A: We hear from many patients that the time after completing active cancer treatment is a time when they feel ‘unsettled’ and worry about an uncertain future. Some may even feel anxious about the possibility that the cancer could return and worry they may not be doing enough to catch any signs early enough.
Full Answer
What happens after my course of treatment is finished?
Once your course of treatment is finished, you may have tests to make sure you are clear of TB. You might need more treatment if tests show there is still TB bacteria in your body, but most people will get the all-clear. Your treatment will not be stopped until you are cured.
Do you feel ‘unsettled’ after treatment?
A: We hear from many patients that the time after completing active cancer treatment is a time when they feel ‘unsettled’ and worry about an uncertain future. Some may even feel anxious about the possibility that the cancer could return and worry they may not be doing enough to catch any signs early enough.
What happens to a cancer patient after treatment is complete?
At some point after cancer treatment is complete, a patient's main medical care may eventually move back to their primary care physician. Cancer survivors often say they feel lost in this transition. I recommend each patient takes time with their oncologist to clarify the follow-up schedule of visits and tests recommended for the future.
How do you make it through life after rehab?
But there are so many people who want to help you make it through life after rehab. Since you were in rehab, you may have to adjust to friends, family members or co-workers seeing you in a new light. Patients who leave rehab may have to re-adjust to their new lifestyles and find new friends.
What to do after rehab?
After rehab, there are several great options for continuing support, all of which encourage a healthy lifestyle. Some of these include joining social groups that celebrate sobriety and take actions steps to keep members clean.
What happens after rehab?
Since you were in rehab, you may have to adjust to friends, family members or co-workers seeing you in a new light. Patients who leave rehab may have to re-adjust to their new lifestyles and find new friends.
What does rehab mean for addicts?
Recovering addicts have to prepare for the changes in their lifestyle and how it will affect them in their social lives. At first, entering a sober life often means coping with boredom, loneliness or helplessness.
How to help an addict with addiction?
It is often based on a lifestyle that may include stress and other triggers that lead to drug abuse. Therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy helps the recovering addict understand their underlying issues and address their addiction holistically. Individuals work with therapists to uncover distressing withdrawal symptoms or behaviors. Individual counseling serves a similar purpose, allowing patients to delve deep and uncover why they have certain emotions, or use substances to cope. This is powerful, as patients are connecting with different treatment methods. Exercises like mediation and biofeedback encourage patients to tune in and relax, while acting as a therapeutic outlet.
How long does it take for a relapse to occur?
All these circles and events can trigger cravings and temptations. Research suggests most relapses occur in the first six months after treatment. By understanding your triggers, you can better guard yourself against the coming difficulties.
What is accountability in treatment?
The sense of accountability can be a healthy reminder for members to cherish their experience in treatment, while honoring their new lifestyle. Another options would be joining churches or getting involved in hobbies that encourage independence as well as positive focus.
Why do people work with therapists?
Individuals work with therapists to uncover distressing withdrawal symptoms or behaviors. Individual counseling serves a similar purpose, allowing patients to delve deep and uncover why they have certain emotions, or use substances to cope. This is powerful, as patients are connecting with different treatment methods.
How should rehab programs be evaluated?
With all this in mind, how can – and should – rehab programs be evaluated? Treatment centers should be judged on the quality of the care they provide, even after treatment, not merely the quantity of clients they see. What former clients have to say, via personal recommendations and testimonials, can say much more about a facility than an impressive but ill-defined “90 percent success rate.”
Why do rehabs have alumni?
Alumni programs provide accountability and allow individuals to remain actively involved in a supportive recovery community. A good rehab will help the individual to cultivate or connect with this type of community during treatment because that gives the individual the best chance for continuity upon leaving rehab.
What is the Scientific American article on relapse?
The Scientific American article on relapse references an earlier SA article on “ do-it-yourself cures ” for addiction , which summarizes a critical problem when considering the various studies and their conflicting messages about treatment success:
How many questions are asked in the substance use evaluation?
The evaluation consists of 11 yes or no questions that are intended to be used as an informational tool to assess the severity and probability of a substance use disorder. The test is free, confidential, and no personal information is needed to receive the result.
What is a better approach to care?
