The effects of sober living have been studied in-depth over a long period of time. A study in The Journal of Psychoactive Drugs highlighted sober living houses, along with where people that “graduate” from the program end up.
But what does this mean for the person struggling? What does this mean for someone who genuinely wants help, but doesn’t know how to break the cycle of addiction? It’s time to see what a sober living house can really do for you. There are essentially three main benefits that these centers bring to the table. They’re listed below in this article.
1. Boundaries
Most dysfunctional environments have a lack of boundaries. Boundaries, in their simplest form, help us determine how others treat us but more importantly, how we treat ourselves. It’s very easy to just assume that people will respect you, but that isn’t always the case. What you must do is focus on setting new boundaries. A sober living home does that by removing you from the toxic environment. It gives you a way to see people in a different life. Once you cannot use alcohol or other drugs, you have to interact with everyone and process emotions without relying on these substances. This helps your mind set new boundaries and when you return to your life, you will see a sharp contrast in many of the same people that used to enable or even participate in your drug abuse.
2. Community
Do you have a problem with heavy drinking due to loneliness or a sense of not having a purpose? A sober living home will help you find new hobbies to try, but the other residents will also gather around you. Lifting each other up is what these homes are all about!
3. Ongoing Support
Do you dream of a sober life that you can enjoy…for life? Consistency is the key, and most sober living houses allow you to stay for up to six months, but there are some that have worked out ways to stay for up to a year. That’s a year of being free and clear from drugs. It’s not like you get to sit around all day, talking about your problems. You are encouraged to go out and work, because there are bills that have to be shared with every resident of the home. You’ll develop not just new boundaries, but you’ll gain the support that your life has been lacking for a long time.
These are all things that might not mean much individually, but when you combine all of these benefits you get a truly clean and clear life. The idea that we have to hide sobriety or try to downplay it is really peculiar. It makes a lot more sense to step back, reflect, and try to improve your life little by little each day.
