Many people who go to both inpatient and outpatient treatment have goals that they are working on completing. Most want to stay sober and begin to heal their past. Many people are working on re-establishing relationships with their family and friends. When you first graduate from a program, you may be worried about the logistics of living on your own, newly sober. What will you do if you have challenges or a desire to use them in the middle of the night? Are you ready to start living on your own, with life on its terms? Sober living can help you transition to life without the use of drugs.
So What Does Sober Living Offer?
Sober living is a lot like recovery – you get out of it what you put into it. However, that doesn’t mean you’re on your own. A sober living home offers structure and activities that help you socialize with your housemates. You’ll also have rules, like any group living situation. Usually, this means rotating the chores, taking turns cooking, and doing other things to take care of the home you’re inhabiting.
Sometimes you’ll have group-only 12-step meetings in-house. You’ll usually have at least one staff member to guide groups, help resolve conflicts, and even offer counseling and support throughout your stay.
Sober living is an opportunity to stay sober and begin to live your life again. You’ll gain valuable social skills in a cooperative living environment. You’ll also make friends and have meaningful relationships with your housemates. Through group activities like surfing or bowling, you’ll also learn to have fun as a newly sober person.
Sober Living is Just the Beginning
Sober living is still the beginning of the recovery journey. Most people who choose to live in these settings are new to recovery and want to stay sober in the long term. Sober living is NOT a place that you graduate from, but rather a place of transition where you learn to live and use your new skills in sobriety.
Sober living isn’t for everybody; there are a lot of rules, and there is also structure. However, people who experience our programs find that they can strengthen the quality of their recovery and grow with confidence.
Learning More
The Society of Addiction Recovery Residences is an alliance of sober homes and addiction professionals who work together to set the industry’s highest standards. To learn more about our organization or find a sober house, please browse our website or call us at 619-828-2001.
