What Do I Need to Do When My Son Gets Out of Treatment?
Successfully completing rehab is a great accomplishment, but the struggle with addiction won’t be over simply due to graduating from a treatment program. There are, however, multiple things that you can do to make life easier for your son after rehab is over. Since people are different, not all of these will help everyone, but your son could benefit from your taking several of these tips to heart.
Don’t Expect Everything to Be Perfect Right Away
Rebuilding a life after addiction treatment isn’t easy, and the results from a life of drug abuse must still be dealt with after rehab is over. Your son may have a hard time dealing with what he did before he got treatment, so give him some space to process what he’s been through.
Move Away From Old Memories and Bad Influences
In some cases, being in the same place that the abuse happened can trigger relapses, so moving away could help to establish positive patterns that could help keep your son clean. He might also be able to make a hard break from drug-using friends who could negatively impact his attempt to live soberly.
Don’t Make Him Take on Too Much at First
While helping your son to rebuild his life and to establish new, positive patterns is both commendable and necessary, the stress of too many initial expectations could pressure him into relapsing. Too much change too fast could overwhelm him, so try to find a balance between firm assistance and compassionate understanding.
Don’t be Surprised at an Initial Relapse
Your son may never be entirely free from the desire to do drugs, so there’s a decent chance that he might eventually relapse. This doesn’t necessarily mean that he won’t eventually go on to live a fairly normal, functional life. If you can help him to keep things together after that first relapse happens—should it occur in the first place—then he stands a better chance of recovering.
Keep Those Post-Rehab Appointments
Many treatment facilities have resources that recovering addicts can use after they finish rehab, and you should make sure that your son takes advantage of them. Appointments with therapists, support groups, and other similar resources can help your son immensely in those months after rehab.
Love and Support Him
While this might sound trite and simplistic, loving, supportive people can make the difference between success and failure for a recovering addict. Doing the right things can help, but someone who’s trying to rebuild his life needs affection and understanding to keep him on the right path.
For more support and information, consider visiting our rehabilitation centers or contacting us to learn about our programs for family members of addicts.
