Sober Living After Treatment

You know the saying: “It took a village to raise me.” I’ve always thought that was a little strange, considering I grew up in a sprawling urban area, and, more importantly, it’s true. The complete truth is, it took a community of people to help me rebuild my life over the course of a few years. In a few months, I will be celebrating my fourth anniversary of sobriety from alcohol and drugs, so I know firsthand what it takes to stay sober in today’s fast-paced world. If you’re at the beginning of your sober journey and feel like you have no idea what you’re doing or where to go from here, keep reading for some tips on how I built my own sober community and how you can start yours too!

Find a support system

There are a number of ways you can find support outside of treatment. You might seek out a sponsor, join a recovery community, or just talk openly with someone who’s sober or has been in your shoes before. A therapist can also be helpful in making sure that you have an outlet and someone to vent to who won’t judge or shame you for what’s going on in your life.

Stay connected

Sober living is something that many people need to make a successful transition from drug or alcohol addiction. But it’s also something that you can do on your own, even if you are not in a sober living community. In fact, staying connected with your support network is essential for maintaining sobriety.

Stay connected to your family and friends

One of the most important things that you can do to stay healthy in recovery is stay connected with the people who care about you. Your family and friends are there for more than just today — they’re there for life! They want what’s best for you and they want to see you succeed at becoming sober. This doesn’t mean that every conversation will be happy talk; talking about problems can actually be therapeutic because it shows that both parties are willing to take responsibility for themselves rather than blaming others or giving up altogether (which often happens when someone feels like all their relationships have failed).

Plan for the future

So, you’ve decided the time has come to tell your friends and family that you are serious about sober living. Now it’s time to make your goals into reality. Write down your goals, then create a plan for achieving them. Be realistic in your goals; don’t set yourself up for failure by setting unrealistic expectations or unattainable goals. For example, if you want to lose weight and be healthier as part of your recovery, don’t make all or nothing statements such as “I will never eat junk food again” because this sentence implies that you’ll never have an opportunity to eat something unhealthy again once you’re done with it forever — and we all know this isn’t realistic! Instead, think about how often and where junk food fits into your life now. Or perhaps, when eating lunch at work with coworkers? Once those questions are answered honestly, write down how many times per week/month/year that eating junk food would be okay (or even better than okay). Then set up a plan where these special occasions get incorporated into other healthy habits like walking 20 minutes every day or drinking water instead of soda every morning before breakfast.”

Get involved in your community and try new things

Sober living can feel like a very isolated experience. It’s important to remember that you are not alone in your journey and that there are many others who have been through what you’re going through right now.

So how do you get out of the house and meet new people? The most obvious answer is to join a club or meetup group, but this doesn’t have to mean going to an AA or meeting every night. You could also try volunteering at the library or helping out at an animal shelter — the point is just getting involved in your community so that there are more opportunities for socializing than just hanging out with friends (who are also sober).

Another way of breaking out of sobriety-induced isolation is by trying new things! If there’s something on YouTube about it, then chances are good that someone has already made a video about how awesome it was/is/will be when they do it themselves. So find yourself a niche activity and try it! Start with something simple like painting landscapes on rocks — you won’t regret being surrounded by nature (and rocks).

Sober living is about much more than just staying sober.

Sober living is about so much more than just staying sober. It’s about finding your place in the world, purpose, and community. It’s also about finding your voice and sharing it with others.

It can be hard to find all of these things when you’re living on the streets or struggling with addiction. Still, there are resources available today that weren’t around years ago: sober homes, day programs, and transitional housing — all of which help individuals transition into recovery while providing a safe environment for them to live. At the same time, they figure out what they want their next steps will be.

Conclusion

It’s crucial that you start thinking about how to live a fulfilling life, even after all the struggle involved in getting sober. Don’t let yourself become too discouraged if things don’t go as planned; remember that recovery can take time, and setbacks are common. The key is to keep working hard and never give up. You might want to call your therapist, sponsor, or even your family to discuss any obstacles you encounter on this journey.

Together We Can operates Canada’s largest network of Sober Living Residences all across the lower mainland and in Victoria on Vancouver Island. If you’re looking to further your recovery journey in a supported, safe environment, give us a call at 1-888–940–9584 or visit twcrecoverylife.org