SOBER LIVING: EXPECTATIONS vs. REALITY

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SOBER LIVING EXPECTATIONS vs. REALITY

Are you transitioning from intensive outpatient treatment or alcohol addiction treatment to independent living?

Worried about how and will you be able to endure?

A Sober living home can be the quick answer to your worries.

It is a one-stop solution to take off and spread your wings under the sky.

Whether you talk about sober living for men or sober living for women, sober living houses or halfway houses are the preferred choices.

Still not sure about what you should be expecting out of the experience?

Just relax! Before you get cold feet and plan to step back; understand that many things will change once you get sober. But to make your life worth living, you just need to learn to cope and deal with each and everything differently.

To make your job easier, we’ve listed down some helpful pointers that are sure to change your perspective on the sober living experience and also bust some common myths associated with sober houses.

Read ahead to learn more!

What are Sober Living Homes or Halfway homes?

Sober Living Homes (SLH) or halfway homes are the provisions offering structured living conditions (free from drug and alcohol) and safe housing for people exiting from drug rehabilitation programs. These houses serve as a transitional path between the programs and mainstream society.  SLH is more like a private residence, whereas halfway houses are built like dorms and are funded by the government.

Patients staying in such homes alter their experiences with drugs, substances, or alcohol from their past i.e., when they were addicted to drugs and alcohol. Such living environments also encourage a recovering addict’s road in moving further towards sobriety. 

All in all, these are the places to focus on their healing and re-establishing themselves.

Halfway houses in Tennessee are worth considering if you look for the best possible chance of early recovery for men and women. At these houses, the original in-house support team system monitors each resident’s recovery program.

Halfway houses make patients understand how addiction affects the brain and learn to plan for relapse and cope with Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS).

Before heading towards the recovery expectations, analyze where these expectations come from? Did these expectations pop up based on your objective knowledge of the situation, or did someone else pour it into your mind?

To give you more headway, let’s go through some of the common expectations and myths associated with sober living and the actual reality.
Read on!

EXPECTATION: You’ll be stuck to the hospital bed.

REALITY: You can move freely and rejuvenate under the serene environment.

Gone are the days of rehabs and detoxes. You can leap recovery by living in the most comfortable environment. Halfway houses in Tennessee are suited to perfectly accommodate your needs and have all the amenities – like WiFi, convenient locations, outdoor area, etc. that make your sober journey a cakewalk!

EXPECTATION: Sober living is expensive.

REALITY: Sobriety is much cheaper than addiction – and so are transition homes. You just need to do your homework to find the right place for you.

Consider an example of an alcohol and drug addict, the sum of money spent over the person’s course of addiction; latter their cost of living including medical bills, insurance, groceries, utilities, and much more. A large sum of money is spent on sustaining an addiction habit, isn’t it?

Compared to this enormous amount, sober living is quite affordable and an investment for a healthier future.

EXPECTATION: Sober living is unendurable.

REALITY: The process can be comfortable.

Entering sobriety without any medical support can be challenging. To make the process more comfortable, choosing a sober living house or halfway homes is the way to go. The professionals monitor your vitals every hour and prescribe medications to keep you safe and focus on the road to sobriety. 

EXPECTATION: After some time, you may have a relapse.

REALITY: Aftercare plays an essential role in the treatment process.

When you start the process, it is essential to complete it. It is said that once you start something, do not leave it until you complete it. Similarly, keep patience and work on the aftercare plan when you start with the recovery process. Whether it is counseling, trauma work, or residential treatment, the aftercare plan is timely customized that fits the individual patient’s needs.

EXPECTATION: One cannot go and hang out with friends.

REALITY: If you are emotionally and socially fit, you can enjoy every second with your friends!

Sober living homes help you make new friends while putting you in a group living situation with a community of other individuals with similar experiences.

Socializing helps you regain independence and freedom. You can surely enjoy the outings with your friends as long as you are spiritually fit and in the right place mentally.

EXPECTATIONS: Once I leave alcohol and drugs, all my problems will disappear.

REALITY: Till we live, the problems stay; you’ll learn to deal with them.

Problems do not go anywhere. They stay around till we’re alive. That’s just the way of life! When you are drunk, you feel on the top of the world without any worry. But once you come to your senses, you’ll realize that your problems are still there.

It’s not that if you get rid of alcohol and drugs, you will not have problems, i.e., once you achieve the milestones, your issues do not disappear, but they change their course.

Although, for sure some of your problems that must’ve come up due to addiction will be gone. Further, you’ll be strong enough to face the difficulties ahead of the road.

For a stress-free recovery, change your perspective to get rid of unrealistic expectations and do not compare your recovery state with any other person.

WRAPPING UP

Recovering is essential. You can’t put a price tag on your betterment.
Adjusting to being sober may be challenging initially. Still, as the sober days pass, the climb gets more manageable, and you become more participative with the ways of a sober life.

Working with a professional withdrawal management team allows you to build a life of recovery that lasts. All you have to remember is to keep patience while recovering!

Happy sober living!

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