It can be challenging to transition from rehab into sober living in real life. People from rehab have a difficult time getting it right with jobs, social life, and their formal life in general. This is why living in a sober home is recommended for friends and family just getting out of rehab. Sober living homes, also called halfway houses, allows for better monitoring and prevention of relapse.

How does it Work in a Sober Home?

Instead of going home after rehab and risking relapse or difficulty in facing the outside world, a sober home creates an avenue that enhances your recovery and allows you to stay true to everything learned in rehab. Contrary to opinion, a sober home is not exactly synonymous to an inpatient facility. While an inpatient facility is fully residential and provides 24 hours monitoring for patients, a sober home serves to ensure your soberness while going about your normal daily activities. Also, a sober home helps you get along with your new life and develop good adaptive mechanisms.

What to Expect?

Patients, as earlier stated, are not going in for a full time or intensive care, they are, unlike inpatient facilities, allowed to move outside the surroundings of the home. Patients are allowed to see friends and family often, get a job, and have a social life. It really is just a way of being double sure patients do not get out of rehab to face a harsh and unorganized environment. So rest assured you won’t be placed on any restrictions other than following the rules and policies of the sober home you choose to live in.

Prevention of Relapse

Getting out rehab and actually stay sober until recovery helps prevent relapse. People tend to relapse when they either get triggered or are left secluded. It is then of utmost importance to discuss ways of successfully staying sober.

Reach out to relatives

Your addiction must have in one way or the other affected friends and families. Reaching out to them and making amends is one sure way of staying sober and recovering quickly.

Get a job

Referring to the above; relapse comes most times when you’re triggered, and triggers come when you are alone or less busy. This can be combated by simply getting a job. It helps you have other goals, targets, and keep your mind on the other things.

Change your environment

Staying in the same environment that bred your sickness delays your recovery. You will recover slowly or won’t recover at all if you remain in the same setting that made you sick. Stay away from people and places that can throw your mind back into your old ways.

Meet people

While trying to stay sober, meeting new people opens a new and clean chapter in your life. It boosts excitement for things other than your addictions. Making new friends and keeping contact with them helps you stay sober.

Be accountable to someone

You want to be sure someone always knows your whereabouts and things you’re up to. It helps you keep track of your recovery progress. Inform them of any trigger you see and ask them to remove contraband for you. You should also connect with other sober people so as to have one another’s backs and help one another recover quickly.

Keep all appointments

It is very important to consistently attend follow – up meetings in your sober home. Be sure not to skip any appointments, and cooperate with your physician.

Get busy

Fighting boredom is very important in relapse prevention. Create habits that make you forget your addictions. Get new hobbies – swimming, cycling, reading, etc. Exercise regularly and, your sober living just got easier.

Go easy on yourself

The eagerness to recover as fast as possible and get your life back is understandable. The truth, however, is that recovery doesn’t happen overnight. It won’t happen as fast as you may like, but following the training received in rehabilitation toward sober living, you are on track to full recovery.

Prioritize your health

One of the ways of preventing relapse during sober living is paying attention to your health. Be sure to eat well and take recommended medications. Follow a good healthy diet from professionals and get therapy when necessary. Besides physical health, it is also imperative to take note of your mental health. Relapse can happen when patients get traumatized from past experiences of substance abuse. When you notice any form of trauma setting in, contact your physician/therapist and get the necessary help.

How affordable is sober living?

Since sober homes are not as intensive as in-patient facilities, and physicians are rendering lesser services, it is relatively inexpensive to get in to a sober home.

How to find a good sober living home…

Many people attempt sober living on their own. However, this is not the best option, and as such, we would not recommend it. There are many sober homes available depending on your budget and your needs.

Conclusion

Consistency requires a great deal of willpower. Staying true to your sobriety could be somewhat tasking and/or even boring if you haven’t replaced old habits with new. Leaving a sober home midway for whatever reason oftentimes lead to relapse. It is frustrating having to start all over. Stay consistent and committed to your sobriety, and watch yourself recover fully in no time. Good luck!

For more information on how to maintain your sobriety after rehab, or you need help in finding a good and affordable sober home. Do not hesitate to contact us 512-497-2147 or leave us a message.