Addiction recovery is a lengthy process that requires different levels of support as you make progress with your decision to stop using drugs or alcohol. People tend to focus the most on the first several days or weeks of recovery since they are often the hardest regarding the experience of withdrawal symptoms. At this point, most people will attend a more formal type of inpatient or outpatient treatment program. While this gives you a great start on your recovery, you may be wondering what happens next. Finding out whether or not you will get 24/7 mental health support at a sober living facility helps you make decisions about the next steps that you need to take for your recovery.
What Is a Sober Living Facility?
Sober living facilities serve as a kind of bridge between more restrictive forms of addiction care and returning to home. While you are in a residential treatment program, you are typically required to abide by rules such as not leaving the rehab center until you complete your treatment. With sober living, you are typically granted more freedom since the concept behind this form of care is to help you begin moving towards greater independence. Sober living facilities give you a place to stay once your initial treatment is over, but you might not be ready to go back to a fully independent lifestyle. For example, you might still be worried about dealing with cravings if you suddenly return back to the stresses of your normal daily life.
By choosing to go to a sober living facility, you are able to put yourself into a position where you still have frequent access to support services. You can usually stay at a sober living facility for as long as you need. You’ll work with your support team to identify when you are ready to transition out of the facility. This is usually done on a gradual basis. For example, you may find a job and begin to spend more time away from the facility until you feel confident about living on your own.
What Kinds of Mental Health Support Do Sober Living Facilities Provide?
A sober living facility has similar types of support as you might have experienced in an inpatient care program. You’ll typically still have counselors available that can help you deal with issues that arise. For example, you might have regular individual therapy sessions that are geared to address your new life challenges. You’ll be able to seek help if you feel stressed out in a new job or while volunteering for a local program.
You also have mental health support that is available around the clock. Addiction treatment specialists know that cravings don’t just stop because normal office hours are over. Instead, you’ll be provided with people and resources who can help you get through a craving that occurs in the middle of the night or deal with a personal crisis that threatens your ability to stay sober. Having someone available to remind you of the techniques that you learn during your daily therapy sessions makes it easier to overcome any challenge that arrives.
What Other Types of Support Are Available?
The majority of the experiences that you have in a sober living facility are all designed to promote better mental health. Being surrounded by positive people who value sobriety is one of the best things you can have on your side as you work on staying sober. Peer support is a huge part of life in a sober living facility. You’ll quickly make new friends and learn who you can lean on during tough times. It is not uncommon to find a group of people in a sober living facility enjoying wholesome evening activities such as playing games or hosting a discussion on interesting topics. On the weekends, you’ll find it easier to stay busy doing healthy things such as going swimming.
Sober living facilities are also staffed with people who can support you as you begin to look for a job or start a new career. Meeting with career counselors and other members of your support team makes it more likely that you’ll establish good habits that help you thrive in every aspect of your life. Do you feel like you’ll benefit from having constant mental health support during your recovery? We know how to help you find the best sober living facility to meet your needs. Give us a call today at 844-639-8371.