Things to Help you in a Sober House

According to the National Library of Medicine, living in a sober and stable environment helps to prevent relapse and helps a former addict return as a productive member of society. Unfortunately, sober houses only work if you take advantage of the things that help you there. Sober houses offer many things that can help you in your recovery.

Being Open

The ability to be open about your drug use is invaluable. You can talk to others about your feelings, cravings, and experiences in a sober house. Many people who have never been addicts won’t understand what you are going through. The people who are also staying in a sober house do.

Attending Counseling

Attending counseling will give you the skills to cope with the stress caused by your addiction.

There are counseling sessions available in most sober houses. These counseling sessions help you to realize and deal with the cause of your addiction. They will also help you deal with the stress of your addiction.

Taking Advantage of Training

Most sober houses have training available to those who want it. They teach life skills, job skills, and other important skills. Many of them have self-esteem building classes and exercises for you to develop as a person. When you are addicted to drugs you lose the ability to do many of these things.

Attending Group Sessions

Group therapy is an excellent way to learn new coping mechanisms and to share your successes and failures with others. Group therapy is built into most of the sober houses. Even those with no structured group therapy often form their own groups to talk about addiction.

Attending Activities in the Community

Part of living in a sober house is going out and doing activities with others while remaining sober. Most group houses have activities such as dinners, museum visits, and other things that they do in the community. These activities are invaluable to those who want to remain sober and still have an active life.

Learning to be Sober

It is difficult to learn to live without drugs or alcohol. A sober house gives you time to learn and a place to learn in. You get so used to depending on the substances that you forget how to be a normal person without them.

Taking a Break from the Stress of Triggers

A sober house gives you a break from triggers in the outside world. While living in a sober house you will not be exposed to your environmental triggers. You won’t have to walk by someone who smells like drugs or alcohol nor will you have the temptation to seek them out.

How to Take Advantage of all of these Benefits

The best way to take advantage of these benefits is to find a sober house that suits you. There are many different options when it comes to sober housing including neighborhood, city, and programs available. Each sober house is a little different and deciding on one may be difficult. For more information or to find a sober house in your area, call 800-953-3913 (Who Answers?).

Why You Should Start Your Sober Life in a Recovery House