Whether someone you love is preparing to finish treatment or you are planning an entire course of treatment from beginning to end, it pays to think a few steps ahead. “Getting better” is a unique process that varies from person to person, but almost everyone finds a jarring difference between life within a treatment facility and life outside of one. The adjustment can be so drastic that it is damaging to the newly-emerged patient, overwhelming them to a point where they might feel unreasonably uncomfortable or even triggered to relapse. People who are newly sober can find a safe space to continue their healing journey in recovery homes, where their sobriety is supported by an understanding community of people while maintaining a level of independence and personal responsibility for its residents.
What Are the Advantages of a Recovery Home?
A recovery home provides a safe, supportive environment where residents can feel comfortable beginning to reacclimate to their new lives while also being held accountable for their sobriety. The period directly after inpatient treatment can create a certain vulnerability in newly sober people; it can be daunting to adjust yourself to your new habits in the same environments where your old habits were formed. Recovery homes are an opportunity to continue to work on your recovery through reliable support networks that want to see you achieve your goals. Your plan of aftercare may include support systems and strategies such as:
- Counseling
- Attending recovery support meetings
- Building your support network and/or finding a sponsor
While living at home or with loved ones may seem like a comforting next step in your recovery, it may do more harm than good. Missing your loved ones, pets, or familiar surroundings is completely understandable, but your transition from treatment facility to newly sober life may have complications and difficulties that are best handled by trained staff who know how to assist newly sober people with their recovery, such as those found in recovery homes. Once you are more established in your recovery and feel more comfortable with your self-accountability skills, you can begin to transition into more independent living. You may also be able to visit your loved ones during your residency in a recovery home and spend time with them while continuing on your path to sobriety.
What Can I Expect From A Recovery Home?
Recovery homes are designed to be safe, soothing spaces for residents to recover smoothly and gain confidence. Typically, this means they are located in quiet neighborhoods and allow for residents to come and go as they please, as well as holding residents responsible for things like rent and attending to their own food and cleaning. The recovery home may also require drug testing in order to ensure a safe environment for all of its residents, but ultimately, a recovery home is a living situation designed to meet the needs of those who need smooth transitions and gradual self-reliance. In south Florida, there is the added benefit of a tropical, warm climate – patients may find it is beneficial and soothing to live in a pleasant environment for outdoor hobbies. For older recovering residents, the ability to spend time outside may be a welcome opportunity to get some exercise and improve health outcomes!
Whether it is you or your loved one seeking care, it is important to remember that sobriety and recovery are lifelong processes that do not stop after one recovery session or one inpatient course of treatment. Sustainable, long-term recovery requires commitment and accountability from the moment the patient makes the decision to recover. Relapse is most common in the first few months after emergence from a treatment facility, but a recovery home helps bridge the gap until a resident feels comfortable and ready to be completely independent and self-accountable. We encourage you to seek out the optimal treatment path for you or your loved one, with a plan for every step of the way. Recovery homes can help ensure that you or your loved one has the best opportunity possible to recover and succeed in their sobriety journey and their new lives.
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