How to achieve Long Term Recovery?

Don’t leave treatment when you “feel better”. It is often as simple as that. Studies prove that longer stays in treatment settings directly correlate to extended sobriety. Having worked in the addiction recovery field for the past 16 years I have seen clients leave treatment the instant their withdrawals subside. They begin to feel good again and instantly feel invincible; like they have it all figured out and can take on the world without fear.

Almost every time I remember a client leaving treatment ASA (against staff advice) I will hear that they have relapsed and either want to come back to us at Cornerstone, have checked in at another facility, are in jail or worse. Many of the negative reviews we have received over the years on our different social media and online accounts say things like, “They are all about the money!” or “My case manager wanted me to stay longer so they could milk me for more money,” or some other form of anger towards our program and staff who were only looking out for the client’s best interests.

We would be very pleased to know that each time a client ‘feels better’ and leaves the program early they continue on the path to long term sobriety but this is truly not the case. We are in this business to help addicts recover. Period. We do not attempt to keep any client any longer than we feel is beneficial to them and their individual recovery program.