A better approach involves judging the actual quality of care a facility provides, both during and after the formal treatment period.
Is rehab a success story?
But since they finish treatment, it’s enough for the facility to consider this a “success” story. As a result, it’s essential that rehab centers use a different definition of success rather than simply finishing the program.
Is addiction a problem in rehab?
The insidious nature of addiction adds to the problem of defining success in rehab. Some patients simply go through the motions of treatment, doing and saying anything just to graduate from their program, if it means getting back into the outside world where they can resume their drug consumption.
What happens after I complete medical treatment?
Upon reaching maximum medical improvement or being discharged from medical treatment, immediately notify your attorney.
What steps will my attorney take to settle my case?
After notifying your attorney you have completed your medical treatment, your medical records, medical bills, and other pertinent documents are requested from your providers. Depending on the provider, these documents take anywhere from several weeks to several months to obtain.
When will my case settle?
The time-frame for settling your case (after your medical treatment is completed) will vary depending on the case’s complexity and the extent of your injuries. This process can range from a couple of weeks to a few months. Several external factors may also affect how long it will take for your case to settle, and include:
How much is my case worth?
As opposed to the initial stages of your case, after completing your medical treatment, your attorney is typically able to provide a range of what your case may be worth. This does not mean this is the amount the insurance company will pay, but we strive to obtain the highest possible compensation for our clients.
After my attorney and the insurance company agree upon a settlement, how long will it take before I receive my money?
It usually takes between two and six weeks to sign all the documents, receive your check, and distribute the funds.
Can you stop TB treatment?
You might need more treatment if tests show there is still TB bacteria in your body, but most people will get the all-clear. Your treatment will not be stopped until you are cured.
Can you catch TB more than once?
It is possible to catch T B more than once, if you are unlucky enough to breathe in TB bacteria at another time. Always take new TB symptoms seriously and get them checked out by a doctor. After finishing treatment you might feel like looking at your life with new eyes. You have achieved a lot!
What happens when rehab is over?
When rehab is over, patients might return to homes filled with drugs. If that is the case, a relapse could easily occur. Moving to a whole new neighborhood may push the reset button on cravings. New vistas and opportunities are then open to explore. The new neighborhood may have fewer available drugs, or it might just be different enough to push the old memories away as the new lifestyle is practiced. 2
Why is it important to return to an old routine?
Returning to an old routine can bring stress and anxiety, especially if people are dealing with an intense craving for alcohol or drugs. Those in recovery should avoid focusing on the negatives. If sadness or depression builds too much, a relapse is more likely to happen.
Why do addicts give back?
Giving back and doing good helps make the heart feel more satisfied. This could be just the sort of sensation recovering addicts need in order to maintain sobriety when the rehab program has ended. 6
How does drug rehab work?
Drug rehab programs sometimes work on a stair-step model , where the care provided becomes less and less intense. The addicts eventually handle sobriety without assistance. Often, this means that people must head to appointments with counselors on their own, even though the formal rehab program is completed.
What are the support groups for drug rehab?
Drug rehab programs often utilize support groups. Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) are two such groups. Programs like this can bring a feeling of affiliation, which helps people to feel less alone in their struggle to maintain sobriety and deal with life’s challenges.
How to make the transition to a new job less stressful?
These are seven steps people can take to make the transition a little less stressful. 1. Find Sober Friends. Addictions often form through the influence of other people. Studies on teens have clearly shown that peer pressure is a powerful motivator for drug use.
What does the old neighborhood remind you of?
For some people in recovery, the old neighborhood is full of reminders about substance use and abuse. They may be walking by their drug dealers on a daily basis. The street corners, local bar fronts, and green parks might remind them of the times they spent getting drunk or high. These memories can be powerful triggers for addiction cravings. They may prove to be too much for recovering addicts to resist. Other people may find that their homes are also loaded with cues to use.
Do Continue Going to Support Groups
Just because you’ve completed an addiction treatment program doesn’t mean that you should go at it alone. There will be days when you face triggers and high levels of stress that may cause you to think about relapsing. This is when you want to attend a local support group to get the mental and emotional strength you need to stay on the right path.
Do Set Goals
It can be hard to see the big picture and to maintain a positive outlook. One of the best ways to shape your path to recovery is to set short- and long-term goals. By having goals to work toward, you can continue to grow and adapt. Maybe your goal is to start crossing items off of your bucket list or making a positive action every single day.
