Alumni Program

Completing rehab at a treatment facility does not necessarily mean that you might be ready to take on all challenges that life may throw at your feet. More often than not, a full recovery involves a great deal of aftercare. That is why every Lantana Florida rehab center worth its proverbial salt offers a comprehensive alumni program for its clients. An alumni network provides numerous opportunities, from meeting like-minded people to ensuring that you have access to all the resources you might need. To put it simply, an alumni program is there to provide you with a “leg up” on your challenging journey to a full recovery.

Aftercare at Archstone Behavioral Health

At Archstone Behavioral Health, we understand that treatment is only the beginning. When you see our newly renovated hotel-style campus, you’ll wonder how people ever want to leave. Our treatment staff forms close bonds with our patients; this is one of the many benefits of having such a small staff. We work with each Archstone patient to provide them with a personalized discharge plan. This plan will include information for ongoing relapse prevention, connections to aftercare resources, private therapy options, support groups, sober living, and other events and activities to keep people active, connected, and cherished and our sober community. Our aftercare options include the following:

• Weekly on-campus alumni meetings
• Beach cleanups and other alumni events
• Reunions and celebrations

Types of Addiction

Stimulants and depressants are the two main types of addictive substances we often see at Archstone Behavioral Health. Stimulants create energizing effects, while depressants slow down your central nervous system, heartbeat, and breathing. Both types of drugs cause impaired judgment and poor decision-making and may lead to injury or physical dependence. Mixing multiple substances can drastically increase the risk of experiencing an adverse reaction or an overdose.

The most commonly abused substances that often lead to addiction and physical dependency include:

• Alcohol (including liquor, beer, and wine)
• Opiates (including fentanyl, heroin, Vicodin, and OxyContin)
• Benzodiazepines (including Xanax and Klonopin)
• Stimulants (including amphetamines, cocaine, and methamphetamine)

Drugs and alcohol disrupt the brain’s ability to make conscious and logical decisions. This may cause people to engage in risky and dangerous behaviors that they otherwise would not be involved in. As your tolerance builds, your dependence on certain medications will continue to absorb more and more of your resources and cause turmoil for your family, colleagues, and friends. It can lead to financial woe and crushing debt. Addiction causes turmoil within families and peer groups, which leads to isolation, loneliness, and destitution.

The best way to overcome your, let’s say, alcohol addiction is to spend some time within an alcohol rehab Lantana center. However, that is simply the first step in a long journey. After completing your treatment, you may find it difficult to reintegrate into society and lead a normal life. If this happens to be the case, you may need additional help. And that is precisely where our alumni program “comes in”.

A Good Alumni Program Supports Lasting Recovery

The health consequences alone cannot discourage a chemically dependent person from using drugs or alcohol. The desire to stop using drugs or alcohol is not enough. At Archstone Behavioral Health, we realize that people often understand the consequences of their addiction, but they do not have a practical schema in place to help them abstain from use. Our alcoholism, addiction, and mental health treatment center provides people with the tools, strategies, practical coping skills, and sober networks that have been helping people get sober for almost 20 years. Our alumni network introduces people to a supportive, active community of sober Lantana residents to help participants feel connected and supported after they have completed treatment.

Not only will you have a much easier time managing your cravings, but you will also get to meet new and interesting people. Some of those people may become your lifelong friends, or even more. At the very least, you will have ample opportunities for socializing.

How does an alumni program work?

The main purpose of an alumni program is to allow you to stay connected with our medical staff and other people who completed treatments similar to yours. This program provides a host of opportunities such as 12-step meetings, social outings, and a plethora of other ways to connect to others in a sober environment. The basic premise of the program is the fact that relationships are critical to one’s recovery. Yes, you will do most of the initial work throughout your drug rehab Lantana program, but achieving long-term sobriety is all about relationships, and fun. And that is precisely what you will get out of alumni programs.

These programs will allow you to maintain sobriety by providing you access to expert advice and encouragement, as well as providing a place to simply have fun! By connecting with people who have experiences similar to your own, your recovery may seem more engaging. Not to mention that having such a support group will make most of the recovery challenges much easier to overcome. Furthermore, staying connected with people will reduce the risk of relapse due to social isolation.

Expectations vs. reality

Most people connect an alumni program with a place where people go to get help for their addiction, only to leave when they get better. However, the reality is that alumni programs provide a place where people can get constant and continual support. You don’t need to leave when you get better, you can stay as long as you need to. For many people, the constant “stream” of activities that these programs offer is the only thing that keeps them sober. While some people do leave the program after some time (there’s nothing wrong with that), the reality is that most people keep the connections they’ve made for the rest of their life.

