One of the biggest stages of accomplishments that an addict can achieve is when they become sober after receiving addiction treatment.   

However, when they can successfully withdraw from substances like drugs or alcohol, they still need a proper follow-up system that ensures their sobriety becomes permanent.

Aftercare treatment is an ongoing treatment that recovering addicts need when they become sober. Going for aftercare treatment helps them to apply the necessary coping skills to prevent them from getting addicted.

One of the key players in aftercare treatment is the counselor. They work closely with the patient to achieve their sobriety goals.

Here are some important roles the counselor plays in aftercare treatment

Boost your motivation for recovery

The counselor encourages you to remain sober and reminds you of the reason why you opted for addiction treatment in the first place.

When you feel that you’ve lost the drive to keep yourself from abusing substances or engaging in addictive behaviors, the counselor steps in to save the situation.

Teach/Remind you coping skills

When patients achieve initial sobriety, one of the best ways they can sustain it is to keep applying coping skills. Some of them who don’t apply these skills might end up getting addicted again.

It is one of the responsibilities of the counselor to remind patients of coping skills that would help them manage challenging situations that are likely to cause a relapse.

Improve confidence level and self-esteem

Another importance of counseling during aftercare treatment is to help patients achieve confidence and build positive self-esteem.

When some patients leave the rehab, they might have self-esteem issues that could prevent them from achieving their personal goals, rebuilding relationships, etc. With counseling, they will be reminded of their worth, and why they are special in this world.

Counseling also helps patients to get back on cordial terms with their loved ones, handle peer pressure, identify underlying health problems, and learn skills that will change their lives for the better.

When people recover from addiction, they need all the help they can get to prevent a relapse from happening. Usually, a relapse is likely to occur when the individual does not implement the necessary coping skills that can prevent addiction from happening a second time.

With some of the health tips that will be mentioned below, recovering addicts can stop a relapse from happening.

Eat a healthy diet

One of the most important health tips that help to prevent relapse is to eat nourishing food. Ensure that your diet contains the major classes of food like fruits, vegetables, fats, protein, carbohydrates, etc.

When you eat a healthy diet, it allows your organs to function optimally. Your mental and emotional health too will not be left out because a healthy diet reduces the chances of getting addicted.

Get enough sleep

Another health tip you need to prioritize is getting sufficient sleep. A good rule of thumb is to ensure you sleep between seven to eight hours per day. Improving the rate at which you sleep helps to improve your well-being, reduce the risk of disease, and make you more productive.

Get physically active

If you find yourself getting fatigued or stressed regularly, you need to get regular exercise so that you don’t adopt unhealthy habits. You can spend between 100-150 minutes each week exercising at home or the gym.

Regular exercise comes with several benefits that affect your physical, mental, and emotional health. It also keeps you sober and reduces the chances of a relapse.

Join a support network

Most rehabs have a support network that allows people to be accountable to one another and the therapist in charge. When you join a support network, you will see other individuals like you who are equally working hard to keep their addicted lifestyle behind them.

You can exchange contacts with people in your support network to keep up with their lifestyle and also get motivated by their drive to remain sober permanently.

Introduction

As with other parts of America, Michigan is also affected by the addiction epidemic. In 2018, there was a 27% increase in drug possession-related crimes within two years. According to a ranking done in 2013, Michigan ranked 10th in America for drug use problems.

Due to the rising tide of substance abuse in Michigan, there has an increased need for counseling services for addicts.

With help from the private sector, meaningful steps are being taken in the state to help addicts.

Within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), there is the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Section (SAPTS), which provides technical assistance to inpatient rehabilitation service providers and the public.

Here are some of the addiction counseling services available in Michigan. 

Addiction Counseling Services Available in Michigan

The Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Section (SAPTS) is at the forefront of providing counseling to addicts.

Apart from providing funding and technical assistance to the service providers, they provide counseling services to people who suffer from addiction. They also offer specialized services for youths and women.

In Michigan, substance abuse counselors need to be certified by the Michigan Certification Board for Addiction Professionals (MCBAP). The different certifications available are

– Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)

– Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC)

– Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS)

– Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS)

– Certified Prevention Consultant-Reciprocal (CPC-R)

– Certified Peer Recovery Mentor (CPRM)

Some certified addiction counseling centers in Michigan include

– Dr. Debra Lewis, Psychologist, and Addiction Therapist, located in Troy, MI

– Pacific Substance Abuse Assessments and Treatment Services located in Jackson, MI

– J & A Counseling and Evaluation located in Midland, MI

– Michigan Counseling Group located in Warren, MI

– New Day Counseling located in Troy, MI

– Gratiot Psychological Services located in Alma, MI

– Landmark Therapy LLC located in Troy, MI

– Grand Rapids Counseling Services located in Grand Rapids, MI

– Transcendence Behavioral Health located in Livonia, MI

Introduction

Treating addiction is a multistep process. It is beyond detoxification. For effective treatment and rehabilitation, there is a need for follow-up.

What is “Aftercare”? Aftercare describes follow-up treatment after the initial rehab treatment for people who suffer from addiction.

The treatment process occurs in a residential setting within a controlled environment and for a specific period. After the treatment period, the patient has to go back to their old environment. For proper treatment, the rehab has to follow up their treatment with the patient.

In this article, we will explore the importance of aftercare treatment.

