Rehab Alumni Program: Are You Getting Connected

Alumni Programs

One of the essential aspects of recovery is becoming involved in the program, with as much desire as we had towards getting drunk or high. According to the National Institute of Drug Addiction, the general relapse rate for newly recovering addicts and alcoholics is around 40-60%. Those aren’t looking too good for us trying to quit using. However, statistics do show that those who get involved in a follow-up program such as rehab alumni programs after their stay in treatment are more likely to maintain sobriety.

The problem lies in the fact that, for many of us, actively trying to get involved in the rooms can be a foreign thing. Many of us have been burned over and over by trusting others, and we probably feel downright uncomfortable with the idea that we have to put ourselves out there, be truly vulnerable in order to get better. Most of us aren’t on board with the idea that we have to hang out with a bunch of strangers, and talk about a Higher Power.

 

 

This is why many treatment and recovery centers offer their clients access to an Alumni program. Usually, these are post-graduation programs that ease the transition from treatment to the outside world. The power of these programs comes from the support system it creates between those newly released from their stay and those who have already established a strong recovery outside of the treatment system.

What is a Rehab Alumni Program?

Although every treatment center is different, the idea of alumni getting together after they graduate is a tool that provides hope and assistance to those newly recovering. The primary goal of alumni programs usually forms around the idea that those clients who are actively working on a program of recovery can be of service and provide a comfortable transition to those clients newly graduated.

Centers will often hold alumni meetings for all those who graduated from that specific center to reconvene as a group and discuss where they are at, what they have found to work for them, and maybe even what hasn’t worked so well. Some people may have a few weeks or months, while others may have a few years.

One of the best parts of alumni meetings is seeing people you haven’t seen since treatment, and meeting the people who came before you. It really helps to find out what those with more sobriety are doing to stay sober. It creates a small community of people who can keep each other accountable and where everyone already knows and feels comfortable with each other.

What else does a Rehab Alumni Program Offer?

Again, depending on the treatment center, the meetings can vary from place to place. While some centers hold monthly or weekly meetings for their alumni members, other centers provide assistance in the transition back to “real life.”

Some programs offer help in creating resumes and finding employment. Some programs help their members in the transition from a halfway house to a ¾ house or independent living. A helpful tool in getting connected with alumni programs is finding friends to help in coordinating rides to meetings for newcomers. Other centers even provide 24-hour-a-day talk and text support lines.

Many offer a personalized curriculum for each client to follow after they graduate from the program. Upon working with a therapist and a case manager, each client will gain knowledge and insight into what they can achieve in both short-term and long-term time frames, as well as what they need to do to stay on the right track in order to achieve their goals.

Why is a Rehab Alumni Program so Important?

It is very common for newly recovering addicts and alcoholics to feel intimidated and lost in the transition between treatment and their new life. Many of us go into halfway-style living and can get distracted in the hustle and bustle of the day to day and with the drama of those around us, and forget about the things we learned in treatment. That is why the alumni program is so important. We stay accountable to those that taught us and dedicate time to be of service to those that are coming after us.

 

Personal Experience is Key

I myself joined the alumni program after my first treatment center, and it was truly a blessing. After spending so long around a group of people, and considering the fact that I now lived 15 hours away from everyone I once knew, having a designated monthly meeting helped me to feel a part of something. I knew who was picking up their chips for lengths of sobriety, and the speaker was always someone who had already been through the program. I collected phone numbers and made sober supports with the people who came before me, and some of them remain personal friends to this day, more than two years later.

Alumni programs allow us to see with our own eyes that this recovery thing really works. It provides us with support and guidance, and lets us know we aren’t alone. I learned so much about who I was and why I would never be able to drink or drug normally, and it was refreshing to be surrounded by people my age, who were the same way.

It’s key to feel a part of something in our lives, and getting involved in alumni programs gives us that. It lets us feel comfortable and proud of our progress. It provides us with insight and structure and lets us be of service to those who come after us.

Freedom From Addiction

If you have found yourself suffering from addiction, you are not alone! If you are ready to change your life and live free of addiction, then Find Addiction Rehabs can help. We give you the jump start to recovery as well as teach relapse prevention including learning healthy outlets in sobriety. Our programs are unique in that they don’t just treat the addiction, they treat the whole person. For more information on our nationwide offerings, please call 1-877-959-7271 today.

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