If you have successfully completed a drug treatment program, it is a milestone that should be celebrated. While it is a major accomplishment, your road to recovery is just beginning. The transition back into daily life is difficult, and the cravings and urges to use drugs lie around every corner. Therefore, it is important to engage in some form of aftercare programming such as sober living to give you the tools you need to become confident in your sobriety. Enter a sober living home.
Sober living facilities are an important part of building long-term sobriety. You receive the support of both treatment staff and your recovering peers. If you are considering entering a sober living house, the following article outlines 7 ways a sober living facility will benefit you and your recovery. For further information on the benefits of sober living, call B-Hope toll-free today.
Benefit #1: Reducing the Risk of Relapse
One major way that sober living benefits you is the fact that you reduce the risk of relapse. Making the leap into your home environment can be full of temptation. The same neighborhoods, friends and places that you used to frequent can overwhelming feelings. Without support in place, you can easily revert to active drug use.
In the safe environment of a sober living home, the temptations associated with drugs and alcohol are removed. Substances are not allowed in a sober living facility, and those caught with drugs and alcohol are removed from the premises. In a sober living home, you are supported and empowered by your peers as well as treatment staff. You can focus on building on the life skills you learned while in treatment.
Benefit #2: Loneliness and Isolation Are Reduced
The support of your peers in a sober living house allows you to feel protected and less isolated. Of all the relapse triggers, isolation is among the most common for newly recovering addicts. Being part of a sober living environment feels like being part of a family. In this environment, peers support and look after each other. The best way to find a great sober living home is to perform a search for sober living near me, and you’ll get information for the best sober living facility near your home.
The number one goal of sober living is to heal past trauma and move forward in recovery. A huge part of that healing is sharing your ups and downs with your sober peers. They can relate to feelings of loneliness, loss of control, and the struggles associated with cravings. By sharing, you don’t feel alone in your struggles and you gain confidence.
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Benefit #3: Patience
Living and thriving in a sober living house requires a great deal of patience. On a daily basis, you have to learn to understand and accept the shortcomings and quirks of your housemates. While they may get on your nerves, you learn to relate instead of comparing yourself to others. The bottom line is that you are in the same boat as your housemates. With increased understanding comes tolerance and acceptance towards others you may not share your background and lifestyle.
Benefit #4: Professional Support Staff
In addition to your peers in recovery, healthy drug and alcohol-free living environments also feature experienced treatment support staff. While living in a sober home gives you greater freedom, treatment facilities understand that you need added support and structure. Support staff lives on the premises 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
Many support staff is former clients who have maintained long-term sobriety. In addition to helping enforce rules and regulations, support staff can share their knowledge with you. They can provide tips on finding employment, relationships in recovery, and other similar issues that can impact your sobriety.
Benefit #5: You Learn Structure
Another great benefit of sober living is the ability to put life skills to daily use. As stated earlier, life skills training is an important skill that is taught in drug treatment. These skills allow you to function in your day-to-day life while keeping your recovery at the forefront. Sober living allows you to practice implementing these essential skills.
Life skills include the practice of proper hygiene, personal responsibility, and interpersonal communication skills. Additionally, life skills include implementing a recovery-based daily schedule, money management, finding employment, and finding resources in your community which benefit your health.
Benefit #6: Peace of Mind
Additionally, sober living allows your family and loved ones to have peace of mind. When you were addicted to drugs and alcohol, your loved ones were wracked with worry. The manipulation and lies that you told in your addiction played family and friends off one another. Sober living allows you to work on building accountability.
By showing your loved ones that you are invested in your recovery, they realize that you are playing for keeps. Family and friends will begin to understand that you are being responsible and accountable for your well-being. When you finally are ready to resume your daily life, family and friends will have peace of mind knowing you are responsible and mature.
Benefit #7: Financial Security
As alluded to earlier, money management is a key life skill that sober living helps you to learn. Achieving financial security not only involves finding and keeping meaningful employment, but it also teaches budgeting and saving your hard-earned pay. As an addict, you used your earnings to buy more drugs and alcohol and not to take care of your essential needs.
In sober living, you learn about the importance of paying bills and saving for a rainy day. Additionally, you can learn how you can make your money work for you through investments. True financial security means that you can take care of both your present and future needs.