MySoberRoommateLivings

The journey into long-term sobriety can be fraught with potholes.  The decision to choose Sober Living Los Angeles residential accommodations is key to a successful recovery as it provides the necessary framework to support those who are in the early stages of recovery in a safe, drug-free environment.

For an individual who had been living life in an active addiction, returning to their home directly following treatment is not usually advisable.  The home environment is rife with triggers, both emotional and physical, that can quickly undo a hard won sobriety.  A recovering addict views their home space as a reminder of where they drank or used, with even the furniture arrangement becoming a trigger to fall back into the old destructive habits.

Even friendships and other associations that were deeply intertwined with addiction behaviors must change.   The newly sober has to put distance between himself and these negative influences, especially in early recovery.  A sober living home provides that space.

What is Sober Living?

A sober living facility is a home environment that allows for a safe transition between addiction treatment and reentering one’s “normal” life.  The sober living home provides a safe, drug and alcohol-free residence, removing the ready availability of these substances and giving the recovering addict a better chance at remaining strong and committed in his sobriety.

Sober living homes are structured to prepare an individual for living a normal life, establishing clear routines, such as meal times, chores, and meetings for the residents.  To buttress the probability of achieving a sustained recovery, sober living homes like Beit Hillel Sober Living include weekly 12-step meetings and random drug and alcohol testing.

 Why use Sober Living Arrangements?

 An individual who has completed an intensive residential treatment program is vulnerable upon discharge.  This is because the residential treatment environment is not real life, in that it is highly structured and allows little freedom for patients.  This is necessary in early recovery in order to remove the patient from the triggers and temptations that fueled their addiction, and create a safe and supportive space that is conducive to doing the work of recovery.

Once the patient is discharged, however, the exposure to the real world can undo all the effort made while in residential treatment.  The liquor stores or bars on the corner, returning to the same drug-using social group, or coming home to the familiar place where they abused alcohol or drugs can quickly re-launch active substance abuse.

Sober living homes, on the contrary, offer a respite from the many temptations and provide deterrents to using.  Just knowing that a drug test may be required on any given day can help prevent relapse.  For many recovering addicts, a sober living home may be their only available lodging, so the threat of losing that bed is a powerful deterrent.  Sober living arrangements are typically a short-term transitional step from treatment to returning to one’s “real” life, providing a safe and secure bridge.

Bonding with others who are working on completing the 12-steps and are committed to a sober lifestyle is also helpful in recovery.  New friendships often come out of the sober living home and the 12-step meeting rooms, offering a clean social alternative to former associations with addicts.  While in sober living, the weekly 12-step meetings can help the newly sober establish friendships before heading back to their regular environments, as well as gaining a sponsor to assist them in recovery.

 Why Beit Hillel Sobriety?

At Beit Hillel, our supportive sober living housing offers its members an opportunity to solidify their newfound sobriety in a healthy, safe environment.  By providing this positive environment for men in recovery, Beit Hillel is able to offer more personal support than an outpatient program alone, helping our members to reclaim their lives.