A lot of people feel pretty uneasy about the whole, go to treatment, move somewhere else, live with random people in a sober living home, plan. Understandable, however, if the experience is worth anything, it goes to show that for most people who are real alcoholics or addicts, the benefits of sober living massively outweigh the downsides.

For anyone who has tried to control or stop their use on their own, they can attest to just how difficult, or even impossible, staying sober can be. Especially when they stay in the same house, around the same people, and in the same town, that they were previously running in. Addicts and alcoholics are pretty much creatures of habit, and when we stay in comfortable areas, surrounded by comfortable people, chances are, we are far more likely to resort back to comfortable behaviors.

So, if you are still questioning whether you should make the choice to start your journey of recovery in a sober living home, here are a few more good reasons why you should!

1. Accountability and Structure

If there is one thing that active addiction can pretty much guarantee, it is the destruction of a sense of accountability and responsibility. For those of us who spend years in addiction, it can be extremely difficult to get back into the swing of accountability again. Even making the commitment to make a meeting everyday can sometimes feel like a massive undertaking.

However, sober living homes provide a gentle and supportive nudge for people in early recovery to get back on their feet, through any series of expectations that are required in order to continue living in them. Some of the most common methods of providing accountability include:

• Curfew
• Random Drug Screens
• Attendance at meeting and working a program of recovery
• Eventual work at a part-time job
• Weekly house meetings and check-ins
• Household chores

These are some of the most common ones, however, sober living homes can vary in their formats and can provide additional or fewer requirements for residents. If these seem like a massive pain in the butt, chances are, you might need them more than you think you do!

While most people in early recovery are not necessarily used to living by a set of responsibilities, it is actually extremely beneficial to live in a place that encourages boundaries such as these, because the way we were living, was more or less on the fringes of society. These are simple ways to help us get re-acclimated to the way that the rest of the world functions.

2. Affordable Living

Let’s be honest, not too many people in early recovery have a stash of savings waiting for them. That being said, the initial move in and maintenance costs for an apartment are pretty much off the table for the first few months after treatment. Sober living homes make it a point to provide affordable and manageable rent prices for their residents.

Some homes even provide sliding scales, where residents have the opportunity to pay off what they owe, once they are able to get a job and gather some savings. Now, similarly to an apartment building or housing community, each sober living home is different. Some are extremely high end and can cost upwards of $2,000 a month, and others which are more modest can be as affordable as $500-$800 per month.

3. Community

Another pretty common thread among newly recovering addicts and alcoholics is the tendency to isolate. Sober living communities provide residents with an easy introduction to making sober friends and building a strong network of like-minded people.

It is much harder to rent out a room in town and expect everyone else living in the home to be sober, but that goes without question in sober living homes. Everyone is on the same mission for recovery and can help each other out in times of stress and turmoil. It is also very nice to live in a community of people to attend meetings with, to do sober activities with, and even to just discuss recovery and get help on similar issues.

One of the pillars of being in recovery is the fellowship – being surrounded by a community of people who are all looking to stay sober can be extremely beneficial for a newcomer. Especially if they become close to residents who have been there for some time, have some sobriety under their belt, and can connect them to their own sober network.

4. Not Living with your Parents

I say this with all of the love in my heart for my parents, but my only option besides sober living was to get sober in their house. Let’s be honest, I am so grateful for loving me despite all of the hell I put them through, but they are probably two of my biggest “triggers”. I visit them on holidays and special occasions, but I find it hard to be around them for more than a few days.

Bless their hearts, they care immensely, but they just don’t understand the ins and outs of being in recovery, and even though I grow and change in my program, that doesn’t mean they are. So while yes, the structure and accountability that comes along with staying in a sober living home can sometimes be against my addict nature, the freedom and lack of nagging that comes with it greatly outweigh what staying in my parent’s house would have been like.

So the choice is yours! However, it is your life and your sobriety, and although staying in a sober living might not seem like your cup of tea, chances are, it will probably save your life!

Getting Sober With Restore

At the end of the day, some of us require a bit of additional help before comfortably moving into any type of sober residence. Addiction will show up at your door with both barrels blazing and it’s up to us as the alcoholics we are to know how to handle it appropriately. Nobody wants to be victim to this disease. If you or your loved one is ready to leave substance dependency behind and start a new way of life, please call 1-858-293-1363 or visit https://restoredetoxcenters.com. Our teams of specialists are waiting to explore your options with a drug detox center.