Life After Rehab - Fears and Worries

Dealing with Fears and Worries in Life After Alcohol or Drug Rehab

Substance abuse has a way of undermining and destroying the foundation of a person's life. It can wreck relationships, cause the loss of gainful employment, result in criminal behavior, and many other serious problems. Finding a way out of this situation can very well mean the difference between life or death. So when a person is able to make his or her way into rehab, and is able to find a way to detoxify and stay clean, this is a cause for celebration.

That said, the strength of a good rehab program is that it gives the person the structure needed in order to break the cycle of addiction. As a corollary to this benefit, there is the very real fear of the person that once he moves out of the rehab center and reenters the outside world, seemingly insurmountable obstacles and problems will face him.

This is true wherever there is substance abuse and rehabilitation. The same fear is felt by those who are looking ahead to life after rehab in the Philippines. This is a country where there is an expectation that family life and family members should create a supportive environment to receive a person after rehab. However, even if relatives and friends are generally supportive of a person, there will still be some real and serious fears regarding life management after rehab. Aftercare programs in the Philippines may also help to alleviate some of these concerns, but they will still be there and they will need to be dealt with.

Careers and Jobs

One key fear is the fear of losing employment or of the inability to find gainful employment once more. Keep in mind that the Philippines is a country where it may be difficult to find a good job in the first place. Healthcare is also not completely covered by the government insurance program, so many people look to their employers for health plans in order to cover their health care needs. However, substance abuse may have led the person to perform poorly at work. In some situations, abuse may have led to criminal conduct which is something that the person may have to deal with, when seeking new employment. Even if the person has truly changed, it may be difficult to convince a new employer of this fact.

There is no easy way to deal with this fear. Since Philippine society puts much emphasis on family life, it may be possible to ask for help from supportive relatives, in order to regain a foothold in relation to employment. Once a person is able to point to a track record of consistently good work post-rehab, this fact may be of help when it comes to applying for another position.

Another possibility involves aftercare programs in the Philippines which include a work component. For example, there is a non-governmental organization called SELF, short for Self Enhancement for Life Foundation, which has facilities in Alabang, Muntinlupa City and Talisay, Batangas. This organization, in certain cases, provides job opportunities to its clients. Again, there is no easy answer to this fear. However, with time as well as consistent performance, it is indeed possible to move beyond past problematic behavior.

Interpersonal Relationships

Another major fear involves damage done to relationships. This may involve the person's partner, parents, siblings, children or friends. Philippine culture places much importance on a person's interpersonal relationships, especially with family members.

However, the substance abuse problem could have caused the person to act in a way which deeply hurt the people around him. Addressing this fear will also require much time, and consistent effort. The person will need to be able to show that he has truly changed. Over time, the hope is that his new attitude and new way of acting will serve to convince people that he is indeed a person who is back in control of his life.

There are many real fears for life after rehab in the Philippines. Any attempt to plan out life management after rehab will have to take note of these fears and find ways to address them, or at least alleviate them. There may be no easy fixes, but over time and with the right attitude, things will get better.