Leaving detox and treatment can be daunting. For some, the pressure of being out in the world can be too intense. A lasting recovery means you’re confident in your ability to stay sober. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to build that confidence at your own pace. Sober living homes offer you just that. At Dignity Hall, our goal is preventing relapse. We take the long view and recognize it can be a challenge. Also, we know relapse doesn’t mean failure. Instead, it means you just need a bit more time. However, there are those out there who still believe sober living myths. Now’s the time to learn what’s true.
What Sober Living Involves
Transition back to the normal, everyday life can be anxiety-inducing. Although your treatment program has taught you skills to cope and the techniques to deal with your triggers, you may still feel unsteady. Aftercare programs like sober living make the transition smoother. In sober living homes, you re-learn the life skills necessary to live independently. Often substance use disorder robs individuals of the ability to manage their time and juggle responsibilities to family, work, or school. Through sober living, individuals can practice the skills they’ve learned in rehab in real life but know they have the support they need back home. They are others going through the same thing as they are there to help answer questions, work through issues, and give praise for successes.
Rebuilding basic social skills like dealing with interpersonal conflicts, handling anxiety, and knowing what emotions or actions are situationally appropriate all happens through the community built at a sober living home. This community is vital. Building a support system outside of treatment reduces the risk of relapse. Also, it allows individuals to feel themselves becoming part of society again.
Three Sober Living Myths
First, let’s being with some facts about sober living before looking at three sober living myths. While every home will have its own unique house rules, there will be common elements across all. For example, you can expect the following:
- Zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use. Medications will be tightly managed.
- Daily chores and tasks shared among all residents. Taking responsibility and holding others to account is vital in recovery.
- Random drug testing
- Attendance at house meetings and/or counseling sessions
These sample rules show how a sober living home strives to provide structure. Within the bounds of civility and commitment to sobriety, an individual is free to live their life. Also, by providing a stable environment for continued sobriety, sober living houses are proven effective.
Some common sober living myths include:
- You can’t see friends or family: Sober living isn’t about preventing you from getting back to your regular life. Thus, it would be counterproductive to stop you from seeing friends or family. What sober living does encourage is clients recognizing those people or circumstances in their lives that have caused them to use and avoid them. But the choice is always the client’s.
- Safety Is an Issue: In recovery, you’ll find yourself surrounded by people who have done things they aren’t proud of. But now they, like you, are moving forward, making amends, and being better. Thus, no one at a sober living home wants to endanger themselves or others. They want to thrive together.
- Homes are in bad neighborhoods: A cliche from film and television depictions. However, it is rarely the case. The vast majority of sober living homes. In fact, most are not just well cared for but impressive.
Dignity Hall
You’ve gone through detox, therapy, residential rehab or some other treatment program, and are now wondering what’s next. It can be daunting facing sobriety alone. However, the good news is you aren’t alone. After completing your program through Victory Bay, Dignity Hall is here for your next stage of recovery.
Sober living provides you with the support you need to make the transition back to everyday life as smooth as possible. Dignity Hall knows you’ve come far. We want to be there for you as you continue forward. So contact us today at 855.380.7560 to learn more about our facilities and discover which may be the right fit for you.
