The period just after discharge from drug or alcohol treatment is notorious for relapse. One frequently noted reason is that addicts believe that after 30 days of sobriety, theyve beaten their addiction. Unfortunately, many then dispense with after-care, medications, therapy, and even AA/NA participation. Some question whether they were ever addicted, and soon test themselves with “just one” drink. As the adage goes, “One is never enough”; thus reentering a disastrous cycle of relapse and failure.
Addiction rehabilitation after-care is essential and provides invaluable support for people with chemical dependence, many of whom are re-joining the same environment that contributed to the problem. Rehabilitation after-care helps patients remain clean and sober in a goal-directed manner, ensures program compliance and addresses socio-emotional issues underlying the dependence.
Because relationship issues are the leading causes of relapse, after-care treatment must focus on addressing socio-emotional influences and helping addicts develop sober friendships. Additionally, the therapist helps families break behavioral patterns that supported/enabled their chemically-dependent member.
Co-Morbidities
Eating disorders and sex and gambling addictions frequently accompany addiction. In fact, these co-occurring morbidities involve many of the same cognitive, behavioral and physiological factors, and many patients are surprised by the potential pitfalls of seemingly unrelated activities. For instance, gambling triggers the same pleasure centers in the brain as cocaine. The powerful conditioning associated with gambling, which is variable reward conditioning in psychological terms, is also a factor in sex addictions.
Patients are impacted by issues including financial or social stressors and sometimes, an emotional disorder. When dealing with co-occurring disorders, both must be addressed simultaneously. Groups such as “Double-trouble” help patients to understand the contravening factors associated with mental illness and chemical dependence.
Young Adults are Most At Risk
In 2006, there were 2.4 million cocaine users aged 12 or older according to the Monitoring the Future survey (MTF) and the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), and the majority of patients entering treatment were 2024 years old (14.4 percent), followed by those 25 to 29 (14 percent) and 40 to 44 (13.9 percent).
One reason that adolescents are at particular risk of relapse is the criminal systems lighter treatment of youthful offenders. This keeps them from hitting bottom but also keeps them from feeling the motivation to stop their behavior. Adolescent substance abuse may also trigger or mask a burgeoning mental disorder such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, which often emerge in the late teen years or early adulthood. Adolescents are more prone to feelings of invulnerability and may come from a family where substance abuse is condoned and even enabled. Peer pressure too is more prevalent. Adolescents deal with stressors including puberty and pressure related to college admissions or work goals.
After care helps young addicts by addressing identification and re-establishment of core values, self acceptance and personal integrity, providing a variety of coping mechanisms, identification of emotional issues, needs and dependencies, and guiding patients to cope with negative emotions. Unlike adults, they may not have developed coping mechanisms because they started abusing at a young age. They need help to learn critical thinking, self-control, organization and time management.
Music Therapy: An Important Tool
Anxiety and depression frequently accompany addiction and affect how patients view their options. Recovering addicts need to identify and express emotions in meaningful ways. Music therapy, like other creative modalities, tends to help break through traditional defenses because patients simply find them less threatening.
Long used to help adults with brain injury and children with developmental disorders, music therapy in addiction after-care incorporates listening and discussion, song-writing, therapeutic music lessons, and music-video therapy. It is intrinsically rewarding, and helps patients explore identity, addiction and recovery in meaningful ways.
The United States is fighting a war on drug use that is perhaps even more important than the sale and distribution. Last year, the U.S. federal government spent $12 billion to fight drug abuse. After-care therapy is a critical component for patients battling to maintain sobriety.
