Why move into a sober living home?
It’s a question everyone in recovery asks themselves, particularly when they enter the outpatient phases of rehab.
There are plenty of good reasons why sober living is so effective in recovery. One of the largest reasons is sober homes give us many advantages while we’re in treatment – and when we move into recovery.
Here are five:
Sober Living Homes Provide the Smoothest Possible Transition
At their most basic level, sober living homes act as a bridge between recovery and normal life.
Transferring from drug rehab to regular day-to-day life isn’t easy. Life in drug and alcohol addiction treatment is very structured. Meals, group therapy sessions, support group meetings, and more all take place under a rigid schedule. This is by design – strict schedules teach accountability and provide structure to life, which is something addiction takes away.
While most sober homes aren’t as rigid as addiction treatment programs when it comes to rules like schedules and curfews, the structure sober homes do provide is almost a “starter kit” to a person transitioning to normal life.
Chores and other household responsibilities help us take care of ourselves and our living places. Meanwhile, sticking to regular bed and mealtimes helps us develop healthy habits – something many people who’ve never been through addiction rehab have trouble with.
These seemingly minor skills get eroded or destroyed by addiction. Being able to build them up again provides a great foundation for a long recovery later in life. Best of all, there are no drugs in a sober home, so there’s no temptation to start using substances again.
This leads us to the next point.
Sober Living Homes Give You a Drug-Free Space
The name alone says it: sober homes are exactly that. There are no addictive substances in a sober home, meaning there are no temptations or opportunities to relapse.
Addiction is a disease, and relapse is, unfortunately, a symptom of addiction. While relapses aren’t the end of the world, they’re frustrating and scary and represent a lot of lost progress. The drug-free environment of sober living means there’s almost no chance of relapse – and house managers keep a sharp eye for anyone who’s under the influence.
While this is great for recovery, it’s even better for another reason: security. Like every other form of transitional housing, sober living is communal living – you’ll be sharing a room with two or more people. It’s the last environment you’d want the chaos associated with substance use – if you’ve ever been in a college dorm you know what we’re talking about.
Bottom line: sober living keeps everyone safe and on the right track to recovery.
Sober Homes Give You New, Healthy Friendships
Losing friends is hard. But when your friends directly or indirectly threaten your health, sometimes you have to cut the rope. Old friends and old places hold a lot of memories, and when those memories revolve around substance abuse, walking away is often necessary, no matter how hard it is.
Sober living’s communal nature means it’s easy to find new friends who genuinely understand the path you’re on. This is especially if you’re lucky enough to find a sober home based on shared interests or personal qualities.
The friendships made in sober living homes often last lifetimes, too. A shared journey of challenges and growth is the fuel for relationships that last a lifetime – and they help you stay accountable for your recovery, too.
Sober Homes Give You Help When You Need It, 24/7
Everybody struggles occasionally. Recovery, especially in its early stages, makes us emotionally vulnerable. For many of us, it’s the first time we’ve asked for help – and trusted another person with helping us.
So, recovery can be a lot sometimes. Feeling frustrated, depressed, and worried can be a path to relapse or worse. Fortunately, in a sober home, you have a lot of resources to call on.
First, every reputable sober home has a house manager. Often a veteran of recovery themselves, the house manager isn’t just there to make sure everyone follows the rules. They’re there to listen, dispense advice, and make sure you meet your recovery goals. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or worse, it’s very likely the house manager has been in the exact same spot. They can help you move past your crisis point.
Secondly, your fellow residents are additional resources you can rely on. Because they share a lot of your goals and experiences, they can provide great insights to help you move past whatever’s giving you a problem.
Sober Homes Give You a Foundation for a Healthy Life
All of the various skills developed and practiced in sober living homes – living under a schedule, making your obligations to the rest of the house, relearning how to take care of yourself – will serve you well in later life.
Rehab’s tough, but it makes you more resilient. Thanks to sober living, you’ll reenter independent life with sharper life skills and a greater appreciation of independent life. Plus, there are multiple benefits to living a sober lifestyle, giving you a real advantage in the workplace, in relationships, and more.
Start Your Search for a Sober Living Home Today with SoberLivingNearYou.com
Sober living homes give those of us in recovery a lot … but finding a sober living home isn’t easy. That’s why we created SoberLivingNearYou.com, the web’s best directory of sober living homes.
With our site, finding a sober home for your needs and experience has never been easier. Just log on and start your search for your sober living home – it’s that easy.
Nothing enhances recovery like a sober living home. Start your search on SoberLivingNearYou.com today!
