Many people in early recovery are asked the question, “Are you willing to go to any length to get sober?” More often than not, the individual is in so much emotional and physical pain that the answer is most certainly, “Yes.” However, once an individual has gone through rehab the question, “Are you willing to go to any length to stay sober?” is rarely asked. If it were, there is a chance that many of the same people who originally were adamant about their answer would waiver. That is why it is important to emphasize the importance of maintaining a complete willingness to do anything it takes to maintain sobriety, including going to support group meetings.
What Happens After Rehab?
Now, the reality is that just as it must ultimately be an individual choice to seek treatment, it must be an individual choice as to how one is going to stay sober after treatment. One must remember that no one is ever going to get or keep someone else sober. Yes, they can help. But, they cannot do the work for them.
Ultimately, what happens after rehab must come down to how badly the individual wants to stay sober, and how willing they are to use the resources that are afforded them. For example, many recovery centers offer sober living transitions after rehab. If one can, it is highly recommended that it be taken advantage of. The same goes for the availability and accessibility of support group meetings.
Understanding Support Group Meetings
Many recovery centers and treatment facilities take advantage of support group meetings. These include ones that were created within the facility, as well as ones that are brought in from outside entities. For example, many 12-Step groups will bring recovery meetings into a recovery center. Also, many recovery centers require their residents to go to outside recovery support group meetings, so they can begin to get acclimated to the recovery community around them.
These support group meetings come in many different forms. Perhaps, the most prominently known are 12-Step meetings which utilize the Twelve Steps originally put forth in Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.). On that note, 12-Step meetings have now branched out to virtually every other avenue of substance abuse and behavioral addiction support group meetings.
These support group meetings’ primary purpose is to help “newcomers” to recovery start to heal and rehabilitate, while helping those who have been in sobriety for a while stay recovered. They do so by allowing individuals to connect, share their stories, and help each other based on their own experiences. It also allows for a safe space, and safe people to call when issues come up that might threaten one’s sobriety.
Do I Have to Continue Going to Support Group Meetings After Rehab?
The answer to whether one has to continue going to support group meetings after recovery is ultimately, “No.” As previously mentioned, one can do what they want once they leave a rehab center. However, if one wishes to maintain a healthy sobriety and have the best chances of avoiding a relapse, they should really consider making support group meetings a part of their recovery.
One of the quickest ways for an individual to start to slip toward a relapse is by isolating themself away from others. This isolation eliminates the accountability that one had while they were in rehab, and this accountability to recovery can be crucial. It also gets a person away from the reality of addiction.
One of the reasons recovery support group meetings are so helpful is that it keeps people connected to newcomers that both need help and help to remind the group of what untreated addiction looks like. In recovery, this is often referred to as “keeping it green.” By staying connected to the start of a new person’s recovery journey, one can best ensure that they will want to stay right where they are on their long-term journey.
The Importance of Comprehensive Addiction Care at Lantana Recovery
There is a chapter in the 12-Step “Big Book,” entitled, Working With Others. The chapter reads, “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking [or using] as intensive work with other [people in recovery]. It works when other activities fail…You can help when no one else can.” This is the beautiful cycle of recovery. It is one person who has been there, helping another person get out.
Here at Lantana Recovery, we believe in long-term recovery, over short-term “fixes.” We also believe that the best way that this can happen is through comprehensive addiction care that includes recovery support group meetings because we know, and must always remember, that this is a We program, rather than a Me program.
There are countless benefits of support group meetings (such as 12-Step recovery, SMART recovery, and recovery dharma meetings) after treatment. The reality is that nothing is “required” after treatment, but there are steps (such as meetings) that can be taken to help ensure long-term sobriety. The reality is also that these meetings can create a healthier, more fun, and engaging sober life. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or comorbidities of both, we can help get you on the road to long-term recovery. For more information about the benefits of recovery support group meetings, please reach out to Lantana Recovery today at (866) 997-2870.