Holistic Addiction Treatment at BlueCrest Recovery Center
There are many rehab facilities to choose from, but, for quality treatment, look no further than BlueCrest Recovery Center. We believe in using a holistic approach to treating addiction.
What is a follow up session?
Follow up or booster sessions after therapy is completed reduces the risk of depression returning. These meetings can help you keep up your progress and deal with new life challenges or problems with symptoms. Discuss with your therapist whether follow up would be helpful in your situation.
How to reduce the chance of depression?
Keeping up your own work on your goals and on self care can help reduce the chance of a return of depression.
Do people see improvement with depression?
Most people see considerable improvement with treatment. Those who have no or minimal symptoms of depression at the end of treatment are most likely to maintain this progress.
Can a therapist help you finish therapy?
Your therapist can recommend the best way to finish. Therapy is often focused on a particular area of difficulty and is not designed to cure all of life’s problems. You will likely have other areas to continue to work on when you finish therapy. Most people see considerable improvement with treatment. Those who have no or minimal symptoms of ...
What is the life after chemo?
Life After Chemo. Life after chemo may be filled with challenges along the way – you may find yourself having to adjust to a new normal. Whatever the case may be, it’s important to try and maintain a sense of positivity. Your biggest battle has been fought and won – now you get to look forward to life after treatment.
How long does skin change after chemo?
Your skin changes may last for a few months, but could last longer depending on your treatment. Fortunately, many can be easily detected and, eventually, mitigated.
How to know if you have neuropathy after chemo?
Up to 70 percent of cancer survivors may experience some form of peripheral neuropathy after chemotherapy is finished. We’ve written extensively about this topic on another blog post because many people desire to know how to reverse neuropathy from chemo. Typically developing in the feet, hands, and legs, neuropathy is a common condition that comes with some very identifiable symptoms, including: 1 Numbness 2 Shooting or stabbing pain 3 Burning 4 Tingling 5 Muscle weakness 6 Inability to keep your balance 7 Sensitivity to cold or heat
What is the term for darkening of the skin that can either occur solely in the area of treatment or throughout?
Hyperpigmentation – Darkening of the skin that can either occur solely in the area of treatment or throughout the entire body.
How does chemo affect your life?
First and foremost, you may be noticing some physical changes in your life after chemo. Chemotherapy works by destroying cancer cells that grow and divide quickly – unfortunately, this sometimes results in fast-growing, healthy cells also being affected.
How many cancer survivors will be there in 2026?
As cancer treatments are further refined and innovated throughout the course of time, more and more people find themselves cancer-free. As of 2016, there were an estimated 15.5 million cancer survivors in the United States – this number is expected to grow to 20.3 million by 2026. Of course, many survivors may be asking themselves ...
How long does it take for fatigue to go away after cancer treatment?
In most cases though, your energy levels should return to normal within six months of completing treatment.
Maintaining A Sober Life
- After completing detoxification and inpatient rehabilitation, a person in recovery will return to normal life. This includes work, family, friends, and hobbies. All these circles and events can trigger cravings and temptations. Developing healthy relationships with drug-free people can be a wise decision. They can encourage the new-found healthy li...
Different Types of Continuing Support
- For people in recovery, life after rehab should be a time of continued progress toward long-lasting sobriety. Completing rehab is a big step, but continuing support is necessary to avoid relapse. After rehab, there are several great options for continuing support, all of which encourage a healthy lifestyle. Some of these include joining social groups that celebrate sobriety and take act…
Building A New Social Life
- Rehabopens up many new possibilities and achievable goals that may have once seemed impossible. Those in recovery have to prepare for the changes in their lifestyle and how it will affect them in their social lives. At first, entering a sober life often means coping with boredom, loneliness, or helplessness. Activities that once centered on using drugs or alcohol may seem b…
Talk to A Treatment Provider About Life After Rehab
- Recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction may be one of the hardest things you can ever do. It won’t be a quick and easy process, and it requires a lifelong commitment to a sober lifestyle. If you’re getting ready to start rehab and you have questions about what you’ll do once you finish, contact a treatment providertoday.