Sober living isn’t for everyone, but it is a resource that many recovering addicts need to successfully transition back into a healthy daily routine. If you’re not sure whether living in a structured environment with others going through the recovery process will help you at this time, consider these three signs that hint at exactly what you need:

1. You don’t have a strong network of loved ones capable of providing the type of support and structure you need.

You love your family and have some supportive friends, but how many of them are experienced or trained when it comes to recovering from alcoholism or drug addiction? Oftentimes, the help loved ones provide falls short of what is truly needed during difficult moments. If you know your loved ones aren’t available at all times or may unintentionally enable you at weak moments, you need the support that only trained professionals and other recovering addicts can provide. You may one day find yourself strong enough to live without that support, but until then, you have to protect your sobriety.

2. You know you’re not strong enough to resist the cravings that you continue to have, or you don’t trust your mental strength just yet.

Going through a detox program eliminates the drugs from your system, but it doesn’t cure your mental dependence on those substances. If you don’t believe that you can succeed at sobriety, then chances are you won’t succeed. Rather than giving in to your lack of self-confidence, embrace the sober living experience to keep your head in the right place and improve your confidence. Don’t wait for difficult times to hit; reserve your space in a sober living house today so that your support network is in place when the difficult times come around.

3. You aren’t actively working through a recovery program under the guidance of a sponsor, or your sponsor recommends a sober living home for you.

Working the 12 steps doesn’t appeal to everyone, but recovery programs connect you to the most valuable resource you have at this stage in your life: a sponsor. Your sponsor has gone through it all successfully, and they have the strength needed to keep you straight when your cravings tell you to veer off path. If you aren’t working with a sponsor, you should consider sober living so that you have access to other supportive people who have also gone through this process successfully.

If you do have a sponsor, ask them whether they think you need sober living. If they recommend it for you knowing your personal circumstances, then chances are high that it’s the best place for you at this time.

If you’re interested in sober living in Chicago, Stairway to Freedom can help you find a suitable sober living environment. Even if one of the above signs applies to you but you’re not sure about sober living placement, contact us to discuss your current situation. You need the right type of support to master the sober life.

One of the real fears of those needing to free themselves from a life dependent on alcohol or drugs is what happens next. Can they have a Chicago sober living lifestyle? What does that even look like? Many people who have gone back to their alcoholic or addict way of life say that they simply didn’t know how to live a clean and sober life.

There is more to being sober than simply not picking up; there are relationships to build and commitments to keep. There is the learning of limits and how to set boundaries, and keep them. These life skills can be very hard to acquire if the alcoholic or addict is just living in the same place, with the same people, doing the same things.

That’s where Stairway to Freedom can help by providing a safe, structured environment in which to learn how to live a sober life. In this environment, residents learn about accountability through living in a community of people who are also recovering from their addictions. Regular house meetings give them the opportunity to support others as well as being supported. Residents are also expected to take an active part in a program of recovery and to attend regular 12 step meetings.

Through this process, the alcoholic and addict learns to take responsibility for themselves and be part of a recovery community. When they leave our halfway house, they will be better equipped to live a useful life in the everyday world. They will have learned valuable life skills that can carry them through the hard times in life without the need to resort to alcohol or drug use.

You can live sober, one day at a time. Why not give yourself the chance and contact us now to learn about the next steps.

You’ve Finished Rehab, Now What?

Studies show that men and women may face different challenges on their road to recovery. Our Men’s Sober Living community provides gender specific support to aid men on their journey to sobriety.

Stress Plays a Strong Role in Relapse

Stress is a major factor in many kinds of illness. But, did you know that stress is a main trigger for addiction relapse? Stress, as we well know, can lead to depression and anxiety. While men and women both experience these things, men are less likely than women to seek help for them. And, because men are less likely to reach out for help, they are especially vulnerable to the pitfalls of stress-triggered relapses.

Sober Living Gives Men Recovery Tools

A positive mindset is crucial for addiction recovery. An individual must nurture their mental and emotional health as well as their physical health while they develop the new life skills they will need to lead a sober life. Sober living homes play a crucial role as the step in between rehab and independent sober living.

Some stressful issues an individual faces after rehab include:

• Making amends and rebuilding trust with family and friends
• Searching for employment
• Finding drug-free living arrangements
• Learning how to face life’s challenges without turning to drugs and alcohol
• Facing emotional wounds that might trigger relapse

Because many men are less likely to reach out for help for emotional issues, living in a supportive, drug free environment with others who share the same goal of sobriety can make the difference between success and relapse.

If you or someone you know could benefit from our support, please contact us for more information.

Most chemical dependency treatment centers in the United States are not equipped to offer the long-term structure that people need to transition to a life of sobriety. That is where recovery homes in Chicago come in to play. According to a 2010 study conducted by the Journal of Substance Abuse Addiction, people who chose to reside in a halfway house or recovery home had significantly greater success maintaining their sobriety. The participants of the study, who were contacted 6 and 18 months after leaving a recovery house, reported fewer incidents of relapse into active drug addiction, homelessness, and arrest. Without fail, they attributed this to the structured community support they received while living in a halfway house.

Safety and Accountability

For many recovering addicts, returning to the place they lived before inpatient treatment is simply not an option. They may have come from a physically or mentally abusive relationship and feel too intimidated to return. Family members or roommates who they previously lived with may not be interested in supporting their sobriety. With a lifestyle change this dramatic, removing themselves from triggering people and situations is the best option for recovering addicts.

A sober living environment like Stairway to Freedom offers strong accountability in addition to being a safe place to land. Residents must abide by all house rules in order to remain with us. Through individual and group counseling, residents are expected to take ownership for their own sobriety and life goals. Although we are here to help and encourage, we expect everyone to honor their commitment to sobriety by taking whatever action is necessary to retain it. This typically means finding a job and stable housing, attending recovery meetings, and giving back to others by remaining active in the recovery community.

Take Back Your Life, One Day at a Time

You have taken an important first step by admitting you need help for your addiction and entering treatment. You owe it to yourself to contact us at Stairway to Freedom to learn more about the next step.

READ MORE: How Halfway Houses Can Be Your Path to Living Sober