Five Things To Do Your First Week Sober Living

At times, sober living can be difficult. As a newly sober person, you are in complete control of your own destiny. You have the power to make the changes needed to sustain your hard-earned recovery. Your journey towards lifelong sobriety is a process and will be filled with many challenges. To minimize the chances of relapse in your recovery, you need to use all available tools and support. Entering a sober living home is an effective after treatment program that allows your newfound life and coping skills to use.

While the benefits of sober living homes are numerous, the experience of living with other recovering people may frighten you. Additionally, the thought of independent living while dealing with the temptations of substance use may be overwhelming. To make this transition easier for you, you need a game plan in place to help instill confidence. The following are 5 things you need to do in your first week of sober living.

If you would like to learn more about the benefits of sober living in your recovery, call one of the top addiction centers in Indiana, B-Hope toll-free at 765-358-7320 today.

Tip #1: Do Not Sit Idle in Your Recovery

Successfully completing a drug rehab program is one of the most important milestones in your life. While it is an accomplishment that should be celebrated, your recovery journey is far from over. In fact, the real work in recovery begins once you walk out of formal drug treatment. If you decide on entering a sober living home, it is important to realize that you cannot be idle in your recovery.

People who live in sober living environments are expected to be active participants in their recovery. It is not a time where you can just “sit and wait out your time”. The mentality you developed informal drug treatment needs to apply to living in a sober home. Even though support staff is available to you, you need to become more independent, proactive and need to put into practice the sober living skills you learned in formal treatment. This is your time…use it.

Tip #2: Treat Yourself Right

Another important thing to remember while in sober living is that you need to learn to treat yourself right. While you have some considerable clean and sober time under your belt, the psychological wounds of addiction can be long-lasting. Even though you are taking steps to better yourself, feelings of shame and guilt can persist and hamper your recovery. To combat those feelings, it is important to take care of yourself.

While in sober living, continue to go to 12-step meetings or other sober support groups. Find time in your day to engage in exercise or find an organization in your community to volunteer. Establish healthy eating and sleeping habits so you can recharge your batteries. Most importantly, lean on your support system when trying times arise. ESPECIALLY if you’ve gone through methamphetamine withdrawal. Your family, friends, sponsor, and recovering peers will provide the spark you need to move forward in your recovery.

Tip #3: Secure Your Employment and Finances

A huge part of sustaining your recovery is being able to be financially stable. Money issues are a huge stressor for all people—especially for those new in recovery. While in sober living, it is important to find long-term employment. Many sober living programs provide resources that help you create better resumes, provide interviewing tips and give community resources that will help you find work.

Once you find employment, it will be important to learn responsible money management. While your hard-earned money will no longer be going towards substances, you may not have the tools necessary to wisely manage your money. It is important to seek financial counseling in sober living to help you create a realistic budget. Additionally, financial counseling will help you learn ways to save and invest your money to create stability.

Tip #4: Be Accountable for Yourself

Accountability is a major part of a healthy recovery. Accountability can be defined as “the quality or state of being accountable; an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility for one’s actions.” Simply put, being accountable means preventing wrongdoing on your part by being transparent and honest. When living in a sober living home, accountability is part of the unwritten code by which all residents live.

When you do something wrong, you may feel tempted to rationalize or manipulate others to deflect attention. When you in a sober living environment, your lack of accountability will be impossible to hide. From missing meetings and neglected household chores to being dishonest towards others, your housemates and support staff will be quick to point those instances to you. By being open and candid about wrongdoings while in sober living, you will learn from those mistakes and receive support and advice from those in your support network.

Tip #5: You Have Made the Right Decision

As stated earlier, deciding on living in a sober living home can be a difficult decision. You may think you are ready to jump back into your normal day-to-day routine. In reality, you may not be mentally ready for that change. It can be overwhelming to return to your work and family while trying to get your focus on staying sober. Making the decision to enter sober living is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign that you are in recovery for the long run.

While in sober living, you have the support of your recovering peers and treatment staff. While staff supervision may not be as present as it was informal drug treatment, they will always be there for you. Additionally, you have the help of sponsors, family, friends, and those in the community. For those that love and care for you the most, they want to see you succeed and be happy.

Are you thinking about sober living as part of your aftercare program? B-Hope is also a sober living home that will give you the confidence you need to step out boldly in your recovery. Give us a call toll-free today at 765-358-7320.