Benefits of Staying Connected to Your Alumni Community in Recovery

Alumni communities are integral parts of long-term recovery. When you’re in treatment, you experience some of the most intense emotions and breakthroughs you can imagine. When you’re struggling with alcohol or drug addiction, it’s in treatment that you confront the toxic circumstances that led to your substance abuse and the factors that sustained it. You experience intense emotional transformation and growth—but you never do it alone. The relationships you forge in treatment can be some of the most meaningful you’ll ever forge and can very easily make the difference between relapse and sustained recovery during your more vulnerable moments. Here are just a few of the benefits of a close-knit alumni community in recovery:

• A Vast Network of Support – Your alumni community is there to celebrate your greatest triumphs and lend support in your hour of need. We all know that relapse can happen in an instant, simply by virtue of a “bad-day” trigger. When nothing else in your recovery tool kit is working, you can reach out to your alumni team on social media or by phone for support to help you through the day. Tomorrow will always be better.
• The Benefit of Experience – We never stop learning in recovery, and there are few better teachers than those who have been where we are. Older or more experienced members of our alumni community will be able to offer mentorship and insights when we’re unsure of what to do. They can help guide us when we’re thinking about life events, like entering relationships, starting a new job, moving further away from our support system, etc.
• Education and Resources – Alumni programs can offer workshops, meetings, peer support resources and more. These resources can be game-changing assets in ongoing recovery, according to data published by NYU. Educational and emotional-support safety nets are critical parts of any long-term recovery plan, and are fundamental to relapse prevention.
• Friends and Fun – Alumni programs offer frequent outings, events, parties and celebrations. Recovery Unplugged coordinates seasonal get-togethers, concerts and music festivals, as well as general weeknight outings, like open-mics, bowling nights and more. These events not only help our clients have unforgettable experiences; they remind them that it is possible to live a rich, fun and fulfilling sober social life without relying on drugs or alcohol.
• A Literal and Figurative Lifeline – The friends you make within your alumni community can recognize when you’re vulnerable relapse and are uniquely qualified to intervene, whether it’s contacting your treatment center or checking in with you directly to see if you need help. Alumni programs provide regular follow-up calls for months after you leave treatment for sustained support and connection.

Alumni programs also offer pathways to volunteerism, the chance to learn some new life skills, unmatched fellowship, and a variety of relapse-prevention tools.

Start Connecting with Your Future Alumni Community

It’s easy to think that you’re on your own in your addiction, and that nobody understands what you’re going through. When you come to treatment, your alumni community quickly becomes like family. Contact Recovery Unplugged today to start your treatment and sobriety journey. You’re not alone.