Why are sober housing arrangements a good place to start when home isn’t healthy? The answer to this question is simple. When you’re trying to maintain your sobriety, you need all the positive support you can possibly get. If your home environment includes substance abusers and others who jeopardize your recovery, then you just can’t return there after rehab. If others are using drugs in your home environment, you will be almost certain to do the same.
This is because rehab is just a beginning. You will very likely not be able to resist a return to drug use if it’s all around you. A home should be a sanctuary. It should be a place where you feel safe and are safe from threats of any kind. No matter if they are family members, you must not return to live with them after rehab if they are drug users. It’s okay to still love them, of course. But, you need some distance so you can continue the work you started in rehab without unhealthy distractions and temptations.
The Importance of Aftercare
One thing you should always do is to attend your rehab facility’s aftercare program. Make sure you follow that to the letter. It will reinforce what you learned in rehab and help to keep you strong. So what do you do if your home isn’t a healthy place, but you have nowhere else to go? If you’re in this situation, you’re not alone, and you do have a great option. It’s called sober living.
Sober Living
Sober living homes offer a structured environment where you live with other people who are trying to do the same thing you are. They are there because they are serious about recovery. In fact, that’s the only requirement, but many people in sober living have completed a detox program at the very least. Sober living places come in many forms. Some are regular homes with a number of bedrooms. Others may be small apartment complexes. Still others may be converted motels. In all of them, though, you will be living in a supportive environment free of drugs and illegal activity. There is usually rent, but it’s often affordable.
What is Sober Living Like?
Some sober living homes are just for women with children. Others are just for women or men. Many are co-ed, although living quarters will always be segregated by sex. You may have your own room in some cases, but it’s more common to share a living space. You will probably be assigned chores or jobs to do around the house or grounds. There will be a strict curfew, but it’s not a prison. As long as you don’t violate the curfew, you can come and go as you please.
There will likely be meetings on a regular basis. Some will be mandatory; others will be voluntary. These meetings are usually at set times on certain days, so you can plan ahead to be there. These could be house meetings, where general sober living matters are discussed. It could be AA meetings. Sometimes other non-faith based meetings are held like SMART Recovery sessions. SMART stands for Self-Management and Recovery Training. It’s a form of behavior modification and offers a great alternative to faith-based programs for those who prefer that. Sober living may also offer group therapy where you can participate in recovery topics with others who want to stay sober, too.
You will be required to do something productive with your time. This could be work, volunteering, school or some other worthwhile activity. If you’re attending a facility with your children, you will be required to be responsible for their care, and you may also share child care activities with the other residents there. For example, another resident there may watch your children while you work, and you will do the same for someone else when they need to be away from the facility.
Sober living is the perfect solution for someone who cannot return to the home they were living in before they attended rehab. It’s actually a good idea for anyone who has just completed rehab, regardless of the circumstances of their home environment. If you feel that you shouldn’t return to your home after rehab, be sure to speak up and let the staff there know that. They can help connect you with a sober living home arrangement before you finish rehab, so you can just go straight there and not risk an immediate relapse.
Help is Here
We can help you find a sober living home, too. Just call us at 844-639-8371 anytime. We have great information and plenty of places to choose from. One is sure to be right for you.