Students in Recovery: How Soon After Rehab Should They Return to School?
January 4, 2017
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Many times high school or college-aged individuals, during addiction treatment or once in recovery, want to go back to school. While this is, of course, an utterly commendable goal, the reality is that schools can be breeding grounds for parties. It is essential for these individuals to be adequately prepared and set up in their recovery beforehand. Rushing back to school or class too early can be detrimental to a person’s recovery. One of the most valuable things for students in recovery to establish before returning to school is a reliable support network.
Support Networks for Students in Recovery
A support network can consist of a few different things depending on the person. For instance, if they are using a 12 step program, it is essential to have an established meeting group to be a part of. But also a large part is associating with friends who are in recovery. Having fellow people who are also in recovery allows both parties to work as support for each other.
There comes the obvious question of how to know when students in recovery are ready to go back to school. There is a crucial factor to look at with this in view, and that is: are they taking their recovery into their own hands? Meaning, are they taking charge to attend meetings, go to counseling, make friends in recovery, or otherwise contributive actions to their sobriety. If they are not displaying the initiative to continue their sobriety, then they are unlikely to be able to stay sober when going back to school.
Steps to Prepare for Returning to School
- Attending Meetings or Setting Up a Counselor Beforehand – If it is a high school student and they will still be living at home, then they can attend meetings or see a counselor for some time before returning to school. These are things which should be continued when they do return to school, but it should be begun beforehand. For college kids, they can visit the campus, if it is away from home, and set these things up before actually attending school. Being able to get in touch with and befriend those in the recovery community allows the student to build a network before being thrown back into the lifestyle of school.
- Housing – If the student is living at home, then it is vital for the parents to be a support network along with the other networks they will be setting up. As for college students, perhaps residing in a sober living home while in school would be an excellent option to ensure that they stay in a positive environment. There are also specific colleges that will have recovery dorms, which are individually for students in recovery from drug abuse. These can be an excellent option as well.
Seeking Help for a Drug or Alcohol Addiction
Struggling with an addiction can be one of the most despairing situations for a person to be in, but there is help out there. There is a multitude of treatment centers spread across the country that can help a person to overcome their addiction. Though, it is important to find one that will fit the wants and needs of a person. Every person and their particular case of addiction is different and needs to be treated as such. Our advisors are knowledgeable in various types of treatment and treatment centers and can provide any information you need. Do not wait, take the first step toward sobriety and call us today.
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