Tips for Finding the Best Sober Living Facility
What Happens in a Sober Living Facility?
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “A person’s environment includes many different influences, from family and friends to socioeconomic status and quality of life in general. Factors such as peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, stress, and quality of parenting can greatly influence the occurrence of drug abuse and the escalation to addiction in a person’s life.”
Learning to cope with addiction is not easy and some people need more time to adjust before reentering the community. A sober living facility is intended to be a supplement to the rehab and recovery process by providing a safe, sober, environment, with more structure and peer support than can be expected in the addict’s home environment.
After rehab, a sober living facility can provide a place where the addict can continue the care and support they need for recovery before returning to their former environments and the issues that may have sparked their addiction.
Long term treatment plans often involve participation in a sober living facility, where under supervision, addicts adjust to living soberly with curfews, rules, chores, counseling and therapeutic meetings while having the peer support from others who are trying to find their own paths to recovery. These interim environments are also known as halfway homes. The added support one finds in a sober living facility reinforces positive behaviors and gives the addict the confidence needed to actively reenter society and ultimately go home.
Finding Support
The consequences of addiction take a toll on the addict’s physical and mental health. Relationships are damaged, social and economic hardships develop, and sometimes, the environmental circumstances appear insurmountable when it comes to reintegrating with society. Remaining sober after rehab is challenging. It’s stressful and much needed support is not always found through family and friends. Transitioning to a sober and responsible lifestyle is the main purpose for providing support in a sober living facility. To find the best sober living facility, you may seek advice from individuals through:
- Counseling and treatment rehab centers
- Twelve-step programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous
- Family, friends, or someone who has experience living in a Sober Living Facility
- Church and religious organizations
- Community sponsorships or partnerships which promote drug free living
- Support groups
- Primary care providers, insurance, and employee assistance programs
- Sober Living Facilities which offer information on line.