Substance addiction is more than just an individual problem. An alcoholic’s or drug addict’s family members are also directly affected by that disease. Recovering from that disease often requires not just individual effort, but also a combined and unified effort of the addict’s family. If you have committed to a rehab and recovery program in Chicago, the ability of that program to get you to your goal of Sober Living in Chicago will be greatly enhanced if you can incorporate your family into your efforts.

You should understand and acknowledge that family members can harbor deep-seated anger or resentment about your addictions. They may not want to help a recovering addict because of concerns over the time or resources they may be asked to commit to your rehab and recovery. Try to gently encourage them to help with your recovery, and disregard their comments or criticisms.

Encourage your family to attend your own support group meetings and any meetings that might be geared toward assisting families of recovering addicts. Your family members will be more willing to help you on your road to recovery if they see firsthand your attempts to regain your sobriety. At the same time, they will receive their own support from other families who are having similar experiences.

If any of your family members enabled your addictions by supplying you with the drugs or alcohol, ask them to remove all traces of these substances from your home. If they are committed to helping you they will comply with your request. As they get more comfortable with your rehab and recovery, your family can also help you establish daily routines that provide a sense of comfort and structure. If your rehab and recovery leads to boredom, those routines can give you an alternative stimulation to alleviate this boredom and its attendant risk of relapse.

Both you and your family will need to be patient during your rehab and recovery, which may last for several weeks or months. If you seek your family’s forgiveness for any problems that your addiction might have caused, you will be better able to find that patience.

Please contact us for more ideas on how you can incorporate your family into your rehab and recovery efforts, and for any additional assistance that we might provide to help you on your path to sober living in Chicago.

If you are contemplating sober living in Chicago, writer and comedian Andy Boyle may have some encouragement for you. In a recent article in the Chicago Tribune, he documents discoveries he made during two years of living sober after years of heavy drinking in the comedy community.

Boyle intentionally took a break from drinking, and eating meat, to focus on productivity. He lists these accomplishments and more due to his focus, including; losing 75 pounds, going from an XXL size to a large size, performing in numerous comedy festivals, and writing drafts for TV and movie scripts. Boyle hasn’t written off drinking forever, but found changing his focus from drinking and partying to focusing on his craft drastically changed his life.

When it comes to making a transition to a sober lifestyle, several of Boyle’s discoveries were particularly encouraging. 

• “You don’t have to drink to have fun.” Boyle talks about how he used to think that he needed alcohol to have fun. Now he realizes that events that he used to drink at are just as fun without drinking.
• “You have way fewer regrets.” Boyle said that drinking made him react more impulsively. He would often look at his phone the day after drinking only to regret things he had texted or calls he made. He says since he is no longer drinking, he is always in control of his actions.
• “You get less sad.” Boyle discusses how when he drank, he would have a lot of days when he didn’t want to leave his apartment. Now he has a lot less hate for himself.

These are just some of things that Boyle talks about in the article. For more information about his comedy and writing, check out his website, and follow him on Twitter @andymboyle.

If you are considering sober living in Chicago, like Andy Boyle, and think you need more help, please contact us at Stairway to Freedom. We have many resources to help.

If you have a drug addiction or an alcohol problem, you might be willing to do anything that you can to get sober. Along with attending a rehabilitation facility so that you can focus on recovery, it’s also important to look into your options for after you get out of rehab. For example, moving into a Chicago sober living home can be a solid choice to help you improve your future. These are a few reasons why.

Be Held Accountable

A sober living home isn’t rehab. However, your sober living home will have rules in place that require you to stay clean and sober. Being in this type of environment can help you hold yourself accountable to help improve your chances of success with sobriety.

Stay Away from Dangerous Situation

Don’t move back into a home in a dangerous area or in which you will be surrounded by individuals who are using drugs or alcohol — it can make it tough for you to stay sober and on the right track. A sober living home will provide you with a safe place to go after you get out of rehab.

Get Support from Like-Minded People

In a sober living home, you’ll be surrounded by other people who have dealt with many of the same issues that you have. it can be refreshing and incredibly helpful to be surrounded by like-minded people during this tough time.

As you can see, living in a sober living home can be the right choice to help you get — and stay — on track. If you contact us, we can tell you more about the sober living options that are available for you.

Addiction is a disease that affects millions of Americans. But unlike short-term diseases, addiction is an illness that requires life-long courses of action. That is why it’s so important to have pieces in place for every step of your recovery, from your moment of truth, to your aftercare plan.

One of the things that sets recovering patients up for success is having a plan on how to maintain a sober lifestyle. It’s not enough to attend a 6 week recovery program and think that you will never want to use again. This is especially important point for men, who, traditionally, tend to be less open to receiving help from others. If you don’t believe me, just ask a guy to ask for directions.

To that end, here are three essential tips for men’s sober living.

Find Your Tribe

One of the hardest things about giving up an addiction is letting go of your “user” friends. It’s almost impossible to be substance-free when everyone around you is drinking, getting high, hitting the casino, or indulging in your drug of choice. Find friends who are also sober. They may be completely unlike any friends that you’ve had before, but that’s a good thing. This is your chance to connect with others on a deeper level.

Write It Down

Keeping a journal is essential to any recovery process. Studies have shown that writing is extremely therapeutic, and it can help you be more realistic about where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’d like to be. It’s especially helpful to write down when things are going well, so that you can look back on those posts when things seem impossible.

Connect To A Higher Source

Call it God, a Higher Power, Nature, or, simply, Love, but you’ve got to believe in something. And if you can’t do that, find someone who you trust, and believe that he or she believes in something. Either way, realizing that you are part of something bigger than yourself is a huge motivation for recovery. Everything that you do matters. When you make a step toward healing, it may be a small step for you, but it’s a giant step for mankind.

Need more ideas about living a sober life? Contact us and we’ll be happy to help.