Sober Living Chicago
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.