Importance of Aftercare Treatment

The three basic steps in addiction treatment are Detox – Inpatient Treatment – Aftercare Program.  

When people suffer from substance addiction, these toxic substances accumulate within the body. The first step in treating these people is Detox. During detox, these substances are safely cleared out of the body system via medical procedures. After detox, inpatient treatment occurs.

During inpatient treatment, various methods are adopted to restructure the person mentally. Three months of inpatient treatment may not be sufficient to cure a drug addiction problem of 10 years hence the need for long-term recovery plans.

In the Aftercare Treatment, patients are guided on how to

– Continue their recovery journey

– Prevent relapse

Addiction starts as a habit; habits are formed from people’s responses to cues in their environment.

This is why relapse is possible when people move back to their old environment after treatment at the rehabilitation centers. The aftercare program helps the recovering addict form new habits within their old environment and avoid the trigger factors.

During proper aftercare, there should be support groups for recovering addicts. To help them build their mental resilience against their trigger factors. Recovering patients should have access to counseling therapists and group therapy sessions.  

Relapse “refers to returning to the use of an addictive substance or behavior, such as cigarette smoking.” But what some people fail to understand is that relapse doesn’t just happen all of a sudden – for there is a certain set of stages that it follows before doing so. In turn, the build-up of repressed thoughts – or even one fateful occurrence – can cause a plethora of problems for a recovering addict, but relapse comes through two stages being; 1. emotional, and 2. mental. 

First and foremost is emotional relapse which is where the person may begin to repress certain feelings or thoughts about something. One example of this is if the addict begins to find himself/herself feeling lonely – or depressed – and doesn’t think that anyone else will rightfully understand what he/she is going through. It is during this time that he/she may isolate himself/herself from the outside world – which can be a set up for relapse if he/she is not careful. That’s why it’s so important to express emotion in a healthy way – while in the recovery process – rather than to try and keep it contained. 

Second is mental relapse – which can be very dangerous. When you are in this stage you begin to think about a variety of things – such as reusing the substance you’re addicted to, no matter whether it’s drugs, alcohol, or both. Not only that, but you’ll begin to war with your own conscious – as you try and overcome the old habit that comes back to mind. In turn, this stage houses a much greater consequence – because after it is where the actual relapse itself is soon to follow, in the form of the third stage being; physical relapse. 

In conclusion, it’s important to have a sense of understanding in regard to these stages of relapse. In doing so, you are able to get the help you need – no matter whether you’re a new addict or one in recovery. Besides, when you have an idea of what relapse looks like in its early stages – of mental and emotional – you are more equipped to stop it before it reaches the later stages of physical. You don’t have to try and battle addiction on your own – or feel ashamed by your urges to relapse. In those moments remind yourself why you quit using in the first place; call a friend, preoccupy yourself, or other such things. You’ll be glad you did.

For those who are currently struggling with addiction, or have struggled with addiction in the past, cold weather can pose as more of a problem than one might expect. For, it is during the cold months, when a small amount of light shines through the overcast of clouds, that many who face seasonal depression, and even those who don’t, begin to notice a change within their mood. Some might not understand it, while others might not even be aware of the effect that the weather has on them, but it does, and creeps in ever so slowly, making it difficult for recovering addicts, as well as new ones. This can be seen especially in the area of Michigan, as the substance abuse outweighs the amount of rehab centers. For, even in googling Michigan rehab, several of small red dots scatter themselves clear across the state map.

Sadly, according to one recent article dating back to May 14, 2018 “one study found that Michigan ranks fourth in the United States for states with the highest drug use in 2018.” And although weather isn’t the only factor to blame, it can still make a big difference as it causes individuals to experience “Lethargy, Difficulty concentrating, Oversleeping, Depression, and Anxiety.” This often happens as a result of individuals being unable to get outside, and/or getting active like they normally would, as they find themselves trapped inside due to cold conditions.  

In turn, this is a season in which it becomes hard for individuals to keep busy, and begin to lack activities to take part in. As a result, this can cause addicts to relapse, especially if they are prone to spending the holidays alone, while people they would normally engage with travel home for the holidays. In fact, loneliness, boredom, and other such feelings/emotions that one might experience during the holiday season can pose as a trigger causing addicts to potentially relapse.

In Detroit, the average annual snowfall for one year totals at 42.7. Detroit’s worst snow storm totals up to be 24.5 inches, with the second being 19.3 inches. In addition, Michigan is known for temperatures in the single digits, as well as in the negatives. As a result, the pain and uncomfortability that addicts might feel as a result of the cold, can also cause them to turn to drugs or alcohol to numb the pain, or to keep warm. In relation to alcohol, many might feel warm by drinking it, but even though it feels as though their body temperature is rising, it in fact “lowers the core temperature of your body”.

In conclusion, the cold weather that the people of Michigan are faced with can very well cause a plethora of other factors to come into play, and affect several struggling with substance abuse, no matter whether it comes in the form of alcohol, drugs, or both. That’s why it is so important that one makes sure to find healthy ways to keep their addiction at bay in the midst of such months, and surround themselves with people, and things that keep their joy up, rather than to isolate themselves indoors from the world that surrounds them. When you feel the urge to self indulge, and try to forget what ever may be bothering you, think of checking in with a drug alcohol rehabilitation facility for more information.