Escaping the Booze Trap: Reinventing Yourself Through Sober Living and Exciting Experiences
Sober Living is a general concept that is employed in the field of addiction and rehabilitation that gives and individual the freedom to participate in their regular everyday activities while participating in ongoing rehabilitation treatment.
This is achieved by blending a combination of treatments such as those included within inpatient treatment, while also providing the individual with an independent way of living.
As overarching concepts, Sober Living prioritises taking personal responsibility, utilising peer support, and accountability. This means that individuals considering this form of rehabilitation should accept their condition as well as be prepared to act on this, including engaging in various different treatments.
Sober Living can be engaged in at the same time as other treatments, such as an alcohol home detox, but this should always be discussed with a medical professional.
Though most research on this topic is related to specialised Sober Living houses (1), this article aims to cover how Sober Living can be used beneficially, as well as how it may lead to new experiences and opportunities for an individual undergoing rehabilitation in general.
Why should individuals consider achieving sobriety?
In terms of overall goals for rehab, sobriety is a goal that is most recommended due to the multiple physical and mental health benefits that it can have for an individual.
This is in comparison to other methods, for example, such as harm reduction and moderation. Harm reduction focusses on reducing the negative impacts of an addiction, including its impact on an individual and those around them, rather than treating the addiction directly.
Alternatively, the moderation approach aims to reduce the amount that an individual consumes on a regular basis, therefore limiting the ongoing consequences of an addiction in terms of the physical and mental health impacts.
The impacts of alcohol sobriety
When an individual opts for and commits to a Sober Living recovery process, there are many benefits that can occur alongside this.
By engaging in Sober Living, an individual has committed themselves to a programme of recovery, as well as accepting that they are struggling with addiction – something that is often a hurdle for many individuals beginning their addiction recovery journey to overcome.
The following subheadings outline the benefits of engaging in Sover Living, split into the physical health benefits and the mental health benefits.
1. Physical health impacts
When an individual stops engaging in addictive behaviours, especially those involving substances, there are many positive physical health benefits that can occur.
As long as this reduction in addictive behaviours is achieved in a safe and transitional approach, individuals will be able to benefit from the effects of Sober Living.
The physical health impacts of a drug addiction, for example, can often be serious and life-threatening depending on the history of the individual’s addiction, as well as the level of dependence that these individuals have.
For example, excessive consumption of substances such as alcohol and heroin can cause serious health risks, including those that can be life-threatening if left untreated over a long period of time.
2. Mental health impacts
In the same way that physical health will improve with stopping engagements in addictive behaviours, an individual’s mental health will also begin to improve once they have begun Sober Living.
This is because the substance(s) that the individual is addicted to will no longer be in their system and will therefore have a reduced impact on their overall well-being.
As addiction is considered to be a mental health condition, any co-occurring mental health issue impacts will also be reduced, though this may require additional therapy and treatment over a longer period of time.
Mental health is a feature that is highly prioritised during rehabilitation, meaning that it will often make up a large proportion of an individual’s Sober Living programme.
Sober Living – a chance to reinvent yourself?
When an individual begins to commit to a Sober Living programme and way of life, there are many benefits that can come along with this, not just the physical and mental health impacts that were mentioned above.
For example, many individuals may consider that Sober Living is a chance to completely change an individual’s perspective and way of life. Though this may be an extreme, there are many opportunities that arise when an individual begins this form of treatment.
Some of the main reasons for this shift in perspective and approach to new ways of life are listed in the following subheadings.
1. Additional time
When an individual is no longer engaging in addictive behaviours, they often provide themselves with additional time in their day which was previously occupied by these addictive behaviours themselves.
For example, where an individual used to consume drugs or engage in other addictive behaviours, they may have additional time in their everyday routine.
This allows time for new activities – something which an individual may not have had the time or motivation to engage in beforehand.
2. Trying something new
Due to the big changes that Sober Living can bring in an individual’s lifestyle, some people may also be convinced to try new and different activities and hobbies that they may not have previously considered or had the motivation to engage in.
For example, many individuals may experience specific parts of therapy and treatment that they can apply to other areas of their lives. Meditation is one of the most commonly continued behaviours that individuals carry forward from their rehabilitative treatments and it is often something that not many people may consider engaging in before beginning rehabilitation.
Big changes in one area of an individual’s life can often lead to big changes in other areas of their lives – something which should always be viewed in a neutral way and not something to resist.
Exciting new experiences through Sober Living
Sober Living is often considered to be a completely different way of living for individuals who have been living with addiction. This means that there are many different activities and behaviours that these individuals may begin to show an interest in as they progress through their Sober Living programme.
Some examples of the new and exciting experiences that these individuals may experience are outlined in the final subheadings below.
1. New activities
As mentioned previously, individuals in rehabilitating through Sober Living may have time for additional and new activities that they may not have experienced before.
In many cases, individuals choose to participate in activities that they have never engaged in before due to the novelty of their new way of living.
Often, continuing these new activities throughout their Sober Living programme and beyond can have huge benefits for the future of their rehabilitation journey due to the regularity and new experiences had within these activities.
2. Reengaging in an old hobby/activity
When an individual is struggling with addiction, a common symptom experienced is the lack of interest in something that the individual may have previously enjoyed.
Addiction can often change an individual’s thought patterns, meaning that they do not view their hobbies in the same way as they may have before addiction.
These thought patterns are focussed on during an individual’s rehabilitation journey, and this often leads to additional time, increased motivation, and better attitude toward activities that they previously enjoyed.
3. Meeting new people
As a overall effect of all the benefits mentioned throughout this article, individuals participating in Sober Living will also have the opportunity to meet a variety of new people – either with similar situations or from different environments and with different perspectives.
This is a huge benefit as it contributes to the individual’s overall perception of their recovery, a new attitude, and a greater motivation in their own personal recovery journey.
Next steps for Sober Living
Sober Living can have many benefits for an individual’s experience of rehabilitation, as well as being a great alternative to other forms of rehabilitation that may not be suitable for other individuals.
In all cases, individuals should always discuss their suitability for Sober Living with a medical professional and get approval for this type of rehabilitation.
Individuals can contact their local doctors’ office, general practitioner (GP), or specialised addiction referral services for further information and advice on suitability.
References mentioned above
[1] Polcin, D.L., Korcha, R.A., Bond, J. and Galloway, G., 2010. Sober living houses for alcohol and drug dependence: 18-month outcomes. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 38(4), pp.356-365.
