Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease, which means you will need to manage it for the rest of your life, and even then, you may have setbacks and recurrence of symptoms. This is why it is so important to continue working on your addiction when you leave addiction to opiate treatment. Any intervention you use after your initial treatment period is called aftercare.

Why Is Relapse a Continuing Concern?

Many people mistakenly view relapse as treatment failure, so they avoid talking about it. But, the fact is that all chronic diseases have a degree of relapse and in some cases the percentage of patients who relapse is the same or greater than in the case of drug addiction. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the following percentages of patients dealing with these diseases experience relapse:

• Asthma 50-70%
• Hypertension 50-70%
• Drug addiction 40-60%
• Type 1 diabetes 30-50%

In addition, rates of relapse are at their highest in the months following the end of opiate addiction treatment.

Why Does Aftercare Matter?

People who engage in aftercare after opiate addiction treatment are less likely to experience relapse. By participating in interventions after the close of addiction to opiate treatment, people receive additional support and feel increased motivation. Further, by staying engaged in some form of recovery maintenance, people struggling with addiction remain more aware of the signs of relapse and they have a greater chance of stopping the process before the relapse actually occurs.

What Kinds of Aftercare Should I Consider?

There are many programs, and some are provided to former patients of addicted to opiate treatment and you can arrange others independently. Consider looking into the following:

• Twelve-step groups
• Support groups
• Booster sessions
• Counseling sessions
• Dual diagnosis support

Does Anyone Really Need Inpatient Addiction to Opiate Treatment? The Case for Residential Opiate Addiction Treatment

The model of opiate addiction treatment most commonly depicted on television and in film is inpatient care. Think about 28 Days with Sandra Bullock. And, when the rich and famous choose to enter addiction treatment, they overwhelmingly enter inpatient, or residential, programs. This can lead a lot of us to believe that the inpatient model is the superior one.

However, it actually isn’t the more popular one. The National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS), a yearly survey of facilities providing substance abuse treatment, is managed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). According to its 2013 data, of the 14,148 substance abuse treatment facilities surveyed, 90.2 percent of the clients were in outpatient treatment.

If outpatient care is so widely used, is there really a reason for inpatient treatment?

People Who Have Previously Failed at Addiction to Opiate Treatment Need Inpatient Care

Opiate addiction treatment doesn’t magically work for the people who enter it. Often, people need to modify their care or find a different type entirely. They have to keep making changes until they find a version that works, just like people with any other disease have to do with treatment. People who have attempted outpatient treatment without success may need inpatient care to succeed.

People Who Do Not Have Stable Living Situations Needs Inpatient Care

A lot of people with opiate addiction are homeless or have lost their home because of their drug use. Although these people could enter outpatient treatment, they may not be able to focus on their care if they are sleeping in shelters and going without meals. For these people, getting room and board increases their odds of achieving positive outcomes.

People Who Cannot Maintain Sobriety in the Face of Temptation Need Inpatient Care

Inpatient addiction to opiate treatment provides a completely drug- and alcohol-free environment, eliminating any temptation to use. For people who would face triggers and opportunities to use on a constant basis if they were in outpatient care, this may be what they need to get through detox and early recovery.

I Can’t Afford Addiction to Opiate Treatment; Paying for Opiate Addiction Treatment

A lot of people who need opiate addiction treatment live on a limited income and may have spent what little savings they had acquiring opiates to use. If you are one of these people, you may find yourself emotionally ready to enter addiction to opiate treatment but uncertain about your means to finance it. This is an obstacle that many people face and conquer. There are ways to fund the treatment that you need.

Insurance

Obviously, there are many people without insurance and the proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act will leave many more without it. However, if you have insurance through your job, private insurance, or Medicare/Medicaid, you likely have some degree of coverage for addiction treatment services. Check with your provider and verify your level of coverage. Make the most of your policy by confirming your insurance is accepted before agreeing to any opiate addiction treatment center.

Loans

These can be personal or through a bank or some combination of the two. Choose the loan with the lowest interest rate and make sure the payback terms are manageable. You can also view using a credit card as a loan of sorts and the same advice would apply.

Some addiction to opiate treatment centers even offer their own credit card programs for financing treatment. Often, centers will not require the first payment until well after rehab has finished. This gives you a chance to get back on your feet before you start making payments.

Low-Cost or Free Treatment

There are non-profit and government funded programs that offer opiate addiction treatment centers on a sliding scale or for no cost. A sliding scale fee structure allows for people to pay what they can afford, based on their income. Be aware that these programs are in great demand and there may be a waiting list.