3 Important Steps to Take After IOP

Intensive outpatient programs are a major stage in the recovery process for people who suffer from addiction. During treatment, clients are educated about the importance of seeking support and help after IOP. This can be the crucial difference between staying healthy and struggling to maintain sobriety. If you are participating in an IOP or have recently completed a course of treatment, here are some important steps you should take.

Steps to Take After IOP

• 1. Enroll in some type of aftercare program. After IOP, you will most likely feel confident in your ability to manage your addiction, and you will be optimistic about the future. However, recovery is a perpetual journey, and you will find it easier to stay in control if you seek out the many resources that are available to help you.After IOP, you have a wide variety of aftercare programs to participate in. These include joining groups like AA, NA or the SMART recovery program. You should pick the ones that you feel best suit you.
• 2. Prepare a plan of action should you yield to cravings. While you will feel optimistic after IOP, there is a real risk of relapse. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that that 40-60 percent of people in recovery are likely to relapse after addiction treatment. This rate is roughly equivalent to the rates for other chronic illnesses such as asthma or diabetes.Relapse is rarely a sudden occurrence. There are distinct, identifiable stages that most people go through before relapsing. Learn about these and plan what you will do when you recognize that you may be on the path to relapse. Make a list of people you can contact when you feel a lapse is likely.
• 3. Create a healthy lifestyle after IOP. Addiction is a type of illness in which the individual has deeply embedded behaviors that are negative or destructive. Over time, people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol tend to neglect other aspects of leading a healthy life. Keeping yourself physically and mentally fit will help you stay sober.During treatment, you will learn about emotional and physical triggers that make you think about using substances. Try to make changes in your life to avoid as many of these triggers as possible.Stress is one of the most common triggers. Not all stress is avoidable, but it can be managed. Regular, vigorous exercise helps to relieve stress. There are also many exercises and techniques specifically designed to relieve mental stress. Learn some of these and practice them regularly.

Addiction Is a Disease; Keep This in Mind After IOP

It is easy to forget that your illness is a chronic and incurable one. You can begin to believe that you have it completely under control, but you will always be vulnerable to cravings. Sometimes, they will come unexpectedly. It is a good idea to remind yourself at the start of each day that you have an illness that needs to be constantly managed. Keeping this thought in mind will help you successfully prevent relapse.

If you or someone you know is struggling with drug addiction in Long Beach, don’t hesitate to seek help. Rehab and detox facilities like Roots Through Recovery have programs that can help you combat addiction as well as any co-occurring conditions. Roots Through Recovery facility in Long Beach is easily accessible via South Bay, Catalina Island, and Orange County. Visit 3939 Atlantic Ave, Suite 102 Long Beach, CA 90807 or call (866) 766-8776.