• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

FHE Health - Addiction & Mental Health Care Homepage

Drug, Alcohol and Mental Health Treatment

ContactCareers

Call for Immediate Help (833) 596-3502

MENUMENU
  • About
        • About FHE Rehab
          • About FHE Health
          • Our Staff
          • Locations We Serve
          • Testimonials
        • Our Campus
          • Gallery
          • Our Videos
          • The Health and Wellness Center at FHE Health
        • Our Locations
          • Alcohol Rehab
          • Detox Center
          • Drug Rehab
          • Mental Health Center
          • Outpatient Rehab
        • Careers at FHE Health
          • Employment Opportunities
        • Our Expertise
          • Accreditations
          • Educational Opportunities
          • Community Impact Award
          • First Responder Families Podcast
          • First Responder Paws
          • Education Scholarship
  • Addiction
        • Treatment Programs
          • Treatment Program Overview
          • Alcohol Addiction
          • Drug Addiction Treatment
          • Behavioral Addiction
        • Levels of Care
          • Continuum of Care
          • Addiction Detox
          • Inpatient Addiction Treatment
          • Outpatient Addiction Treatment
        • What We Treat
          • Alcoholism
          • Amphetamines
          • Benzodiazepines
          • Cocaine
          • Heroin
          • Opioids
          • Sedative
  • Mental Health
        • Mental Health Rehab
          • Mental Health Rehab
          • Onsite Psychiatric Care
          • Dual Diagnosis
        • Levels of Care
          • Residential Mental Health Care
          • Outpatient Mental Health Care
        • What We Treat
          • ADD & ADHD
          • Anxiety Disorders
          • Bipolar Disorder
          • Depression
          • Eating Disorders
          • Personality Disorders
          • PTSD
          • Schizophrenia
          • Substance Use Disorder
          • Trauma
  • Programs
        • FHE Programs
          • Specialty Program Overview
          • Restore (Mental Health)
          • Empower! (Women's Program)
          • Shatterproof FHE Health(First Responders)
          • Compass Program
        • Support Programs
          • Alumni
          • Family Support
        • Therapies
          • Acupuncture
          • Breathwork Therapy
          • CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
          • DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy)
          • EMDR Therapy
          • Expressive Arts Therapy
          • Individual Therapy
          • Group Therapy
          • Gambling Therapy
          • Massage
        • Medical Care
          • Medical Integration
          • Ketamine Infusion
          • IV Vitamin
          • Fitness & Nutrition
          • Medication-Assisted Treatment
          • Medication Management
        • NeuroRehab Services
          • Neuro Rehabilitation
          • Neurofeedback Training
          • Neurostimulation Therapy
          • EEG Brain Mapping
          • Insomnia Treatment for PTSD
  • Resources
        • FHE Guides
          • Understanding Drug Abuse
          • Signs of Addiction
          • The Disease of Addiction
          • Confronting Addiction
          • Staging an Intervention
          • Rehab Success Rate – Does It Really Work?
          • Withdrawal Timelines
          • Life After Rehab
          • LGBTQ+ Community Resources
          • Veteran Resources
          • FHE Podcasts
          • Remote Resources Toolkit
        • Learning Center
          • Help for You
          • Help For Loved Ones
          • Help For Alcoholism
          • Help With Substance Abuse
          • Behavioral & Mental Health
          • Life in Recovery
          • Rehab Explained
          • Addiction Statistics
          • Our Research Articles
          • View All Articles
        • The Experience Blog
          • Addiction News
          • Alumni
          • Community Events
          • Expert Opinions
          • FHE Commentary
          • FHE News
          • Treatment Legislation
          • View All Articles
  • Admissions
        • Insurance
          • Blue Cross Insurance
          • Beacon Health / Value Options Insurance
          • Cigna Insurance
          • Humana Insurance
          • TRICARE Insurance
        • Admissions
          • Steps to Addiction Help
          • Will Insurance Cover Behavioral Treatment?
          • Self-Pay Rehab
        • FAQ
          • Keeping Your Job in Rehab
          • Example Day in Rehab
        • Contact Admissions
          • Contact Us
          • Secure Payment Form
  • Contact
  •  
Home > Experience Blog > Expert Columns > Barriers to Long-Term Recovery: An Interview with Molly Lauroesch, Alumni Director of FHE

December 29, 2018 By Kristina Robb-Dover

Barriers to Long-Term Recovery: An Interview with Molly Lauroesch, Alumni Director of FHE

Barriers to Long-term Recovery - Interview with Alumni Director

As if just getting to the first step of recovery doesn’t have enough barriers, individuals are likely to face challenges as they navigate paths into long-term recovery. This is true whether you’re dealing with a mental health disorder, substance abuse issue or both. Molly Lauroesch, the Alumni Director here at FHE Health, talks about those barriers and what individuals can do to get over them.

Initial Barriers Don’t Go Away

Barriers to Long-term Recovery - Quote 1Some of the barriers that keep people from seeking treatment in the first place may actually resurface later in recovery.

“One of the big issues for a lot of people is denial,” says Lauroesch. “There are certain stereotypes we have in our head. You might think an alcoholic is the guy under the bridge with the booze in a paper bag. Some people think, ‘Maybe I’m not that bad. It’s not like I have to have a drink to get out of bed in the morning.’ The same goes for those who are more drug inclined. The statement ‘Well, it’s not like I use needles,’ is common. This gets in the way of people coming to treatment.”

But denial can happen even in later stages of recovery, she says. Individuals sometimes believe they have more of a handle on their substance abuse or mental health disorder than they do, or they begin to think they can handle life outside of their recovery support group.

