It’s critical to have a solid plan in place for the first 90 days after rehab treatment, as well as a good support system of sober people, whether or not they are part of your rehab’s alumni network.
There is much more to recovery from addiction than the time spent in treatment. In fact, many people find it difficult to apply the skills learned in rehab to their normal lives, within familiar environments. The right support increases your chances of recovery.
Why the First Year After Rehab Matters
Many chronic illnesses, like addiction, are managed over long periods of time and require much time and effort to be successfully treated (e.g., heart disease, asthma). Treatment for a substance use disorder (SUD) can help an individual to regain control of their life and develop strategies to effectively manage their addiction [1].
The relapse rate for SUDs and chronic medical illnesses such as high blood pressure and asthma are similar. Relapse does not mean that treatment has failed; rather it means that treatment needs to be re-initiated, modified, or switched to a different approach [1].
In terms of long-term recovery, it is advised that the individual seek ongoing support after completing their rehab program. Continuing care tends to work best when it lasts 12 months or more and takes an active approach, and people at higher risk of relapse benefit from it the most [2].
Recovery is common. In fact, about 7 in 10 U.S. adults who have ever had a substance use problem consider themselves to be in recovery [5].
Your First 90 Days After Rehab
The first 90 days after residential rehab are all about establishing a new routine and developing ways to deal with unexpected situations. In one study of people treated for SUD, long-term success was predicted by three factors measured three months after treatment [2]:
- Involvement in self-help groups
- A sense of efficacy in maintaining sobriety
- Commitment to abstinence
Here is a practical plan for the first 90 days:
- Remove all alcohol, all drugs, and all things associated with using from your home.
- Create a consistent daily routine such as wake-up time, time for meals, time for sleep, work schedule, meeting time, and time for other activities.
- Schedule all aftercare appointments such as outpatient therapy, Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and psychiatrist’s appointments. IOP is a natural step down from inpatient care. Program members attend several hours of group and individual therapy with other patients in the same stage of recovery, and return home in the evenings.
- Attend meetings. Find other recovering people to support you. A sponsor is usually a person further along in recovery than the person being sponsored, and can help you through tough times.
- Take all prescribed medications for the treatment of your alcohol or drug use disorders [1]. Continue taking any prescribed medications for the treatment of accompanying anxiety or depressive disorders; do not stop any such medications abruptly, and discuss any changes with your prescriber.
- Postpone any big decisions. These situations may be too stressful to deal with while you are trying to establish your new recovery.
Planning for your aftercare can begin while you are still in rehab.
Common Relapse Triggers After Treatment
The term trigger refers to circumstances that prompt the individual in recovery to relapse. Stress cues (or links) to past drug use by people, places, things and even moods, as well as contact with the drug itself, are the most common triggers for relapse [1].
There are two general types of triggers [3]:
External factors such as people, places, things or times of day that remind the individual of using alcohol or other drugs. These factors are easier to predict and avoid than internal triggers.
Internal triggers: Thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations such as anger, happiness, headache, or feeling of being “on edge.” These patterns often appear to come out of the blue and are difficult to manage.
To better understand the role that various situations play in your triggers, write down the situations, people involved, and your feelings as they occur in a course of two weeks. Pay attention to any patterns and work with your rehab aftercare team to manage them [3].
Coping Skills for Substance Abuse Cravings and Triggers
A strong urge to use is referred to as a “craving” [3]. As a person gains more experience in recovery, their ability to deal with cravings increases.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) enables individuals to identify when a situation may become problematic for them and to either avoid it or find ways of coping with it when it cannot be avoided. Here are some techniques [1][3].
- Talk it through with your sponsor, a sober friend, or your treatment program’s alumni team.
- Switch to another activity completely. Go for a walk, have a shower, go for a run, text a friend or family member, get involved in a hobby.
- Remind yourself why. Write down your top reasons to stay sober, keep these handy when dealing with stressful situations.
- Challenge unhelpful thoughts. A thought like “one drink will not hurt” is common in recovery for alcohol use. When it comes up, think about what happened the last time “just one” turned into more.
- Ride it out. Sit with your urges until they pass. People find that their urges come and go like waves.
Use these skills even when you’re feeling fine, practice them until they become second nature to you.
Sober Supports and Mutual-Help Groups
Your “sober supports” are people who support your recovery — your sponsor, sober friends, or family. You can tell them when you’re struggling. Your therapist and even other alumni from your treatment program can also be sober supports.
