How Sober Living Homes Promote Healthy Routines in Recovery

Addiction is a chronic and progressive disease that requires ongoing maintenance to achieve long-lasting sobriety. While completing an addiction treatment program is a huge accomplishment, it does not mean recovery is over. The transition from rehab to independent living can be one of the most vulnerable times in a person’s recovery.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the addiction relapse rate is between 40 to 60%.[1]

Many people suffer from relapses right after they return home from a rehab program because they are exposed to new triggers they haven’t faced yet. While relapse is common during this time, there are ways to prevent it.

Attending a sober living home can help you prevent relapse by promoting healthy routines in your recovery and keeping you connected to a community of support. Sober living houses offer a supportive and structured environment that encourages you to create positive habits, like frequently attending support groups, continuing your therapy sessions, and boosting your accountability.

Ways Sober Living Homes Promote Healthy Routines in Recovery

Sober living homes are transitional living environments that are designed to support you during early recovery. Most people enter these houses after they have completed addiction treatment. One of the many benefits of staying in a sober living is that you will learn how to create healthy routines in your recovery.

Offering a Gradual Transition into Independent Living

When you leave your addiction treatment program, you will be leaving behind the sheltered environment they offer as well. Once you are living independently, you will be faced with new triggers for substance abuse that you will have to avoid and overcome on your own. Sober living homes make this process easier for you by keeping you connected with a recovery community, offering structure, and making you accountable for your actions.

While easing the transition to independent living, sober living homes also allow you to practice healthy routines in a safe environment. As a result, you will be able to create a routine that works for you before you are completely independent.

Structured Schedules

Typically, sober living homes have structured schedules to keep you focused on recovery while regaining a sense of normalcy after spending time in a treatment facility.

Usually, your daily schedule will involve:

• Set times for waking up
• Having a healthy breakfast
• Attending therapy sessions
• Going to work or school
• Eating a balanced lunch
• Going to a support group meeting
• Returning home for dinner
• Going to bed at a set time

Boosting Accountability

Most sober living homes have set rules and guidelines to keep you and your peers safe and focused on recovery. For example, rules might include nightly curfews, completing set chores, and submitting to randomized drug tests. Adhering to these rules will keep you accountable, which can be a vital aspect of healthy routines for recovery.

Additionally, you will have regular check-ins with the house manager to discuss where you are at in your recovery, any issues you are facing, and things you would like to work on. This helps you stay committed to sobriety while ensuring you maintain healthy habits you have picked up on.

Regular Therapy

Depending on your sober living home, you might have access to therapy on-site or have to commute to your sessions. With that being said, every one of these programs requires you to continue participating in therapy.

By requiring you to attend therapy regularly, sober living homes promote healthy routines in recovery, as counseling can be vital to maintaining your mental health. For example, you will address underlying issues, gain healthy coping skills, and receive advice on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle during your therapy sessions.

Required Attendance of Support Groups

One of the many ways sober living homes promote healthy routines in recovery is by requiring that you attend a certain number of addiction support groups each week. For example, they might ask you to attend two 12-step recovery meetings during your free hours on the same days each week.

By requiring regular meeting attendance, sober living homes reinforce the importance of fitting recovery support groups into your weekly schedules. These meetings can strengthen your connection with a recovery community, ensure you receive support for any issues you are facing, and help you progress in your sobriety.

Support from Peers

When you live in a sober living home, you will be sharing your home with other people recovering from addiction. Typically, this causes you to develop connections with others who are going through similar struggles. As a result, your peers will often provide you with much-needed support during your time in your sober living program.

Keeping this in mind, your relationships with your peers can motivate you to stick to a healthy routine through accountability and not wanting to disappoint people who have become important to you.

Get Connected to a Top-Rated Sober Living Home

If you or a loved one has recently completed an addiction treatment program, sober living might be right for you. At New You Sober Living, we offer both co-ed and men’s only sober living homes to ensure everyone receives the type of care they need.

To learn more about our sober living houses, contact us today.

References:

1. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): The Science of Addiction Treatment and Recovery, Retrieved January 2024 From https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/treatment-recovery