For people addicted to alcohol or drugs, the time always comes when the sun shines on their day, and yet they remain in darkness. The feeling of clinging to life by grasping an unraveling thread is telling you it is time to heal. You need to find help. That help is available from recovery centers and sober living arrangements across the country. The first place you need to go is an inpatient recovery or rehabilitation center. The next step would be a sober living home where you will learn skills to help you transition to living independently in sobriety.
Becoming Addicted
No one sets out to become addicted. With all the information available advising against substance abuse, many people don’t believe they will end up an addict. They feel they are powerful enough to control their substance use. Truthfully, getting drunk is fun. You make new friends, laugh, dance, and get beyond inhibitions that hold you back. Getting high creates good feelings in the body and eases any emptiness or emotional and physical pain you might feel.
Socializing becomes easier. You get seduced into relying on substances to get you through life. As time passes and the grasp of the habit becomes stronger, your life changes in noticeable ways. You are less in control. The emotional pain you’ve been masking grows to an unmanageable level. You ask yourself, why me? How did I let this happen? The people who care about you question your behavior. Your reaction is to pull away. The isolation creates loneliness. Now you lean even more on your crutch.
How to gain sobriety
Getting sober differs from sobriety. One is a morning after remedy so you can get through the day. The other is a long-term solution to living alcohol and drug-free. Recovery leads to eliminating substance abuse from your life so you stay alive and become a functioning member of the community.
Long-term sobriety is recovery. Best results require professional help. Recovery is a process.
- Accept that you have a problem with dependence on substances.
- Get sober
- Change your behavior (breaking the habit)
- Find help from professional join programs
- Medicine
What kind of environment is best for recovery
If you are an addict and have reached the point in your life when you’re ready to seek help, sober living homes can provide that help. And occasionally offer therapy but usually rely on your commitment to attending a twelve-step programs. Either staff or peers will help keep you motivated to attend meetings regularly. Sober living arrangements provide the stability needed to focus on changing your life to bring about sustainable sobriety. Besides a zero-tolerance policy, sober living homes offer the opportunity to bond with others who are facing the same challenges. They too are fighting to take back their lives from addiction.
Are there rules for living in a sober living arrangement
The rules for living in a sober living home are standard. In group residence, everyone must do their part for things to work. You will contribute by doing chores, treat each other with respect, attend meetings, and most of all maintain sobriety. This living arrangement changes behavior to a point where it helps addicts, or shall we say ex-addicts to learn how to live independently, and without their crutch.
Choosing a sober living home
Look for certain qualities so you can be sure of the legitimacy of a sober living arrangement.
- Admissions policies that promote the same expectations for all residents
- Inside kept clean, organized, and comfortable
- Exterior neat, well cared for and inviting
- All sleeping arrangements inside the home
- Kitchen and bathroom facilities in working order
- Staff should be accessible, helpful, and courteous
- Home should always be well lit during the evening hours
You cannot overestimate the importance of a safe and supportive living environment to a recovering addict’s social network. Recovery is a challenging road and attempting this journey in an environment surrounded ongoing with substance abuse is like trying not to drown at the depth of 200 ft. If you’re ready or have a family member ready to gain sobriety and take back control of living, please call us right now at 844-639-8371.