As most people with even a basic understanding of addiction and the recovery process will tell you, a successful recovery is a lifetime commitment. Those of us who are susceptible to addictive behavior are that way because of inborn qualities, conditions, and habits of thinking. An alcoholic, for example, will often have a metabolic condition that causes him or her to metabolize alcohol in a way that others don’t. Others may have been raised in an environment where they were exposed to substance abuse or experienced trauma.

Whether the aggravating cause of addiction is biological, psychological, or both, it is always recommended that an individual in recovery maintains ties and relationships with his or her recovery family. Like dieting, fitness, smoking cessation, and similar issues, quitting substance abuse is a decision we must make every day. For that reason, long term support is highly recommended. It is for this reason that Serenity Light Recovery offers an alumni services program to those who have completed treatment.

Alumni Programs Offer Ongoing Support

An alumni program is a way for those who have successfully completed a detox program and/or rehabilitation program to meet and reinforce each other’s commitment to sobriety. The benefits of such a program are enhanced by the sense of camaraderie alumni of the same programs will often feel. It is a way to have access to all of the following:

All of these make a lasting recovery much more likely.

After completing a rehabilitation program, those in recovery might feel alone in their commitment to abstain from risky behavior. Someone who struggles with alcohol abuse, for example, might find it difficult to spend time with friends who are drinking. An alumni aftercare program allows these individuals to socialize with persons dealing with similar issues in a safe environment.

Addiction Education

As the art and science of addiction treatment changes and grows, the recovering individual can gain immense personal insight from what the community has learned. It is much more likely that persons in recovery will encounter such information in an aftercare setting. Alumni services, meetings, and events are the ideal way to encounter and absorb such information in a natural and stress-free manner.

Relapse Prevention Through Aftercare Services

Just as individuals are more likely to learn what’s new in addiction treatment in an alumni program, they will also have relapse prevention systems closer at hand when they need them. When recovering addiction sufferers know they have access to a community that understands them and supports them, relapse rates are significantly lower.

Over the last century, we have seen several examples of people achieving admirable things with greater success after learning that such achievements are possible. One prime example is the 4-minute mile. Before it was set in 1954, it was widely believed to be impossible. Today, many athletes consider a four-minute mile to be a standard. In the same way, when those in recovery are surrounded by people who are beating addiction every day, they see that they are not asking the impossible of themselves.

Reach Out to Serenity Light Recovery Today

We are social creatures. As such, we all need practice relating to each other in positive and effective ways. Those in recovery especially need to maintain and develop positive social skills. Poor social skills are a leading trigger mechanism for substance abuse and relapse. By staying close to the recovery community, individuals can engage in positive social interaction and maintain those important interpersonal connections.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, neither you nor they, are alone. Get in touch with the addiction treatment specialists at Serenity Light Recovery.