Why Is Aftercare Essential for Long-Term Success in Addiction Treatment?

It is always important to remember that recovery is about the journey, never the finish line. The iconic Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu famously said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” This is why aftercare is essential for long-term success in addiction treatment. It is about the ride and the road, not the destination.

A Focus on Healing at the Cellular Level for Long-Term Success

What does it ultimately mean to heal at the cellular level? It means to heal holistically (holistic meaning “whole”). This means healing physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It is about all aspects of the capital “S” Self. Healing at the cellular level is also about getting to the underlying issues that cause addiction. 

What is at the root or the core of the problem? Often, it has to do with some form of trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many people don’t realize just how prevalent PTSD is in the U.S. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the National Center for PTSD, “Most of us will experience at least one trauma in our lifetime that could lead to PTSD. There are factors that put you at risk of experiencing a trauma, many of which are not under your control. For example, if you were directly exposed to the trauma or injured, you are more likely to develop PTSD.”

These underlying issues are what manifest and can ultimately lead to issues of addiction. It can also lead to co-occurring issues of addiction and mental illness, which many people don’t realize are quite prevalent. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “7.7 million adults have co-occurring mental and substance use disorders…. Of the 20.3 million adults with substance use disorders, 37.9% also had mental illnesses. Among the 42.1 million adults with mental illness, 18.2% also had substance use disorders.”

Better Understanding Addiction

Addiction affects millions of people both in the U.S. and around the globe every day. It is one of the most common and deadly diseases known to humanity, and, yes, it is a disease. Many people push back against the idea of addiction as a disease, but that is the agreed-upon classification in most addiction and medical circles. Most professionals believe that addiction has much in common with other chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. This is because, as a chronic disease, addiction symptoms will almost always get worse without some type of professional intervention. Yes, addiction is a disease, not some type of moral failing or choice.

Addiction is also a “family disease.” This means that it affects everyone it comes into contact with, not just the individual who is struggling. This is often why addiction is referred to as a tornado that destroys everyone and everything in its path, especially the family. However, there is a silver lining. While the family may be the most affected, they also often have the greatest opportunity to get their loved one the help they need due to proximity. The key is to know the signs and symptoms to look out for.

The Signs and Symptoms of Addiction

Now, the signs and symptoms of addiction (and mental illness) are always going to vary based on the individual. However, one can look out for many universal signs and symptoms of addiction and mental illnesses. The following are just a few of those signs and symptoms:

• Exhibiting excessive mood swings
• Isolating away from family and close friends
• Experiencing trouble at work or school
• Having trouble with sleep cycles, including sleeping too much and not sleeping enough (hypersomnia and insomnia)
• Losing interest in activities once enjoyed
• Experiencing physical ailments such as headaches, body aches, and gastrointestinal problems
• Feeling anxious, nervous, or overly “stressed out”
• Having feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and helplessness
• Not being able to stop once using alcohol and substances
• Loss of appetite and a lack of care regarding physical appearance and well-being
• Causing harm to oneself or others
• Having suicidal ideations

Now, many people can minimize addiction or falsely categorize it as that previously mentioned “choice.” However, as one can see, these signs and symptoms are significant and can be deadly. This is why reaching out for professional help as soon as possible is vital. Doing so could mean the difference between short-term side effects and long-term consequences. The good news is there are many effective means, methods, and modalities that can help one recover physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually from addiction.

Better Understanding Addiction Recovery

Addiction recovery is also about individualized and comprehensive care. The fact of the matter is that addiction recovery has become a multi-billion-dollar industry, and while that is positive, it also leaves room for many bad-acting treatment centers that put profits before their clients’ well-being. These are often the same recovery centers that only offer broad, overarching “one-size-fits-all” recovery plans.

Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we find that that type of recovery rarely works. This is why all of our recovery plans are individualized and comprehensive, with a focus on the future. We also utilize a myriad of modalities that can help one recover at the cellular level. 

These modalities can be found in all areas of addiction and mental health care. They include psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), experiential therapies like nature immersion therapy and art therapy, and holistic healing methods like yoga therapy and mindfulness meditation. All of these methods are also chosen because they can be used for long-term success in an aftercare recovery plan.

Why Is Aftercare Essential for Long-Term Success in Addiction Treatment?

Aftercare is crucial for recovery because treatment is not just a “one-and-done” process. No, addiction recovery is a lifelong process that requires action and hard work. Now, does that mean that someone in recovery is constantly thinking about it 24/7? Of course not. But, it does mean that one needs to be vigilant.

This is also crucial so one does not fall into a relapse cycle. Many people don’t realize just how prevalent relapses can be. According to the peer-reviewed journal Current Psychiatry Reports, “It has long been known that addictive disorders are chronic and relapsing in nature. Recent estimates from clinical treatment studies suggest that more than two-thirds of individuals relapse within weeks to months of initiating treatment.” Also, “For 1-year outcomes across alcohol, nicotine, weight, and illicit drug abuse, studies show that more than 85% of individuals relapse and return to drug use within 1 year of treatment.” One of the best ways to avoid these types of relapses is to stay connected with an aftercare program/plan.

What Does Effective Aftercare Look Like for Long-Term Success

Effective aftercare for long-term success starts with the choice of a recovery center. It is important to choose a facility that focuses on the future rather than a “graduation.” These recovery centers should be utilizing recovery methods that do not have a “shelf-life” and leave room for progress and growth.

For example, recovery centers that utilize nature-based experiential therapies are not just utilizing a limited approach, rather, they are introducing their clients to a new way of living that involves connecting to the world around oneself. The same is true of people who utilize psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). These therapies can lead to a lifelong connection to the amazing growth that “talk” therapy can offer.