Of course, some activities such as individual therapy, group meetings, and sponsors may phase out after a time but fun and interactive events are there to stay. There are no rules saying that you can’t join these events even if you’ve made a full recovery. In fact, your presence may be a positive reinforcement for other people.

Alumni activities

Aside from offering a network of like-minded individuals, alumni programs also offer social gatherings. While the activities are different depending on the particular program, all of them are social and instructive in nature. Some of the most popular alumni activities include:

• Hiking
• Camping
• Cookouts
• Volunteering
• Arts/Crafts
• Movie nights
• Restaurant visits

As you can see, all of these activities are not only social but are inherently helpful, each in its own way. Hiking, for example, is one of the most healthy activities you can imagine, both for the body and for the soul. There are few things more satisfying than a long hike with your friends after completing a medical detox Florida program. Camping will teach you basic survival skills and is a lot of fun in its own right. Volunteering is an excellent activity as well, as you will be doing some work for a worthy cause. Arts and crafts will draw out your creative side and you might find a new hobby in the process.

Movie nights, on the other hand, are all about having fun. Everyone needs some time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show, after all. While you may not feel comfortable going to a movie theater on your own, having a few new friends around can make all the difference.

Basically, the more things you get to enjoy, the better. These activities have the potential to fill up your free time and allow you to live sober and have fun at the same time.

Online social groups

All the aforementioned activities presume that you are able to attend the events. However, there is more to alumni programs than simple events. Social media alumni groups are also an excellent way of providing (and getting) support for people in recovery. Social media tracks people’s birthdays, recovery growth, and all sorts of other signs of progress. Through social media, it is possible to share your own experiences and support others at the same time. Furthermore, even online social groups have annual meetings. These meetings are much easier to attend, as they are scheduled months in advance.

There’s a possibility to join multiple online social groups, as well. You don’t have to have undergone opiate withdrawal treatment, for example, to connect with people who have. What is important is that all of you share similar experiences and are earnest toward full recovery.

What Makes Archstone Different?

We’ve been in continuous operation since 2001. This makes us one of the oldest treatment providers in the State of Florida. Our alumni community is incredibly strong, a testament to the nearly two decades of care we have provided for our patients here at Archstone. Our alumni network reaches far and wide. Throughout the years, we have helped countless people reintegrate into society in the best possible way. Whether you are simply undergoing cocaine withdrawal treatment or full-duration inpatient treatment, you can count on our alumni program to be there when you need it the most.

Another reason why our alumni network is so strong is due to Archstone’s principles. No patient is a treatment number at Archstone, every individual that stays with us for any length of time becomes a valued family member. For that is exactly what we all are, a big family looking to support each other!

Mental Health and Addiction Are Intertwined; An Alumni Program Can Help Post-Treatment

Having a chemical dependency can also prevent a person from earning money in safe, legal ways, but having money cannot solve addiction unless you receive the right treatment. Financial hardships, worsening mental health problems, and addiction are entangled–and the results can be catastrophic for everyone involved, even people on the periphery. Having to overcome all those challenges on your own can be all but impossible in some cases. The fact of the matter is that you might need some support before, during, and after treatment.

Let’s say that you have just finished a Xanax detox Florida program. Most of the time, returning to your normal life will be exceptionally difficult. Many people “snap” at some point and relapse into their old ways due to underlying mental health issues. But if you have a support group ready and willing to help you, relapse is going to be much less likely to happen. If you are a member of an alumni program, whenever you feel the danger of returning to your old ways, there will be someone to help you out. There will always be someone to talk to and get advice and help.

Hold onto Your Sobriety By Getting Involved With an Alumni Network

Archstone Behavioral Health treatment doesn’t end when you finish your stay. The relationships you discover will help you follow through with your goals and put your recovery first. Contact Archstone Behavioral Health today to get information about our alumni events and meetings.

FAQ

Do I need an addiction alumni program?

If you are struggling with addiction, then yes, you definitely need an alumni program. Being part of a community will help you overcome your addiction much easier, as you will have support all along the journey.

What makes Archstone’s alumni program different?

To put it simply, it is all the cumulative experience that we’ve gained through our years of service. We know exactly what the people that are going into the program need to avoid relapse. Furthermore, our alumni network is one of the largest in the state. You will be hard-pressed to find an alumni program in Lantana FL that has such a large network.

Are you accredited?

Of course! Aside from being accredited by the state of Florida itself, we are accredited for helping patients from across the world. We are also the holders of a JC (Joint Commission) accreditation, a voluntary, gold-standard, accreditation.