Feb 12, 2016 | By Tim Powers

What is an Alumni Program in Addiction Treatment?

Recovery Relapse Prevention

If you have just completed drug treatment or are about to successfully complete a drug rehab program, it is an important milestone that should fill you with a tremendous sense of pride and accomplishment. While you may feel on top of the world physically, mentally and spiritually and ready to go full steam ahead in your personal life, the real work in recovery has only just begun.

Recovery isn’t a single all-encompassing event or a specific chapter in your life that you can close. Maintaining meaningful long-term is an ongoing process that unfolds throughout your lifetime, and that journey will take its share of twists and turns. When you leave the safety and structure of drug treatment and begin the transition back into your daily life and routine, the proverbial rubber hits the road in regards to working your individual program of recovery. In order to stay motivated and empowered in your newfound and hard-earned sobriety, actively participating in a form of aftercare and sober living program is highly recommended.

There are a number of aftercare programs that can help you stay motivated and on track in your recovery journey, and one of the most effective aftercare programs that will help you stay in recovery is being involved in an alumni program in addiction treatment.

What are Alumni Programs?

Alumni programs in addiction treatment are becoming an increasingly popular aftercare option for those who have successfully completed a drug and alcohol rehab program and are looking to transition back into their daily lives with confidence. An alumni program in addiction treatment allows those who have recently completed drug treatment to connect with those who have also completed substance abuse treatment at the same treatment facility and have considerable clean and sober time under their belt. The number one goal of an alumni program in drug treatment is to help strengthen your recovery by keeping them connected with the recovery community that has been established at the treatment facility you attended as well as those already in recovery outside the treatment center.

By participating in an alumni program in addiction treatment, you will be able to implement the life skills and other tools that will help you stay sober, and you can refine those essential relapse prevention techniques that will help minimize the chances of relapse in recovery. With the help of those who are working a successful program of recovery, you can continue to strengthen your own recovery. Ultimately, you can connect meaningfully with others to share and learn from your collective experiences as well as stay in touch with those people you formed friendships with while in drug treatment.

How Alumni Programs Keep You Connected to the Recovery Community

When you complete an intensive and highly structured treatment program and transition to an alumni addiction program, there are several ways in which this program helps you stay connected to those who are still in drug treatment while reaching out to the broader recovery community. First and foremost, those who run an alumni program in addiction treatment organize and hold events nationwide which gives the opportunity for graduates in any part of the country to meet each other and share their stories of recovery. Secondly, these alumni addiction programs will also help you find the local support groups and the essential recovery resources that are located within your community so you can be proactive in seeking services on your own.

Additionally, alumni programs will allow you to provide support and encouragement to former graduates who may be struggling with their own recovery. Alumni addiction programs help reinforce the importance of staying in touch with treatment staff during your recovery journey. This allows you to have the continued encouragement and support you need as you progress in your recovery. Additionally, you are able to take part in volunteer opportunities either at the treatment center itself or in your community. By “paying it forward,” you are enriching the lives of others while strengthening your own recovery.

Other Ways in Which Alumni Addiction Programs Strengthen Recovery

An alumni program in addiction treatment also provided additional benefits for those who decide to utilize this essential treatment service. Alumni programs will allow you to keep in contact with treatment staff–no matter how long you have been in recovery. Having the support and guidance of the treatment professionals who helped you create your individual recovery program when you need it can help you put your mind more at ease during those moments of uncertainty.

Additionally, alumni addiction programs offer you a wide variety of programs that help educate you and all participants on a wide variety of topics related to the disease of addiction, relapse prevention and recovery. From workshops and guided group sessions to additional booster treatment sessions, alumni programs in drug treatment can an essential part of an effective long-term plan that will help you maintain long-term sobriety.