15 Reasons to Make Sober Housing Work for You

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, sober housing is a viable form of aftercare when you leave inpatient rehab or incarceration. There are many reasons that sober living is right for someone in recovery and even more reasons to make it work for you to help you achieve sobriety.

1. You will be Around People who Also Want to Remain Sober

Having people around you with the same goals is extremely important if you want to recover. When someone around you uses drugs, you might also decide to start using again. Being around people whose goal it is to remain sober prevents this from happening.

2. You will Develop Friendships with People who are Sober Instead of those Addicted to Drugs or Alcohol

A support structure is extremely important when you are in recovery. This support structure can help you even after you leave sober housing. Since loneliness is a trigger for relapse, this support structure can help you remain sober by providing you with support and comfort when you start craving drugs or alcohol.

3. It can be Hard to Resume a Normal Life after Rehab

You’ll likely have an easier time focusing in treatment if you stay at a sober house.

When you are isolated in rehab, remaining sober is easy. You are not exposed to the trials of the world around you. Most of the time after rehab, you feel disoriented and out of touch because you drastically altered your life. Sober housing gives you a place to transition back into society without all of the pressures.

4. You can Continue your Treatment without Temptation

Temptation is difficult to deal with so soon after you leave rehab. You can continue your counseling and medical treatment after your stay in rehab. Continuing treatment is extremely important if you are going to stay on the road to recovery.

5. It Gives you a Way to Slowly Reintegrate yourself into Life without Drugs or Alcohol

One of the best ways to recover is to take it slow and do things one step at a time. Reintegrating into society is difficult to do without the help and support of a sober house. You can gradually transition from rehab to normal life while learning to live without drugs or alcohol.

6. You can Take a Break from Dealing with Triggers Constantly

When you go back into your home after rehab, you are confronted with your triggers immediately. A sober house gives you a way to remain away from many of your triggers until you learn to deal with them properly. You can gradually expose yourself to the triggers you cannot avoid without the chance of relapse.

7. People in Sober Housing often Help Each Other Deal with Being Sober

Along with developing a support structure, others in your sober house will help you remain sober. Most people need to be around those that have the same goals as they do. This helps them to stay on track in their sobriety. The friends you make at a sober house help you to keep on the path to sobriety.

8. Sober Housing Usually Offers Programs to Help you get your Life Back on Track

Most sober houses offer employment training, 12 step programs, and other educational options to help you get back on track. These programs can range from job training to help with interviewing skills.

9. Sober Housing gives you the Chance to Discover who you are Again

It takes time after rehab to figure out what type of person that you are without the drugs and alcohol. Many people forget who they are while they are using. It is important to find yourself again before entering society.

10. Life in Sober Housing can Help Alleviate Some of the Boredom that Many Experience after Stopping Drug or Alcohol Use

Many people begin using drugs or alcohol in order to alleviate boredom. The activities that sober houses provide gives you the chance to get out and find out what you like doing without the influence of drugs or alcohol.

11. Sober Housing Might Help you with Criminal Charges

Alternative sentencing is becoming more popular as more courts realize that incarceration does very little to help those addicted to drugs. Some states even promote sober housing as an alternative to jail time in order to alleviate overcrowding and to get people the treatment they need.

Living in Recovery: Why You Should Begin at a Sober House

12. It Helps you with Learning New Coping Strategies that Work in the Real World

Coping mechanisms are extremely important when it comes to recovery. Unfortunately, no one can tell you how to cope with the problems that you will face when you return to society. While in sober housing you can learn these coping strategies at your own pace rather than being forced to deal with everything all at once.

13. A Sober House Puts you in a Situation Where you Have the Support that you Need to Remain Sober

Sober housing allows you access to counselors, other addicts, and doctors. All of the support that you need is there, all you have to do is take advantage of it.

14. A Sober House Allows you to Take your Time Adjusting to Society without Drugs

People who do not use might seem unusual to you at first. It is a consequence of using drugs and using drugs to escape reality. Anxiety, depression, and social issues are main reasons why people use drugs. When you use drugs you change your personality and your life, it takes time to adjust to things without the help of drugs or alcohol. Sober housing gives you this time.

15. Sometimes Going Home is Not an Option and you Need to Find a Sober Residence to Help you

If you need to find a sober house that suits your needs simply call 800-953-3913 (Who Answers?). Finding the right sober house is extremely important. If you cannot return home because of problems there such as a drug or alcohol user, a sober house is the best place for you.