How to Stay Sober After Rehab in South Florida
Addiction is a chronic and progressive disease, which means that if it is not managed it will worsen over time. According to the National Institutes of Health, the addiction relapse rate is between 40 to 60%.[1] While relapse is relatively common, it does not have to be a part of your story.
Once you leave an addiction treatment center, you will experience new triggers in the real world. This can be enough to derail anyone’s sobriety, especially if you do not have the proper tools and support needed to achieve long-term recovery. So how do you stay sober after rehab?
One of the best ways to build a strong foundation of sobriety after attending rehab in South Florida is to stay in a sober living home.
What Are Sober Living Homes?
Sober living homes are a type of recovery housing that eases your transition from addiction treatment to independent living. When you leave an addiction treatment program, you might struggle to adjust back into daily life and your normal routine. Sober living houses provide you with the services and support you need to make this transition successful and prevent you from relapsing.
If you do not have a stable home environment to return to, sober living programs can provide you with the safety and security you need until you can afford your own place. Sober living programs can last anywhere from 3 months to a couple of years, but most sober living houses allow you to stay as long as you need to build your foundation of recovery and feel comfortable being on your own.
Sober living homes are highly effective in increasing positive outcomes for people recovering from addiction. They are an effective option for people in need of drug and alcohol-free housing and provided improvements in substance abuse, arrests, mental health symptoms, and employment.[2]
How Does a Sober Living Program Help You Stay Sober After Rehab?
Sober living homes are designed to support you while you are in early recovery from addiction or alcoholism. But how do they help you stay sober and prevent relapse?
The main goals of sober living programs include:
- Providing a safe and supportive living environment
- Giving you the time you need to practice living sober independently
- Decrease your risk of relapsing
- Help you maintain your sobriety by teaching you to manage triggers, cravings, and stress
- Assisting you in establishing a stable lifestyle and healthy habits
- Providing you with the opportunity and time to gain life skills
- Encouraging you to build a community of sober people
- Helping you become a productive member of society by providing vocational training or assistance with education
When you live in a sober living home, you will have a set of rules and guidelines to follow. These rules are put in place to help you learn how to manage your life outside of a treatment facility while maintaining sobriety. They also help to keep you safe and accountable during your stay.
Examples of rules and guidelines that sober living homes enforce in South Florida include:
- Nightly curfews
- Mandatory attendance of recovery meetings like Alcoholics Anonymous
- Performing regular chores around the house
- Maintaining the cleanliness of your personal space
- Mandatory randomized drug testing
It is important to note that sober living homes are drug and alcohol-free zones. A house manager is in charge of ensuring everyone in the house is safe, sober, and adhering to the house rules. Additionally, violence is never tolerated, which helps provide everyone with a safe space to return home to.
Additional Tips for Staying Sober After Rehab
Whether you live in a sober home or not, you should learn about additional ways to stay sober after rehab. There are many ways to prevent relapse, but one of the most important things is being aware of your personal triggers.
Common triggers include:
- Stress from work, school, or family
- Boredom
- Feelings of guilt or shame
- Exhaustion
- Interacting with people you used to abuse substances with
- Visiting places you used to abuse drugs or alcohol at
- Seeing, hearing, or smelling something you associate with drug or alcohol use
- Parties for holidays or birthdays
- Significant life changes, whether they are fun or stressful
In addition to knowing your triggers, you should also practice healthy coping mechanisms to deal with the emotions that arise after a trigger. Common coping mechanisms used to avoid relapse include:
- Having a network of sober friends to call in times of need
- Exercise
- Meditation or yoga
- Mindfulness techniques like urge surfing
- Engaging in self-care activities
- Focusing on your breathing
- Eating healthy and having a good sleep routine
- Continuing to attend therapy or group counseling
- Taking care of your mental health
Get Connected With a Top-Rated Sober Living Home in South Florida
If you or a loved one have recently completed an addiction treatment program, you should consider staying at a sober living home in South Florida after rehab. Sober living homes like New You can provide you with the tools and support you need to maintain your sobriety while living independently.
At New You Sober Living, our philosophy is to treat every man and woman with dignity and respect throughout your luxurious and comfortable stay under our guided care.
To learn more about our Broward County sober homes, contact us today.
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