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How to Create a Healthy Sober Living Environment

recoverysober living

Sydney Schulz on November 2, 2021 at 7:12 AM


By Adam Grinder


Everybody knows that a healthy sober living environment is essential for keeping recovering individuals on the right track. However, what many people struggle with is figuring out how to create a supportive environment that will continue to foster growth and progress. 


Sobriety is not easy. Partly because addiction is undeniably alluring and partly because individuals fighting substance abuse often struggle with a deeper issue that mind-altering substances help mask or provide a distraction from. And the journey to sobriety is different for every individual. Some wake up one day fully motivated to quit. On the other hand, others need more help. They join a rehab program that will provide them with the initial push. 


What happens next, however, is not merely a step into a new life chapter. In a way, it is. Still, the journey to recovery is much longer than the time spent in an inpatient program. There is always the risk of relapse. Moreover, there is always a need for additional support, be it group therapy, regular therapy, or home-based support. This is what people in recovery need after rehabilitation. 


Therefore, creating a healthy living environment is necessary to ensure the best possible start of a sober life. 


The role and importance of a healthy sober living environment

Surroundings play a significant role in addiction treatment and relapse prevention. People, places, moods, things, and exposure to drugs or alcohol are all potential triggers and the most common causes of relapse. Thus, for a successful journey to recovery, it is necessary to create as healthy environmental conditions as possible. 


According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), there are four factors supporting life in recovery:

  1. Health – The first steps to recovery involve overcoming addiction and achieving a healthy body, lifestyle, and mind. Moreover, maintaining a healthy lifestyle means making conscious decisions about remaining abstinent, dietary choices, and exercise routines.
  2. Home – In addition, it is crucial to have a safe, stable, and comfortable place to live. Individuals struggling to ensure such a living space will have difficulty focusing on sobriety. 
  3. Purpose – It is also necessary to fill days with some meaningful activities. Therefore, having a job while in recovery is highly beneficial. Furthermore, some additional activities are helpful, such as volunteering, having a hobby, spending time with family and friends, working around the house. Anything that gives life a purpose is a valid activity. If you have too much free time on your hands, depression, and boredom can quickly find their way in. And that is a sure way to return to the old, destructive behaviors. 
  4. Community – Recovering individuals strive in healthy relationships. Such relationships offer much-needed support and encouragement, which is fundamental for staying sober.  

Staying in a transitional living home, for example, will ensure you have a healthy home environment. It will significantly reduce the chance of relapse and provide you with an excellent springboard for ongoing success. 


Understanding a healthy sober living environment

Knowing what precisely a healthy sober living environment is will help you create one for yourself. It is a healthy, clean, stable, safe, and supportive home environment. There are no drugs or alcohol. 


Many individuals in recovery have no healthy sober living environment to return to after the rehabilitation center. It may be because their family members or some of their friends also abuse substances. Or perhaps they don't know how to provide the necessary support. So, returning to such an unstable, unsupportive, and overall unhealthy environment will make it exceptionally difficult to remain sober, increasing the risk of relapse considerably. 


Therefore, some individuals decide to relocate. Moving to a new place will offer a fresh start and a solid base for their recovery in situations such as these. This is the place you will be able to practice mindfulness and self-care, a place where with some minor upgrades to your decor, you can feel comfortable and peaceful. In general, making an effort to create a healthy sober living environment will ensure you protect your sobriety and stay on the right track. 


Qualities of a healthy sober living environment

  • You have plenty of support - Surround yourself with people who genuinely support your recovery and distance yourself from people who may not respect your sobriety or who may trigger you.
  • There are no mind-altering substances - Drugs or alcohol should not be allowed in your home.
  • A healthy diet - During addiction, your body lacks the necessary nutrients and minerals. It makes you dehydrated, and you may have difficulty thinking clearly. 
  • Getting enough sleep - It is a significant part of sobriety as adequate sleep can positively impact the quality of life. 
  • Established structure - Having a set structure is critical for recovering individuals. A well-planned day leaves little time for boredom or meeting with people who may distract you from your goal. 
  • No temptations - There is no pressure caused by nightlife and bars in your neighborhood. 
  • Respecting house rules - Set rules that you must respect. Besides staying abstinent, those rules can be paying the rent and bills regularly, keeping your home clean and tidy, controlling who comes to visit you.
  • An environment free of any judgment - You must feel accepted and supported. 
  • Accessibility to the necessary amenities - Your 12-step meeting or group therapy should be easily accessible. Also, you should be close to a grocery store, a gym, and any other amenities you need to maintain a healthy daily routine. 
  • Regular drug testing - Doing a routine drug test is necessary. But so are the consequences in case of a failed drug test. Being held accountable for your choices is a critical part of your journey to recovery.


Every recovering individual has specific and unique needs

A lot goes into creating a healthy sober living environment. However, not everyone is the same, and different individuals will have different needs. Therefore, some flexibility is necessary. The point of a sober living environment is to help each individual find what drives them and what will keep them on the right path. For some, it is their religion. For others, it is their family. Some will focus on their work, and some will find their unique goal to pursue. No approach is wrong as long as it leads to long-term recovery and well-being. 



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