If you are here, then you most likely have a loved one who needs help with their sobriety. This help can come in many forms. From residential or outpatient treatment to sober livings and transitional housing, it can all be very confusing and overwhelming. San Diego Sober Living is here to help you navigate these difficult times and even the exciting times of a new start in sober living. For some residents we realize that the need for sober living is a safe environment for the transition from inpatient treatment. For others, sober living can be a re-calibration after experiencing a setback in recovery. Give us a call at San Diego Sober Living and we will help you get the answers to all the questions you may have.

Why Sober Living?

After a person in recovery completes the inpatient rehab phase of treatment, it is usually recommended that he or she transition to a sober living facility for some period of time, typically ranging from one month to a year. Sober livings vary widely in terms of environment, range and severity of house rules, costs, and philosophy, but they generally have a few characteristics in common. First, all sober livings should strictly enforce requirements that residents remain drug and alcohol-free during their stay, and almost all require some form of drug and alcohol testing on a regular basis. If you encounter a sober living that does not require a safe, drug-free environment, then it is not a sober living and you should run from these facilities. Additionally, almost all sober living facilities have a set fee, and most require the resident to get a job in order to pay for his or her own stay at some point in the recovery process. The ultimate goal should always be the reentry of the person back into society. Requiring steps along the way eases this transition while also providing accountability.  Additionally, assuming the facility is 12-step based, most require regular attendance at AA or NA meetings, and most have a nightly curfew. The majority of sober living facilities also require residents to contribute to the household by doing chores and cleaning their own living spaces. There are also some sober living facilities that offer life skills training, continuing education, job assistance, and other such amenities.

How Staying Longer in a Sober Living Home Prevents Relapse

Sober living homes require complete abstinence as a stipulation for remaining a resident. Generally speaking, the longer a person remains abstinent, the lower relapse rates may be. Relapse rates for drug addiction are high, between 40 and 60 percent, NIDA publishes, and sober living homes may help to prevent and minimize relapse with continual peer support and the encouragement to attend 12-Step meetings regularly. These groups also promote complete abstinence. While attending 12-Step meetings may not be mandatory, as San Diego Sober Living, we believe that these meetings are a valuable part of the recovery process.

According a study published by Psychology Today, individuals who remain abstinent for at least a year, have lower relapse rates than those who do not. For example, the study found that individuals who were abstinent for less than a year relapsed two-thirds of the time while those who were sober for an entire year did so less than half the time. Individuals who were abstinent for a period of five years remained sober and avoided relapse 85 percent of the time. If an individual leaves a sober living home prior to being ready to do so, they risk relapse and a return to problematic behaviors. Sober living homes provide a community, as residents all strive for the same goals and face many of the same challenges together. Residents can rely on each other and learn to become part of a group as well as more self-sufficient. Each sober living home may have its own set of rules, chore expectations, and structure in place. Individuals are expected to help with meals, cleaning, and other household chores. While in a sober living home, individuals may be subject to regular drug tests, which may encourage compliance as well.

If you would like more information on the San Diego Sober Living, or any level of treatment, please call us at San Diego Sober Living. We are here to help answer all of the questions you may have.

Why Sober Living?

After an addict completes the inpatient rehab phase of treatment, it is usually recommended that he or she transition to a sober living facility for some period of time, typically ranging from three months to a year. These facilities vary widely in terms of environment, range and severity of house rules, costs, and philosophy, but they generally have a few characteristics in common. First, all sober livings should strictly enforce requirements that residents remain drug and alcohol-free during their stay, and almost all require some form of drug and alcohol testing on a regular basis. If you encounter a sober living that does not require a safe, drug-free environment, then it is not a sober living and you should run from these facilities. Additionally, almost all sober living facilities have a set fee, and most require the resident to get a job in order to pay for his or her own stay at some point in the recovery process. The ultimate goal should always be the reentry of the person back into society. Requiring steps along the way eases this transition while also providing accountability.  Also, assuming the facility is 12-step based, most require regular attendance at AA or NA meetings, and most have a nightly curfew. The majority of sober living facilities also require residents to contribute to the household by doing chores and cleaning their own living spaces. There are also some sober living facilities that offer life skills training, continuing education, job assistance, and other such amenities.

How Staying Longer in a Sober Living Home Prevents Relapse

Sober living homes require complete abstinence as a stipulation for remaining a resident. Generally speaking, the longer a person remains abstinent, the lower relapse rates may be. Relapse rates for drug addiction are high, between 40 and 60 percent, NIDA publishes, and sober living homes may help to prevent and minimize relapse with continual peer support and the encouragement to attend 12-Step meetings regularly. These groups also promote complete abstinence. While attending 12-Step meetings may not be mandatory, as San Diego Sober Living, we believe that these meetings are a valuable part of the recovery process.

Individuals who remain abstinent for at least a year, according to studies published by Psychology Today, have lower relapse rates than those who don’t. For example, the study found that individuals who were abstinent for less than a year relapsed two-thirds of the time while those who were sober for an entire year did so less than half the time. Individuals who were abstinent for a period of five years remained sober and avoided relapse 85 percent of the time. If an individual leaves a sober living home prior to being ready to do so, they risk relapse and a return to problematic behaviors. Sober living homes provide a community feel, as residents all strive for the same goals and face many of the same challenges. Residents can rely on each other and learn to become part of a group as well as more self-sufficient. Each sober living home may have its own set of rules, chore expectations, and structure in place. Individuals are expected to help with meals, cleaning, and other household chores. While in a sober living home, individuals may be subject to regular drug tests, which may encourage compliance as well.

If you would like more information on the San Diego Sober Living, or any level of treatment, please call us at San Diego Sober Living. We are here to help answer all of the questions you may have.

Addiction Assessment for A Loved One

The following questions can be a valuable tool in assessing whether a loved one needs sober living or a higher level of care. If you can answer yes to more than one question below then your loved one may be need of help. Give us a call and we can help.

1. Do you feel that your loved one needs a drug (or alcohol) in order to function?
2. Is it hard for them to control their drug use in your opinion?
3. Is it difficult for them to stay clean for several days at a time?
4. Do they use more than one drug at a time?
5. Have they ever lied about their use of drugs?
6. Do they ever use a drug by themselves?
7. Has their drug use made them isolate from friends and relatives?
8. Do they hide their drug use from friends or relatives?
9. Do they use drugs to cope with their feelings or to avoid dealing with the problems in life?
10. Does their drug use ever cause them to feel guilty, worried, trapped, lonely, sad, depressed, or hopeless about the future?
11. Does their drug use ever make them confused, incoherent, disorganised, disoriented, or cause some memory loss?
12. Has their drug use caused problems with motivation or concentration?
13. Does their drug use ever cause them to have difficulty paying attention at work, school, while doing hobbies, or at home?
14. Does their drug use cause physical, emotional, psychological, family, social, financial, or legal problems?
15. Have you ever complained that their drug use is damaging your relationship with them or do you criticize them for their drug use?
16. Do they ever get aggressive when using a drug?
17. Does their drug use ever cause them to think about self-mutilation or ending their life?
18. Have they ever ended up in the hospital after using drugs?
19. Has anyone ever suggested to them that they go for a consultation to get help for their drug use?
20. Has a doctor ever told them to stop taking their prescribed medication because it could be harmful to them given their use of drugs?