Continuing Care / Recovery Management

Waypoint Recovery’s Continuing Care/Recovery Management Program is used as a lower level of continuing care available for clients who have completed residential or intensive outpatient programs (IOP).

What is Continuing Care/Recovery Management? 

Continuing Care/Recovery Management focuses primarily on relapse prevention and the maintenance of a comprehensive recovery program, not just abstinence. This service would also be appropriate for someone at risk for returning to substance use, who may be in need of a “refresher” in order to get their recovery efforts back on track. 

Related article: Returning to Treatment After Relapse

In an ideal world, a person could go through treatment for a substance use disorder one time and be fully assured that they were cured forever. Unfortunately, none of us live in a perfect world—and so we are left to face the reality that a substance use disorder is a disease without a cure. While it is certainly the case that substance use disorders can be effectively managed, they cannot be wholly eradicated. That means the danger of relapse is ever-present.

How to Avoid Relapse in Recovery with Continuing Care / Recovery Management 

Waypoint Recovery Center’s continuing care/recovery management service is designed to help those in recovery stick with sobriety in those moments when it might seem hard to do. To deal with that danger, it can be extremely useful to have access to a system of support that can encourage a person in recovery to keep putting one foot in front of the other on their continuing journey. Temptations, cravings, stressors, and more can trip up a person in recovery if they are not prepared to handle challenges in a healthy and sustainable way. Even with the best of intentions, it is possible to let good habits slide and find oneself sorely tempted to return to drugs or alcohol. 

Related Article: Understanding and Avoiding 9 Common Relapse Triggers

Benefits of Continuing Care / Recovery Management 

While the continuing care/recovery management program is not as intensive as other Waypoint programs, it is still an excellent resource. The primary focus is on relapse prevention and the maintenance of a comprehensive recovery program—by which we mean an approach to recovery that takes into account the mind, the body, and the spirit and supports overall wellbeing. That holistic approach to recovery tends to be far more effective than a singular focus on abstinence from drugs or alcohol.

Here are some key benefits of continuing care and recovery management:

• Relapse Prevention: Continuing care focuses on identifying and addressing potential triggers and relapse risk factors, helping individuals develop effective coping skills to prevent relapse.
• Accountability: Regular check-ins, therapy sessions, or support group meetings in continuing care programs provide a level of accountability that encourages individuals to stay committed to their recovery goals.
• Support Network: Continuing care programs often include participation in support groups or alumni networks, providing a sense of community and connection with others in recovery.
• Education and Awareness: Continuing care provides ongoing education about addiction, relapse triggers, and healthy coping mechanisms to increase self-awareness and self-efficacy.
• Skill-Building: Participants in continuing care programs have opportunities to build and strengthen essential life skills, such as communication, stress management, and problem-solving.
• Long-Term Recovery: Recovery is viewed as a lifelong journey, and continuing care programs offer a structured and consistent approach to maintaining recovery beyond the initial treatment phase.

The truth is that it can be easy for a person to leave inpatient treatment or the intensive outpatient program with either a sense of overconfidence or a sense that treatment should be completely finished even if it has not led to a sense of confidence about the future.

What is the “Pink Cloud”? 

In the first instance, the person in question might be experiencing what is sometimes called the “pink cloud” effect—a feeling that all is right in the world and that they are not in danger of relapse because they feel happy and sobriety seems nothing short of amazing. But the pink cloud effect is nearly always temporary, and it can quickly be replaced by negative emotions and a desire to take up drug or alcohol use again.

Related Article: The Pink Cloud’s Dark Side

Recovery Network for Sobriety

You think you can make it on your own….think again. 

In the second case, a person might convince themselves that they simply must make it on their own. They have been through detox and rehab and intensive outpatient treatment so they feel strongly that they should be able to move forward on their own two feet without any additional help. But the fact of the matter is that maintaining sobriety is seldom a solo activity. A network of steadfast support is a key aspect of a successful recovery journey.

Related Article: Developing Your Sober Support Network

Our continuing care/recovery management services are perfect for those who find themselves at risk for returning to substance use (perhaps in the aftermath of experiencing the “pink cloud” or due to some other challenge) or who may be in need of a refresher in order to shore up their recovery efforts. As is true of all of the services at Waypoint Recovery Center, the continuing care/recovery management program is grounded in evidence-based approaches to recovery.

Help is Available at Waypoint Recovery

At Waypoint Recovery Center, we are wholly focused on supporting those who need help reclaiming and maintaining their sobriety. We pride ourselves on offering continuing care that is free from judgment and grounded in compassion and expertise.