-term lasting recovery. Finding the right combination of support, whether it is with a sponsor or recovery coach, support groups, medication, recovery apps, or other new technologies, these personal tools all synergistically encourage positive aftercare outcomes.
Implement Remote Alcohol Monitoring Technology
Accountability is, in many cases, directly linked to success, so incorporating remote alcohol monitoring tools like Soberlink is a key part of the discharge planning process. “When a client starts going back to real-life scenarios, [Soberlink] really is a way to put that thought bubble, as a reminder that ‘Okay, I’m working on getting continuous sobriety together.’ With the daily reminders from Soberlink, it helps to keep putting those consecutive 24 hours of sobriety together,” says Roesch.
How it Works
A discreet system like Soberlink can also help to ease the tension in scenarios where clients are highly motivated to start earning back trust, whether that trust is between family and loved ones, or an employer and colleagues. The convenient alcohol testing device combined with the cloud-based management software sends real-time results using facial recognition technology, making it easier to remain accountable without disrupting a client’s lifestyle. Having the ability to customize testing schedules, notifications, and report settings make it a powerful recovery tool.
The Importance Reliability
For a client named John, having a technology like Soberlink that would detect his attempts to tamper was really important. “As any true addict would do,” he explains, “I tried tampering with it. I tried everything I could and I couldn’t get away with it. This is pretty much foolproof, tamper-proof, and therefore there’s really no way to go around Soberlink.” This reliability is the cornerstone of Soberlink’s technology, as there are no other options with the same level of security to help rebuild trust. “My relationship with my immediate family,” continues John, “I’ve regained their trust. I’ve regained security in the house.”
Experience Improved Outcomes
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Roesch says “Soberlink helped especially with these situations for accountability purposes just to make sure that the treatment program plan doesn’t fall by the wayside...it’s helpful to be mindful that you always have one foot firmly in your recovery program.”
“The opposite of the isolation of addiction is connection,” says Roesch. Soberlink makes the transition into addiction treatment aftercare possible by allowing clients to step back into their lives using inconspicuous technology and personalized care.
With the proper accountability tools in place, you or your loved one’s discharge plan will have a valuable layer of support by incorporating Soberlink Remote Alcohol Monitoring. The journey of recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder is a process that requires dedication and determination. Soberlink is an opportunity to demonstrate accountability and rebuild trust while creating a life in recovery from alcohol.
Learn More About Discharge Planning with Soberlink
To learn more about how you can integrate Soberlink as an accountability tool for your client’s discharge plan, book a lunch and learn with one of our dedicated reps.
Join thousands of Treatment Professionals who trust Soberlink in helping clients achieve lasting recovery, and in being the first to know when they may need some additional help.
*Consult a physician before considering treatment with medication.
About the Author
Soberlink supports accountability for sobriety through a comprehensive alcohol monitoring system. Combining a breathalyzer with wireless connectivity, the portable design and technology includes facial recognition, tamper detection and real-time reporting. Soberlink proves sobriety with reliability to foster trust and peace of mind.