While recovery is a process designed to address the immediate problem of substance abuse and addiction, it could be more accurately described as a way of life. That conceptualization of sobriety as a way of life serves as the fundamental philosophical underpinnings of the sober living approach to maintaining recovery. Often, those accustomed to dealing with or completely avoiding problems via their addiction do not have the basic life and coping skills necessary to managing day-to-day living, which can increase vulnerability to relapse. The sober living approach is geared toward addressing those specific sorts of vulnerabilities.

A Practical Approach During a Vulnerable Period

There are certain points in the treatment of addiction that a person is more vulnerable to relapse. The initial period of abstinence, or the detoxification phase, during which the most intense withdrawal symptoms are typically experienced is one. Another is when a person moves beyond the supportive cocoon of the early recovery stages, whether that be a residential treatment program or a high contact, strong support outpatient program, into the real world of daily life.

Many people do stumble when taking those first baby steps into their new substance-free life, often because they simply don’t have to practical skills necessary to deal with the demands, stresses and frustrations of day-to-day life. That is especially true of people who have damaged their finances and families through their addiction and, in addition to dealing with recovery, also have to try to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. Sober living is designed to deal with exactly that – to teach the practical skills necessary to maintaining sobriety and moving forward with the business of living on a new level.

According to Clean and Sober Place to Live: Philosophy, Structure, and Purported Therapeutic Factors in Sober Living Houses, an in-depth study published by the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, sober living is an effective means of supporting the recovery of those who are motivated to succeed. Moving from the initial stages of recovery into the transitional living environment offered by sober living programs can help a person in recovery to develop the life and coping skills necessary to maintaining sobriety. Having these skills when entering the independent living recovery phase – living on their own in sobriety – can significantly enhance their success and reduce the chance of relapse. Some features of sober living programs include:

• A commitment to refrain from using alcohol and to avoid any recreational drug use, including the improper use of prescription medications.
• An agreement to attend an agreed upon number of 12-step or other sobriety oriented group meetings per week.
• Participation in household chores not just for the purpose of ensuring the smooth operation of the home, but also as a means of developing responsibility and learning practical life skills.
• Active participation in household group activities planned specifically for supporting sobriety, such as group discussions of goals and progress.

Providing a Framework for Sober Independent Living

Sometimes a person has spent so long in addition that they no longer have a framework by which to organize their lives. In addition to helping a person to develop the skills they need, both practical and cognitive, sober living programs provide a framework for living, a means of organizing one’s life to protect sobriety while enjoying growth and positive change. Sober living offers a foundation upon which to build a new life and to become one’s vision of their very best self, according to an article published in Counselor, The Magazine for Addiction Professionals. These are some of the ways that sober living enhances future independent living success:

• The person in recovery is able to develop a supportive network of likeminded people, replacing their old group of substance-using friends with a new support system made up of people sharing the recovery journey.
• A new pattern of daily living is established, one that incorporates productive routines that support sobriety and naturally enhance the experience of daily living. For example, getting a job fills time that was once consumed by substance abuse and also brings in money. When there is money to pay bills and buy food, life is less stressful and more enjoyable.
• Part of the practical skills acquired include personal finance management. The result is that the overall quality of life is improved when money is used correctly and not blown on substance abuse.
• The goal-setting practices and goal-achieving skills learned during recovery and sober living programs carry over to many aspects of life. The person in recovery has learned a valuable set of skills with which to achieve many positive things in life and, with the ongoing success of recovery efforts, they can experience a new sense of confidence about what they can achieve in life. Each achievement provides positive reinforcement for recovery and for reaching other professional and personal goals.

Sober living support can make a significant contribution to long-term recovery success. Finding the right sober living program can be a doorway into a whole new experience of life, one in which maintaining sobriety becomes less of a chore and more of a pathway to living on a whole new level of satisfaction and fulfillment.