If you’re just getting out of addiction treatment, it can be dangerous to think that you’re done with rehab. Addiction treatment is often just the beginning. It might have been 30 days of detoxing, getting healthy, and learning about addiction.
But you’re not entirely off the hook. One of the most vital parts of addiction treatment is the sober living environment. You were surrounded by people who also have their focus on sobriety.
However, when you return home you’re going to be faced with triggers, old friends, family members who still drink or use drugs, and stressors, all of which might create cravings. This can be difficult to face. Although you might feel strong at first, after a week or two, you might feel your old self returning. You might feel the dangers of your old life creeping up on you.
This is precisely why many people move from addiction treatment to a sober living home. A halfway house or a sober living home is a transitional living environment. It’s a place to stay in between treatment and going home. It’s sort of a buffer so that you can anchor your new skills, build strength in your sobriety, and feel confident in the new self you’re creating.
In fact, research shows the incredible value of sober living homes in a recovering addict’s process of healing. One study done in 2011 found that sober living homes are an effective means for achieving sobriety when certain factors are in place.
The study found that for 300 individuals, a sober living home was a highly effective option. When individuals were involved in 12-step programs, had a strong network of support and were living in a drug free environment, they tended to reach sobriety with few or no relapses. The study reaffirmed the importance of social and environmental factors in recovery.
Sober living homes are alcohol and drug free environments that provide a positive place for recovery. They are typically single-family homes in quiet, residential neighborhoods, which have regulations that ensure the safety and sobriety of its guests.
If you’re concerned about cost, sober living homes are usually affordable and not as expensive as addiction treatment. Also, sober living homes not only facilitate sobriety, but it’s also an environment in which people learn to become self-supporting. Men and women living at sober living homes often are searching for work, finding a new home, and for the most part, rebuilding their lives.
If you’re aiming for full recovery, be sure to include a sober living home in your transition out of addiction treatment.
Sober living is really hard for some people I think it would be nice to have some support like this. I agree that it can be dangerous to think that you are done with rehab. I think it took my uncle months to get over it and start living sober. After you get through it, you are free again.
Being sober is really important. I have a friend who is struggling with an addiction. I think that sober living could really help him become more productive.