What Happens After Ritalin Rehab?

Addiction is a frustrating, demanding, and complicated condition, but an effective rehab treatment program can help to improve the quality of life for people struggling with this condition. The chances of achieving the best results in recovery are even higher when the treatment approaches used are customized to the individual’s needs. That said, the process of Ritalin addiction treatment does not end after completing detoxification or the initial Ritalin rehab program.

The patient will have to take measures to live a sober and drug-free lifestyle, which is a long-term commitment. The entire treatment process may include various treatment options and extensive support. Aftercare rehab programs are also an essential part of overall recovery and the continuum of treatment.

What is Aftercare?

Aftercare defines any follow-up or continued treatment for substance abuse after completing the initial rehab program. Regardless of the methods used, the treatment provider, or the setting, the goals of this program are usually the same and comprise the following:

• To achieve a sober life filled with a sense of purpose and rewarding relationships
• To find ways to prevent relapse
• To sustain recovery from substance abuse

Most people usually kick off their addiction recovery journey from Ritalin with a detoxification period. Depending on the treatment professional’s recommendations and the substances abused, the first line of treatment might call for medically-supervised detox. Even though detoxification is effective as the initial step of Ritalin rehab, it is not a substitute for treatment and might not provide lasting sobriety from the drug. After successfully completing a detox program, most recovering individuals will continue with structured treatment in a Ritalin rehab program, either in an outpatient or inpatient setting.

Even though the timeline for this treatment duration usually varies, at some point, the treatment will come to an end, and ongoing recovery approaches will be encouraged for the patient. This is where active aftercare planning becomes essential. Ritalin rehab programs prioritizing lasting recovery usually ensure they send program participants out with a solid discharge plan after linking them up with quality aftercare programs.

Types of Ritalin Aftercare Programs

There are various recovery aftercare programs covering a range of approaches that depend on the duration of treatment, staffing, setting, and intensity of the treatment. After completing the first rehab program, the right kind of aftercare mostly depends on the person’s status, needs, and symptoms.

Sober Housing

Sober residences can be an ideal aftercare option for individuals who started their treatment in inpatient Ritalin rehab. This approach may also be most appropriate for individuals with harmful home living situations or those lacking a solid support system outside the treatment program. Sober living arrangements in aftercare programs usually include the following:

• Sober living or the social model: This option does not have any professional or formal staff or treatment in the home. Instead, the individuals in the home will rely on each other for guidance and support. Sober-living houses also require residents to keep attending outside treatment and work to pay their bills.
• Residential re-entry centers or halfway houses: These are centers for people in recovery who are also part of the criminal justice system. They are almost similar to sober-living houses but have more accountability and structure.
• Therapeutic communities: These highly-structured programs can last for approximately 6 to 12 months, with the residents and staff working together to achieve and sustain recovery. Treatment can help recovering individuals change their destructive patterns and negative beliefs. Vocational, educational, and alternative forms of support will also be available with this option.
• Recovery housing: This arrangement offers supervised, short-term housing for individuals in recovery and provides less intense services aimed at linking individuals to outside resources as they transition toward complete independence.

Aftercare Outpatient Therapy

Some aftercare programs allow patients to attend treatment sessions during the day and go back home at night. This outpatient treatment is an ideal option for people with childcare responsibilities or work obligations they cannot abandon. Having personal support while going through outpatient aftercare makes a recovery possible without the intensity of an inpatient program. Outpatient aftercare after Ritalin rehab typically decreases or increases in intensity as the individual’s needs change. Options for outpatient aftercare therapy include group therapy, individual therapy, intensive outpatient programs (IOPs), and partial hospitalization programs (PHPs).

Alumni programs

Transitioning back into everyday life in society after Ritalin rehab can be different and challenging if you don’t have the right tools. However, alum programs can help make the transition much easier. Alumni programs help people in substance abuse recovery sustain their sobriety after completing a Ritalin rehab treatment program. These programs can vary, but most provide resources like direct contact info for relevant medical professionals, employment assistance, and educational materials. One of the main advantages of alum programs is that they enable you to connect with other individuals from your treatment program and also in recovery. Most of these programs host social events encouraging alum members to keep in contact for continued support.

Support Groups

Social networking and support groups after Ritalin rehab give recovering individuals who are overcoming addiction continued support and encouragement to help them stay sober long-term and keep recovering. These groups include other individuals who share similar experiences so that they can help each other. Aftercare support group options include:

• Adolescent programs: These offer specialized support focused on self-esteem issues and social skills, usually related to young adults and teens staying sober.
• Peer recovery support network: This option offers peer support services and case management supervised by someone also in recovery to encourage continued recovery goals.
• Non-12-step support groups: These are for individuals recovering from addiction and preferring a non-spiritual or secular aftercare approach.
• 12-step support groups: With these groups, one can establish a drug-free social network and fellowship while calling on a higher power to attain and sustain sobriety. Some 12-step groups include SMART recovery, Women in Sobriety, Narcotics Anonymous, and more.

Some people keep attending such aftercare programs to support others starting on the path to recovery. Other individuals will attend these support group meetings to keep reinforcing their recovery and stay connected to the vital and supportive community they’ve joined.

People who have struggled with addiction know the path can be lonely and isolating, especially after completing your Ritalin rehab program. Aftercare gives you the foundation to build or create a supportive and healthy network of people to help you maintain healthy habits and positive lifestyle changes.