Studies on mutual-help groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) have found that programs like AA lead to higher rates of abstinence than other established treatments [4].
Peer support workers are people with lived experience of recovery who have been trained to support others who are attempting to achieve and maintain their own recovery. They help people stay engaged and reduce the likelihood of relapse [5].
Having a support system is important, because addiction affects the entire family. Joining a family program, having family therapy or a family support group such as Al-Anon can help family members and explain to them how to be supportive without trying to manage your recovery.
Alumni Connection and Continuing Care
An alumni program will keep you connected to your peers from treatment and provide a positive outlet for times of stress and for reasons of celebration.
Continuing care following discharge has been linked to better outcomes. In four out of six trials reviewed in 2021, continuing care with active outreach, such as phone calls from treatment staff to clients, led to better outcomes than usual care [2].
Ways to stay connected in your first year:
- Attend alumni meetings, in person or online
- Stay in regular contact with your alumni coordinator
- Attend sober recovery events and celebrate your recovery milestones
- Share your experience with others on their journey to recovery
Warning Signs of Relapse and What to Do After a Slip
Relapse often starts before you actually start using or drinking again. Warning signs include:
- Skipping meetings, therapy, or calls with your sober supports
- Keeping secrets or pulling away from others
- Remembering “good times” of using, or thinking of trying just “just once”
- Poor sleep, skipped meals, and rising stress
- Being in situations that used to trigger a return to addictive behavior
Do not wait until things get worse. Seek out support immediately. Go to more meetings, add another therapy session, and call your treatment team.
If you do use, stop right away, go to a safe location, and call your sponsor or your treatment team. The point after a slip is that you go back to receiving care. It can signal that you need to make some changes to your treatment plan [1].
A person’s risk of overdose increases greatly after time away from a particular substance, because the body is no longer used to the amounts it took before. This means that even the amount that the person used to take could now be sufficient to cause an overdose [1].
Common Questions About Staying Sober After Rehab
How Do I Stay Sober After Treatment?
Use your continued care plan and draw on your sober network on a daily basis. The most effective support goes on for at least a year and stays active [2]. If the plan does not work, speak about changing it with your care team rather than reverting to old behaviors.
What Are the Best Coping Skills for Cravings?
Specific skills include identifying one’s own personal triggers for relapse, avoiding situations that one is unable to handle, and developing strategies to deal with situations where relapse may occur [1]. Choose a few skills that you feel are most beneficial and make them a part of your daily life.
What Do I Do in the First 90 Days?
Attend every scheduled appointment, attend meetings as often as possible, do not keep alcohol or drugs in your home, maintain strict daily routines and close contact with your alumni coordinator. Put off major life decisions during the first year of recovery.
What Matters Most
- Three things you need to recover in the first year after treatment: a 90-day follow-up plan, daily coping skills, and a support group to guide and support you.
- In substance addiction, same as in chronic diseases, relapse may be a part of the recovery process. If you slip, don’t judge yourself. Prioritize your safety and speak to your team about changing your course of care.
- Cravings do pass. Try to identify your triggers and avoid them wherever possible. Practice a few different skills until you find a few that you can use regularly.
- Continued care for a minimum of 12 months is recommended to maintain one’s recovery.
- After being off drugs or alcohol for a while, returning to old amounts of alcohol and/or drugs may lead to an overdose.
Continuing Care and Alumni Support at Hanley Center
At Hanley Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, we plan for your after-care needs the same day you arrive here.
We assign each of our patients an Alumni Care Coordinator who helps you develop a continuing care plan. The plan may include outpatient treatment, your medical and psychiatric needs, as well as family needs and sober housing.
When you leave our treatment center, you can always call, email, or visit your Hanley Center alumni team in person. We hold sober alumni meetings on our campus as well as on-line meetings. Call our admissions team today at (561) 841-1033.
Sources
[1] National Institute on Drug Abuse. 2020, Jul. Treatment and Recovery. Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction. Last updated Mar. 2026.
[2] McKay, J. R. 2021, Jan. Impact of Continuing Care on Recovery From Substance Use Disorder. Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, 41(1), 01.
[3] National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. n.d. How to Stop Alcohol Cravings. Rethinking Drinking. Accessed Oct. 2026.
[4] Kelly, J. F., et al. 2020, Mar. Alcoholics Anonymous and Other 12-Step Programs for Alcohol Use Disorder. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020(3), CD012880.
[5] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. n.d. Recovery and Support. Accessed Oct. 2026.
