Inpatient or “sober living” aftercare programs are typically offered immediately after you complete your rehab program. You will live in the facility while still receiving continuing care for your addiction. Over time, you will be given more freedom so long as you participate in all aspects of your treatment. This helps you to slowly transition into living on your own by teaching you how to fill your time with positive, drug-free activities. Sober living residences are a great option for people who do not have stable housing, or who have drug users still living in their homes. You can either choose to stay short-term or long-term depending on your individual needs.

Outpatient aftercare programs give people the opportunity to live at home and attend treatment at a facility for a set number of hours per week. They are a great option for people who have a strong support system at home or who have work or family obligations that cannot be avoided. At the beginning of your program, you may be required to attend treatment every day, but over time your obligations will decrease so long as you fulfill all of the requirements of your program.

For long-term aftercare, many people turn to support groups for continued support. These can include 12-step groups like AA, non-12-step groups, and peer support networks. No matter what group you choose, they are all fairly similar. Group meetings will be held at a facility on set days and during set times. Meetings are often held in the evening so that people with jobs or school can still attend. At the meetings, you will be able to talk about your recovery journey as well as discuss areas in which you may be struggling. Because the meeting will be full of people with similar experiences in many different stages of recovery, you will often find helpful suggestions for ways to cope when you are having a difficult time with sobriety.