Importance of Long-Term Care For Addiction Recovery

While in treatment for addiction, the thought of leaving a facility or a treatment plan coming to an end can surface feelings of anxiety or uncertainty. The team you work with is a resource for support and care. 

However, even after treatment ends, these professionals and supporters do not disappear. Alongside your support system directly involved with your recovery, support systems such as friends, family, and other loved ones stay consistent during and after treatment. 

However, to help ease these anxieties, Roots Recovery offers long-term care. Long-term care can be essential to the recovery process for many and help individuals find the success they need to thrive in sobriety.

Signs of Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Acknowledging the need for treatment is the first step of the recovery journey. Substance use disorders (SUDs) can serve as a catalyst for uncontrollable behavior, including persistent and dangerous substance use. 

Some signs and symptoms of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and SUDs include:

• Increased irritability, agitation, and paranoia
• Mood swings
• Trouble managing responsibilities at work, school, or home
• Fatigue or difficulty waking up
• Hallucinations
• Decreased involvement and motivation
• Inability to focus
• Bloodshot eyes
• Injection marks
• Seizures
• More time spent seeking the substance or dealing with its aftereffects
• Inability to stop using the substance even when these symptoms are present

The Effects of Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Many people who experience SUDs do not seek help. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 23.5 million people over the age of 12 needed treatment for alcohol or drug use in 2008. However, only 11.2% of people actually received treatment. 

Alcohol and drug abuse can lead to loss of control and devastation in people’s lives. Without treatment, many people face various mental, physical, and spiritual consequences. Some of the effects of untreated SUD include the following:

• Damage to organs such as the heart, brain, and liver
• Development of mental health disorders
• Permanent changes to hormonal and nervous systems
• Damage to social relationships
• Financial issues
• Legal troubles
• Higher incidence of accidents and injury
• Loss of job or home stability
• Problems at school
• Suicidal behavior
• Rick of arrest and incarceration

Reaching out and receiving services for addiction carves a pathway for a more fulfilling and healthier life. 

The Recovery Journey

When beginning recovery, it is critical to have an open mindset about the journey and yourself. Recovery will be a challenge. However, by keeping an open mind, the pressure of recovery is released. At Roots Recovery, addiction treatment is not approached through the lens of trying to “fix people.” Instead, we support our clients and provide services and tools individualized to their needs to help them reach their goals. With Roots Recovery, recovery is a guided process surrounded by support.

The Benefits of Long-Term Care

A short period of time dedicated to treatment and recovery does not fully encourage sobriety. According to a study published by the American Psychiatric Association, “Continuing care that included both primary care and specialty care management to support ongoing monitoring, self-care, and treatment as needed was important for long-term recovery of patients with substance use disorders.”

Long-term programs and care also encourage healing of the body, improved mental health, and healthier habits and relationships. With a valuable support system, aftercare programs, and incorporating habits learned in recovery, living a life of sobriety becomes less overwhelming. 

When aftercare is limited, clients can become disconnected from the facility, their providers, and the resources and services that were offered to them. At Roots Recovery, we provide aftercare options for those completing inpatient or detox. Through our program, clients are offered the long-term care they need to find long-term recovery.

Finding Long-Term Care After Inpatient Treatment

Though detox and inpatient treatment are critical first steps in a person’s recovery journey, long-term care can be crucial to long-term success. After an initial treatment stay, transitioning back into a healthy daily routine can cause anxiety or fear of returning to old habits. 

At Roots Recovery, we offer various levels of care to help ease this transition. These programs include our partial hospitalization program (PHP), intensive outpatient program (IOP), and outpatient program (OP).

Partial Hospitalization Program

PHP at Roots Recovery was designed to help people transition from inpatient treatment back to everyday life. Through our program, individuals can help slowly take steps back into society while still getting the support they need. This allows clients to prevent relapse, develop coping skills, and put previously learned skills into practice. 

Key features of PHP at Roots Recovery include:

• Treatment Monday through Friday
• Six hours of treatment per day with breaks 
• Group therapy, individual therapy, and family counseling
• The ability to live at home or in a sober living environment

Intensive Outpatient Program

IOP is similar to PHP. It can be used as a step down from inpatient treatment to help individuals transition back into everyday life. However, IOP can also be used as a step down from PHP. This helps clients receive the long-term care they may need to succeed. 

At Roots Recovery, IOP is Monday through Friday for three hours a day. Our clients can also decide whether they attend IOP in the mornings, afternoons, or evenings.

Outpatient Program

The OP at Roots Recovery can be used as the last step in a long-term treatment plan or the first step of someone’s recovery journey. This program allows individuals the flexibility they need to receive treatment and attend to outside obligations. The OP at Roots Recovery allows clients to meet with an individual therapist and attend groups as they choose. 

Here at Roots Recovery, we value long-term care with each of our clients on their recovery journeys. Long-term care for addiction recovery can help improve outcomes and allow people to find the healing they deserve. While detox and inpatient treatment can be crucial steps in the recovery journey for many, treatment doesn’t have to end there. At Roots Recovery, we offer various programs to help people find the long-term care they need. Through our partial hospitalization program (PHP), intensive outpatient program (IOP), and outpatient program (OP), you can find the help you need for your addiction. Call Roots Recovery today at (562) 473-0827 to learn more about our services and long-term care options.