Substance use disorder can last years and affect multiple aspects of your life. It can make performing daily functions when sober difficult and make you feel like you have to relearn them. Sober living provides you with a safe space and time to get accustomed to your new sober lifestyle. We at Spero Recovery want to provide this supportive and safe environment and help you reach your goals in your new sober life. We can help you have the support, motivation, and accountability to achieve long-term sobriety.
What Is Sober Living?
Sober living is temporary housing that acts as a transition between treatment and reentering society. It is a safe, sober living environment that helps provide support and stability and keeps you accountable for your sobriety.
This type of housing does come with rules and expectations for you to continue to live there. These include:
- No use of drugs or alcohol.
- Continuing to go to meetings every week.
- Helping with chores.
- Willingly completing random drug screenings.
- Returning by curfew.
How Sober Living Can Benefit My Recovery
Entering into sober living housing can significantly help your recovery and your goal of reaching long-term sobriety. Benefits include:
- Helping to keep you from possible triggers that can threaten your sobriety.
- Providing a supportive environment for you to get accustomed to your new sober lifestyle.
- Discovering new coping skills for environments and events that could lead to relapse.
- Relearning how to function in life without substance use.
- Motivation to get a job and help with the process of applying and interviewing.
Sober Living Versus Halfway House
Halfway houses tend to be court mandated and full of individuals from correctional facilities. Sober living is usually used as the step after completing a recovery treatment program.
Residents of sober living are actively working their recovery programs, whereas those in halfway houses aren’t necessarily.
The cost of living in a halfway house can be cheaper because they are state-run but most likely will offer fewer amenities. On the other hand, sober living can be more expensive because they are owned privately or by a treatment facility. However, this also means that they can provide more amenities for what they are charging and may even be covered by insurance.
Spero Recovery’s Sober Living Program
Spero Recovery is an effective and affordable recovery facility located in Colorado. We use grants and donations to help keep our costs below the national average. This makes us the perfect place for under and uninsured individuals seeking help.
Our programs are based on The Twelve Steps, but we don’t have a religious aspect. Instead, we use their focus on submitting to the fact that we are not in control of our addiction, the use of community in recovery, and that forgiveness needs to start with yourself. Sponsors and alumni are used to help provide a sense of community and support throughout your treatment.
Alumni are used to run our experiential therapy sessions. These sessions include activities such as woodworking, cooking classes, hiking, sand volleyball, and meditation. Allowing alumni to be involved will enable them to give back to their community, connect with others working on their recovery journey, and find a sense of purpose. It allows you to be surrounded by people that have been in a similar situation to you. You may also feel more comfortable confiding in them because you know they understand what you are going through.
We also offer sober living after the completion of the recovery program. The program is used as a transition between treatment and returning to society. Sober living provides a safe, sober living environment where you are surrounded by others working on The Twelve Steps. It can help you get your bearings and learn who you are and how to live your new sober life.
Admission
To be admitted, you need to want to and be motivated to keep your sobriety. You also need to be sober when you are admitted.
There is a weekly cost of living here. It includes the room, cookware, dishes, utensils, storage for your food and drinks, common areas, utilities, a bed, cable TV, and WIFI access.
You can stay as long as you need. This can be two weeks or two years. The goal is for you to feel comfortable and confident in your ability to stay sober while out in society.
Things that you should bring are toiletries, clothing, and preferred food.
Expectations and Rules
Some expectations and rules include the following:
- Getting a job within three weeks of being admitted.
- Paying your weekly costs on time.
- Attending three recovery meetings a week.
- Any visitors are to respect the common spaces and other individuals living in the home.
- Complete your weekly chore.
- Clean up your room and after yourself in common areas.
- Willingly take random drug tests.
- Follow curfew.
Sober living can be a great tool to help you transition out of treatment and back into society. It provides a safe, supportive, sober living space. You are in a structured environment that provides the help you may need to get your footing in your new sober life. They can help hold you accountable for your sobriety while providing motivation to stay on the right path. If you feel like you are struggling with choosing the right sober living program for your recovery journey, reach out to Spero Recovery at (303) 351-7888 for more information today. We want to be there for you and give you the best chance to make it to long-term sobriety.
