When it comes to a half-way house or a sober living house as it’s more commonly known, first-time patients don’t quite know what to expect upon arrival.  The therapy involved and subsequent recovery process sounds daunting, but with the right mindset and attitude, this can be a very positive lifestyle choice to make.  Here are some tips and guidance on how to get by if you’re about to enter a sober living house.     

FRIENDS AND FAMILY

The last thing anyone wants is to feel isolated and alone in a sober living house, by having a lot of sober friends within will give you the motivation needed to stay focused on listening to the doctors and staff within.  Friends will also give you the encouragement to continue doing the right thing, if it’s avoiding alcohol or drugs, finding companions within will provide the necessary support and guidance for your stay there.  As a side note, you should stay clear of patients who relapse easy and try and convince you to join in with them; this is the wrong path for you.    

You might have found yourself in a situation where you lashed out at family members or had a negative run-in with one of them.  When you go into a sober living house, you may look back on this time with regret and feel as though it’s too late to make amends.  It is advisable to ask your family for a lot of support in this case. 

HOBBIES

If you can, try and delve into a big distraction from drugs or alcohol, by picking a hobby or favourite pastime.  It could be a sport of some sort, it might be something in the arts and crafts area like painting, drawing or even writing could help.  Some people find it therapeutic to write, this can be in the form of poetry, and it can also help unlock negativity from your life.  People in sober living houses discover new skills while being a patient and they can continue on with these when they are back to normal life.     

ABSTINENCE AND HEALTH

It can be a difficult lifestyle change if you’ve heavily depended on substances, you need to have a strong desire to want to change.  When in a sober living house, you need to do a lot of accepting when it comes to saying goodbye to your old life.  It would help if you focused on the end goal, listen to the staff and supporters and try to see substance abuse as the wrong path for you.  Understandably it is hard quitting such an addictive lifestyle, but that’s what sober living houses are all about – positive change, and getting control back into your life.

Some people find it hard at the beginning, and others find it challenging to retain sobriety but an excellent tip to help you stay focused on the positive end goal is physical exercise. Going for a stroll twice a day can boost your energy levels and alleviate stress.