Aftercare for Men: Why is this important?

We’ve found an incredible need for families to understand the importance of aftercare for men as they navigate the road to recovery from addiction. A common misconception for families navigating the addiction treatment landscape is that an inpatient treatment episode will address their loved one’s needs. Families are often stunned and confused when a few weeks into an inpatient stay, the clinical team recommends aftercare. What exactly is aftercare, how does it work, and most importantly… why is it important?

Addiction doesn’t happen overnight

Though there are many contributing factors to one’s addiction, the majority of professionals will agree that addiction is not created overnight.  While research shows there may be a genetic predisposition to addiction, or a traumatic event may contribute, we can widely agree that substance use is often someone’s solution to a problem. Over time, a person’s use begins to reroute the brain’s neural pathways, literally changing the way the brain functions. The onset of use creates a physical response that feels good, which motivates a person to use again and again. Even when a person’s use is problematic, they often remember the “good times” in spite of negative consequences. Though some people discover the negative side effects more rapidly than others, this process still takes time.

Why do we mention all this? Because it’s nearly impossible to alter years of thinking and behavior in a 28-day treatment setting. In many instances, a detox and residential program provides insight, education and tools… but clients need additional support to learn how to use them! Clinicians will often recommend aftercare for men that they know will benefit from additional support in their journey to recovery. It’s one thing to tell a person in treatment that they need to change people, places and things. But when they emerge from the safety of their residential addiction treatment program, they often need guidance on how to apply what they’ve learned.

Because families are often in crisis when they are calling a detox or residential program, they don’t always understand that the road to recovery will take time. Aftercare is nearly always a recommendation, although the type of care each person needs may vary. For young men, often there’s a focus on learning that life in sobriety can be meaningful and fun, and a gender-specific extended care may be recommended. For a high-level executive with a family, the aftercare suggestion may be more tailored to their needs. This may be a person who would be better suited for a recovery coach and community outpatient. “Aftercare” is simply a continued treatment plan, usually involving clinical services. Aftercare for men may look like a gender-specific sober living, coupled with an outpatient program. 

People Need Community

At Surfside, we are often hammering home the importance of community. The appropriate aftercare for men can often provide this. Addiction is often considered a disease of isolation, where a person can feel totally alone in a crowded room. By wrapping someone up in a network of peers on a similar path, people often discover that they are not alone. 

If you believe that your loved one would benefit from community vs. isolation, additional clinical support, and some new healthy outlets, aftercare is a valuable tool. These ongoing clinical services will provide an added level of support as someone navigates the road to recovery. If you’re not sure where to start or what to look for, take a peek at some of our old blogs posts that offer some guidance. 

Uh Oh, Why Don’t We Have a Discharge Plan?

Here’s the unfortunate reality: clinicians in detox and residential are often SLAMMED. They are not only responsible for treating folks in the earliest stages of recovery, but are also sorting out FMLA paperwork, presence in treatment letters, blocking people from leaving against clinical/medical advice, and dealing with crisis after crisis. Sometimes insurance cuts a person’s coverage far earlier than expected, leaving the clinical team to scramble for an aftercare plan. If a person is somewhat treatment resistant, sometimes there isn’t a lot of time to utilize a bunch of tools to motivate someone when insurance is kicking them out the door. Regardless of the circumstances, we often find families scrambling to create an aftercare plan, especially when discharge dates are rapidly approaching.

When people are in crisis, the admission to a facility usually feels like a sigh of relief. But the work is just beginning here: now it’s time to do your research, lean on a healthy support system (like your own therapist), and understand the next steps. Substance use impacts the entire family unit, so this is the perfect time for loved ones to develop their own recovery program. It makes the ups and downs of early recovery far less stressful for everyone involved. 

The Takeaway:

There are a wealth of options for aftercare, but sometimes you need to advocate for the person you love. Sometimes you need to navigate a little bit of resistance, because doing what’s best for us often requires that we do something uncomfortable.  If you’ve tried multiple 30-day treatment episodes, but never followed up with the suggested discharge plan (ie: someone goes to 2 outpatient groups and never returns) … maybe it’s time to explore some less traditional models. We often find that Surfside’s adventure-based programming appeals to people who find a traditional group setting to be incredibly boring. Every person is different, and there are a wealth of resources to explore. Not sure where to start? Call us. We’ll help you navigate the services out there, even if Surfside isn’t the right fit.