Last Updated:
January 7th, 2025
So you’ve done the hard work of detoxing, and you rose to the challenge of overcoming and mastering your addiction through rehabilitation. Yet underneath your achievement, an inexplicable sense of sadness still resides.
For many people, life after rehab is fought with sadness and depression, which can, unfortunately, lead to a relapse. Getting sober is only one piece needed in the puzzle of living a happy and fulfilling life.
How common are sadness and depression after rehab?
After completing addiction rehab, many people experience an elusive sense of sadness or depression. It often lies in the periphery of sober visions, feeling impossible to lock eyes with and to address head-on.
Sadness is intrinsic in the early stages of sobriety for a multitude of reasons. Experiencing it after rehab is a normal experience, but overwhelming sadness must be managed to mitigate the risk of relapse.
Statistics show that between 40% and 60% of people with addiction will experience a relapse after treatment. 85% of people with a substance use disorder (SUD) relapse within the first year of recovery. Depression and persistent sadness are likely large contributors to this statistic.
What could be causing my sadness after rehab?
For a person overcoming an addiction, the physical and mental changes in recovery may be the hardest thing they ever face. Going through detox, you specifically remove a maladaptive substance that you, for so long, depended on.
The direct changes your body and mind undergo in addiction rehab are extensive. Some of the sources for these saddening changes can include:
Altering brain chemistry
The tumultuous disruptions in your brain in the immediate weeks and months after rehab can feel confusing and overwhelming. A substance addiction over many years causes seismic changes to the brain’s natural reward system.
Some research suggests that addictive drugs can release significantly more dopamine than non-drug-related rewards, with more regularity and speed. Consequently, years of substance abuse create false shortcuts to the brain’s reward system. Ceasing to take a substance creates a void where easily accessible pleasure used to be, which can be extremely difficult to manage.
Co-occurring depression (dual diagnosis)
A substance use disorder and depression often go hand-in-hand. Unfortunately, after successfully removing a substance from your life, depression can remain like a cluster of dark clouds after a storm.
Addictions have an inevitable and devastating effect on countless aspects of your personal life. More often than not, addictions impact your marriage, jobs and social circles. Addictions can tear through previously stable foundations in your personal life, causing intense shame and guilt. As you enter post-rehab sobriety, these feelings often bubble up and confronting them can be disturbing, digging a hole for deeper depression.
Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS)
Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) is a set of symptoms that last for weeks or months after detoxing. Many of its symptoms are similar to those found in mood disorders and anxiety disorders.
The symptoms of PAWS can include, but are not limited to:
- Irritability, aggression and hostility
- Anxiety or panic attacks
- Fatigue and low energy
- Lack of enthusiasm
- Mood swings (severe highs and lows)
- Poor impulse control
PAWS frequently occurs for people who have completed rehab. In fact, 90% of people recovering from opioid addiction and 75% of people recovering from alcohol addiction have post-acute symptoms.
How can I manage my post-rehab sadness?
As highlighted, the period after rehab can feel profoundly dark and isolating. If you believe you are suffering from a mental health condition or PAWS after rehab, it’s crucial to contact healthcare professionals for medical treatment.
However, there are other actionable steps you can personally take to help manage post-rehab unhappiness and depression. Life after rehab will feel completely different from the way you lived before, and getting sober is only the first step toward stable happiness.
There are many holistic ways to cope with depression after getting sober. If you are struggling to cope with overwhelming sadness after completing rehab, consider implementing some of these activities into your life for a healthier and more positive outlook:
Group and individual therapy
One of the best ways to mitigate post-rehab sadness is with therapy. Many rehab aftercare services use therapy as a way to manage depression and address traumas, making you feel less alone.
Group therapy offers a space where you can connect to others and open up in a supportive environment. Connecting with others who have similar experiences can provide profound relief from the isolation felt by depression.
Individual therapy, on the other hand, allows you to delve deeper into mental health problems, confront unresolved trauma and facilitate a complete lifestyle change. Professional therapists use scientific frameworks such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) to help you develop long-term coping strategies.
Deepening your personal relationships
Post-rehab sadness may be better managed if you work on rebuilding and deepening your personal relationships. Start with the people who supported your decision to enter addiction rehab. Your loved ones who helped you initiate your addiction recovery will best understand the position you’re in.
Connecting with those who supported your change can be emotionally relieving. However, it is also important to consider that the addiction recovery process itself can create distance between you and your loved ones. They might feel scared of the risks of you relapsing, so keep this in mind if you sense a distance between you and them.
Be open to surrounding yourself with positive influences and people who genuinely want to see you strive. A strong support network helps to combat persistent sadness and post-rehab loneliness, which could make the difference between lifelong sobriety and relapse.
Working on your boundaries and forming healthy habits
Maintaining long-term sobriety will take a degree of diligence. It can feel rewarding to establish your own lines which are not to be crossed. Once they’re made, you can take pride in sticking to them. Becoming complacent after addiction rehab makes you more likely to relapse.
Recognise your triggers: Paramount to sustained sobriety is recognising your triggers for what they really are. Expert psychologists understand the influence of “people, places and things,” so spend time in honest reflection to identify triggers that are specific to you.
Practice saying “no”: Staying away from places where you used to drink or take substances helps sustain sobriety. Recognise when temptation arises and be selective of who you spend time with. Trust your gut instincts in the months after rehab, and don’t be afraid to say no to events that could lead to relapse. If you’ve said yes to attending an event but later feel uneasy about it, let there be no fear when you change your mind. Connect with your gut instinct to decline temptation and fortify your newfound sobriety.
Accommodating for change and fear of the unknown
Our final recommended step is more holistic and personal than the others. Post-rehab living can feel so different from your life while addicted that you may not even feel like the same person anymore. The changes can be so profound that your new way of living feels like a leap of faith.
Some people find solace in accepting that they are now a new person after completing rehab, while others struggle with their new sober identity.
Rehab takes a level of commitment that is completely life-altering. As an abstract comparison, many artists feel sad after completing a demanding painting, novel or project. You might see rehab and recovery as your own long-term project, the end result being a healthier, addiction-free version of yourself.
Managing adjustments in your newfound sobriety can be challenging, so give yourself grace as you adapt to new habits and environments. Lean into the often-frightening changes as they appear to your sober mind. Accommodate for hard times with reflective activities like journaling and recreational hobbies. The fear of the unknown didn’t permanently freeze you into paralysis when it confronted you as a child, so don’t let it freeze you now.
Where can I find support for life in recovery?
Even without accounting for those with substance addictions, tens of millions of people in the world suffer from depression. That being said, feeling trapped within an addiction can feel profoundly isolating and you might not know where to turn for help.
If you or a loved one need help managing addiction and recovery, we’d like to reach out.
At UKAT, we specialise in substance recovery that sets you on the path to life-long sobriety. Our detox programmes are expertly delivered by staff, supporting you every step of the journey. Our physical, psychological and holistic treatments ensure you and your family are supported throughout the process.
We are only one phone call away from a happier, addiction-free life. Get in touch with us today to find out more.
