Is Sober Living Needed After Treatment?
Addiction affects millions of individuals around the world. Often, people with untreated mental health disorders will start using and then abusing prescription and/or illicit drugs. Many people ask after leaving rehab if sober living is needed after addiction treatment and it’s a complicated topic.
The National Institutes of Health says:
A survey of American adults revealed that drug use disorder is common, co-occurs with a range of mental health disorders and often goes untreated. The study, funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health, found that about 4 percent of Americans met the criteria for drug use disorder in the past year and about 10 percent have had drug use disorder at some time in their lives. Based on the results of the study, the majority of people with drug use disorder never receive any form of treatment. About 14 percent of people who had drug use disorder in the past year and about 25 percent of people who had ever had drug use disorder received care. Even among people with moderate-to-severe drug use disorder, less than 20 percent of those with past-year drug use disorder and less than one-third of those with lifetime drug use disorder received treatment. (NIH)
With the mental illnesses being left untreated, drug abuse continues and usually leads to addiction. Addiction is a chronic brain disease. It causes people to continue to take drugs despite any harmful consequences it may cause, and repeated drug use changes the brain. The changes that addiction causes in the brain are long-lasting, so even though an individual may have years of sobriety, they will always be at risk for relapsing or taking drugs again. Sober living helps you stay sober after treatment because of the structure and supervision in-place that encourages accountability.
Rehab for Substance Use Disorders
About 75% of addicts go without receiving treatment. Some aren’t ready to get clean, some aren’t sure where to turn or have any support, and many addicts never make it to treatment; they die of an overdose beforehand.
Those that complete a treatment program have about a 30% success rate, but 70 to 80% of individuals drop out of treatment within 3 to 6 months. Forcing a person into treatment never works. The addict feels ganged upon, and this only makes things worse. To be successful in recovery and stay sober, the addict has to be 100% ready to do this and willing to go to any lengths to maintain their sobriety.
Inpatient treatment, intensive outpatient programs, or regular outpatient treatment is a good place to start once the addict is ready. After completing treatment, many aren’t ready to go back out into the real world. They aren’t quite stable enough. This is where sober living comes into play.
Sober Living After Drug Rehab
Is sober living required after rehab?`No, sober living isn’t required, however, those that enter a sober living environment are more likely to stay sober after completion than those that only complete a regular treatment program.
Sober living homes further help people in recovery by teaching them the skills they need to go back to living a normal life after a life of addiction. Residents in sober homes can develop strong support systems, gain employment, learn coping skills, relapse prevention techniques, structure, and money management. Sober living homes improve the foundation for long-term recovery.
Transitional Care for Drug Addiction
If you or someone you love is looking for a premier, co-ed sober living facility, we would love to have you here at New You Sober Living. New You Sober Living treats everyone with the dignity and respect they deserve. We will help get you on the path to leading a successful long-term recovery, and our facility is beachfront so you can relax and find your inner self. Our team of specialists is available around the clock to assist you, so give us a call today.
