Are you having the jitters about entering a sober living home on your first step toward lasting sobriety?
Do not worry. Sober living environments are supportive places. Here are 8 things you should know about sober living before getting cold feet and backing out. Let us separate facts about sober living from fiction. This is the real news about recovery in sober living.
1. Sober living isn’t jail
Living in a sober living home isn’t like being confined in a prison cell. Rather, it’s a lot like living in your own home. The main differences are that there’s more structure, expectations, and emphasis on recovery. But you won’t be supervised every second of your day, and you can essentially come and go as you please.
2. Sober living homes are not rundown dumps
Sober living homes aren’t your run-of-the-mill group homes. In fact, they’re often quite luxurious, almost like being on vacation.
At Silicon Beach Treatment Center, we offer several sober living homes with different amenities, including beachfront accommodations and sober houses meant specifically for men or women. All our properties are tastefully appointed and kept impeccably clean; our Women’s Residence even has a swimming pool, complete with a picturesque waterfall.
3. Sober living homes aren’t full of active drug and alcohol users
Even though they’re called sober living homes, there’s a common misconception that residents of these group homes are actively using and abusing mind-altering substances. Understandably, those who are new to recovery might find sober living to be off-putting as they mistakenly believe that their fellow residents will pose a threat to their sobriety.
As it happens, sober living homes are where people who are committed to living without drugs or alcohol get acclimated to life in sobriety, which is the purpose of sober living homes in the first place. No matter which substance you or your peers have overcome, everyone living in a sober living home has made a pledge to achieve stable, long-lasting sobriety.
4. You’re allowed to have a job
Most substance abuse counselors and addiction treatment providers agree that maintaining employment is an important and necessary part of early recovery. In fact, this is one of the best ways to practice your sobriety since working at a job is an effective way to keep those who are newly sober out of trouble.
5. Sober living can be a lot of fun
Recovery isn’t easy, especially in the beginning. It takes time to adjust to being sober after a prolonged period of frequent substance abuse. But as you accrue more and more sober days, you’ll find that your mood elevates and you become much more participative.
Early recovery is a great time to socialize and make new friends, and a sober living home puts you in a group living situation with a group of other individuals who come from similar backgrounds and have had similar experiences. In short, the people who live in our sober living homes in Los Angeles often have a lot to relate to and talk about.
6. Freedom is encouraged
After completing treatment, patients are strongly encouraged to continue participating in therapy and other treatments. However, this doesn’t mean that they’re expected to only participate in rehabilitative treatments.
Living in a sober living home doesn’t make you a prisoner: You’re not on house arrest and, instead, are encouraged to take time for yourself. Because for many people in recovery, the point at which they move into a sober living home is also the point at which they regain their independence and freedom.
7. Sober living homes are less expensive than the alternative
Consider the amount of money spent over the course of a person’s addictive. It requires a lot of money to sustain a daily drug or alcohol habit. And that’s before you account for the many costs of living, including rent, car insurance, medical bills, utilities, groceries, and so on.
Compared to what a person spends while in active addiction, sober living is actually quite affordable. Additionally, sober living is an investment in the future.
8. Most sober living homes are run by legitimate, trustworthy organizations
There’s no shortage of horror stories about bait-and-switch halfway homes run by scammers. After all, there’s actually very few regulations for sober living homes, which is primarily due to sober living being a relatively recent innovation. Additionally, there’s the fact that the quality is going to vary considerably from one sober home to the next.
However, the majority of sober living homes are overseen by trustworthy companies that are very invested in your success. These companies are often run by individuals who personally have their own histories with addiction, which makes them very compassionate and understanding. In other words, they’re some of the best people you could want running your sober living home.
Learn More About Silicon Beach Sober Living
Sober living is a proven way to easing into a life of sobriety following intensive treatment. At our drug rehab in LA, our goal is to make sober living as fun as it is functional. Additionally, we provide crisis intervention, case management services, and we work with our clients to keep their families together.
Silicon Beach Treatment Center can help you kick your addiction and live a gratifying life. To learn more, contact us today.