Psychotherapy for Long-Term Success

Psychotherapies like CBT and DBT are no longer just theoretical methods for treating addiction. According to the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Psychiatry, “Beginning with the 1990s, emerging evidence has pointed out that addiction is in fact associated with structural and functional brain alterations, including deficits in reward, attention, memory and motivation mechanisms. These neurobiological deficits result in a compulsive search and use of addictive substances, which is continued despite the negative consequences that follow. In recent years, continuing efforts have been made in the field of translational science to bridge the gap between these neurobiological evidence and clinical interventions which could be used by psychotherapists in the field of addiction.” 

The fact of the matter is that long-term psychotherapy is more the norm than ever before. The reason is that it has been shown to be so “crucial” to success. According to the peer-reviewed thesis Addiction Psychotherapeutic Care, by Doctors Yue and Pena, “Psychosocial interventions are a crucial part of addiction treatment programs as they target the social, environmental, and psychological factors that contribute to increased use, which medication is generally unable to address. These interventions are broad and varied and involve many different theoretical backgrounds. Ultimately, the goal is to reduce substance use and improve occupational, interpersonal, physical, and psychological functioning.” These long-term psychotherapies also work well with other modalities for long-term success.

Experiential Therapy for Long-Term Success

Now, experiential therapy is much like its name implies. It is more about the “experience” that one has rather than their discussion (though discussion with a therapist can be a critical component). Experiential therapy can be both “adventure-based” and creative. One of the most utilized experiential therapies is nature immersion therapy.

Nature immersion therapy has been shown to offer a myriad of benefits. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “Besides improvements to physical and psychological well-being, exposure to natural environments has been shown to bring about positive impacts on cognitive functioning…. While cognitive restoration and physiological well-being are the prominent and renowned benefits of nature exposure, there is one important construct that is often overlooked in environmental psychology research studies – that is, the human-nature relationship; also known as connectedness to nature (CN).” This CN can also occur with experiential surf therapy.

The benefits of surf therapy for long-term success are vast and varied. According to the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Psychology, “[T]here is increasing evidence suggesting that participation in action and adventure sports, such as surfing, is meaningful and life-enhancing. Participating in action and adventure sports is said to create opportunities to foster positive psychological outcomes such as resilience, self-esteem, positive affect, and relatedness…. Surf therapy is defined by the International Surf Therapy Organisation (International Surf Therapy Organization, 2019) as an intervention that combines surf instruction, surfing, and structured individual and/or group activities to promote physical, psychosocial, and psychological well-being.”

Art Therapy for Long-Term Success

Another experiential therapy that has also been shown to be highly beneficial for long-term success is art therapy. This is because art therapy can unlock creativity that has long been tamped down by addiction and mental illness. It also offers a lifelong outlet that can be accessed virtually anywhere (depending on the medium).

Art therapy can be particularly beneficial for individuals who struggle with co-occurring disorders. According to the peer-reviewed journal Cureus, “Art therapy is used most commonly to treat mental illnesses and can aid in controlling manifestations correlated with psychosocially challenging behaviors, slowing cognitive decline, and enhancing the quality of life. [This] therapy can help people express themselves more freely, improve their mental health, and improve interpersonal relationships. The basis of art therapy is established on the idea that people can recover and feel better via artistic expression.” 

Holistic Healing for Long-Term Success

The iconic yogi and spiritual leader B.K.S. Iyengar famously said, “Meditation is oneness, when there is no longer time, sex, or country. The moment when, after you have concentrated on doing a pose (or anything else) perfectly, you hold it and then forget everything, not because you want to forget but because you are concentrated: this is meditation.” This statement is symbolic of how holistic healing methods like yoga and meditation can help one grow in their long-term recovery.

Yoga and meditation have been practiced for thousands of years. However, it has only been recently that they have begun to be utilized in the addiction recovery setting. Yoga and meditation have been shown to offer many benefits for long-term recovery like a better sense of mental clarity, spiritual balance, physical stamina, and emotional wellbeing. There are other types of holistic healing methods that can be helpful as well. This includes massage therapy.

Massage therapy has been showing significant promise in the world of addiction recovery. According to the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, “Clinical and experimental literature specific to manual (touch-based) interventions such as massage and body-oriented therapy in the context of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment is minimal but promising. Massage is thought to be clinically useful for increasing awareness of tension, cueing individuals to sensory symptoms of stress, and habitual patterns of responding to stress that may be important for relapse prevention. Touch therapies used in alcohol treatment have produced decreases in physiological and psychological symptoms of stress as well as self-reported symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.”

Staying Connected for Long-Term Success

One of the best ways to ensure long-term success is to work with other people in recovery. It is so important that even the primary text of 12-Step recovery (commonly referred to as the Big Book) has a chapter dedicated to it: “Working With Others.” 

It is also one of the best ways to avoid a relapse. The chapter states, “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics. It works when other activities fail…. You can help when no one else can.” Also, attending recovery meetings is an ideal way to stay connected and stay recovered.

Healing at the Cellular Level With Exclusive Hawaii Rehab

Here at Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we believe in healing at the cellular level in the long term. That is why all of our plans always have aftercare in mind.

Yes, recovery is about the ride, and it can be one of the best rides one ever takes. The road is waiting. It’s time to get going. We can help.

Aftercare programs are crucial for maintaining recovery and preventing relapse after formal treatment ends. You cannot understate the significance of ongoing support, such as counseling, support groups, and community resources, that help individuals navigate the challenges of everyday life and reinforce the skills learned during treatment. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of mental illness, addiction, or co-occurring disorders, we can help get you on the right road to long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about the importance of aftercare and other aspects of addiction recovery, please reach out to Exclusive Hawaii Rehab today at (808) 775-0200.