“When I have seen people or spoken to them who have relapsed and returned to treatment, a common statement is ‘I thought I had a handle on it.'” Lauroesch says this type of denial can lead someone to step away from support structures, medications and other methods that are working for them, leading to potential relapse.

Other Challenges for Long-Term Recovery

As You stay sober longer, generally, you have exciting things come into lifeDenial isn’t the only bump in the road of long-term recovery, though. Lauroesch says another challenge can be the natural shift in focus that occurs as life moves on.

“In treatment, you learn about your disease and the recovery process and the kinds of pieces that need to be taken care of to stay sober,” she says. “As you stay sober longer, generally, you have exciting things come into your life. You might get a good job, go to school or start a great relationship. As a result, people sometimes shift their focus to these new areas and put recovery as a side thought.”

Not having a good follow-up plan or support structure can also be a barrier, says Lauroesch. “Having people who can relate to you and support you is huge,” she says. People drifting away from their support system is a common trigger for relapse during long-term recovery periods.

Returning to an environment that contributes negatively to substance abuse or mental health disorder, such as a crowd of people who you associate with drug or alcohol use and who still actively participate in that, can be a barrier to long-term recovery too.

Expert Advice for Overcoming Barriers to Long-Term Recovery

Family Support depends on the family depends on the family - TreatmentLauroesch says one of the biggest pieces of advice she can give to those in long-term recovery is to be consistent with what works. It sounds simple, she says, but is harder to put into practice — which is true for any area of life. She uses weight loss and management as an example. “If you maintain good eating habits and make it a point to exercise, you’ll maintain a healthy weight. But if you do that for a couple of months and stray for a couple of months, you’ll get back to your original place.”

“If you struggle with a mental disorder and you have found a good once-a-week therapy group and you’re finally on a good medication regime,” says Lauroesch, “don’t try to adjust that on your own. State consistent with what works. That applies to sobriety too. If you found a solution in a 12-step, smart recovery or church group, that’s something you need to stick with.”

Support systems are incredibly crucial throughout recovery, perhaps even years after rehab. Lauroesch says one of the first questions the alumni department at FHE Health asks during follow-up calls with patients is “Have you developed some sort of support system?” Whether you’re dealing with mental health issues or a substance abuse disorder, these are not “grin and bear it” issues and are not things that can be typically handled on your own.

She points out that they mean a support system outside of the family. “Family support depends on the family,” she says. “Obviously if someone has family members who have taken time to educate themselves on these diseases and disorders, that will make a huge difference. Unfortunately, some people go back to the situation of uneducated family members, so that support is not a guarantee. Just because you make the point to get better doesn’t mean your family will make it a point to get better. There needs to be something outside of the family in terms of support network.”

She also notes that individuals may need to evaluate their social crowd after rehab to determine if the people they will be around are beneficial to recovery.

“In terms of building a new support network, it’s a relearning process of living life in a healthy way but also enjoying yourself,” says Lauroesch. She points out that FHE Health’s alumni department works to ensure two to three events each month where individuals can get together to participate in activities with other people who are trying to do the right thing. Some of the activities are organized around service projects, such as helping with a community garden, which can boost your esteem and help you see that you can do something good for yourself and others.

Don’t Hesitate to Seek Help

When someone relapses and they come back, we are happy they are safe.Lauroesch points out that relapse during long-term recovery does happen. A barrier to continuing with recovery can be that someone feels shame that they couldn’t stay the course with sobriety or mental health.

Lauroesch encourages anyone in this boat to reach out for assistance immediately. “I think I can speak pretty confidently that the first thought when someone comes back to us after relapsing is never ‘If they only hadn’t done this… ‘ or ‘if only their actions weren’t so stupid.’ Our first thought is always ‘Thank goodness they are trying to do something to get back on their feet.'”

Letting shame or worry about what people will think to keep you from seeking help after relapse can lead to a longer or more damaging relapse. Lauroesch encourages individuals to call or come back to FHE Health for help. “This is just another step in the process. Just because you hit a bump on the road doesn’t mean you can’t get back on track.”

Filed Under: Expert Columns

More Questions about Treatment?

More Questions about Treatment?

We offer 100% confidential and individualized treatment

Contact Us

About Kristina Robb-Dover

Kristina Robb-Dover is a content manager and writer with extensive editing and writing experience... read more

Primary Sidebar

The Experience Blog

  • Addiction News
  • Alumni
  • Community Events
  • Expert Columns
  • FHE Commentary
  • FHE News
  • Treatment Legislation
  • All Articles

Sign up for the Blog

Our Facilities

Take a look at our state of the art treatment center.

View Our Gallery

Learning Center

  • Help for You
  • Help For Loved Ones
  • Help For Alcoholism
  • Help With Substance Abuse
  • Behavioral & Mental Health
  • Life in Recovery
  • Rehab Explained
  • All Articles
Contact Us
  • Call Now:
  • Best Time to Call:

Footer

FHE Health

© 2025 FHE Health

505 S Federal Hwy #2,
Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441
1-833-596-3502
youtube facebook instagram linkedin twitter
  • Contact
  • Careers at FHE Health
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
A+ BBB and Top Places to Work - Sun Sentinel

Copyright © 2025 · FHE Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}

The FHE Health team is committed to providing accurate information that adheres to the highest standards of writing. If one of our articles is marked with a ‘reviewed for accuracy and expertise’ badge, it indicates that one or more members of our team of doctors and clinicians have reviewed the article further to ensure accuracy. This is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure FHE Health is trusted as a leader in mental health and addiction care.

If there are any concerns about content we have published, please reach out to us at marketing@fhehealth.com.

833-596-3502

Text/Call Me