FAQ Series: Is transitional sober living necessary?

I was recently asked by someone about to finish a drug rehab program in a rehabilitation center whether I thought transitional sober living was necessary for them to stay sober. The short answer to that is that nothing is “necessary” to stay clean and sober except a daily decision to remain that way. However transitional sober living definitely helps people who are newly sober stay that way after they leave a rehabilitation center.

Transitional sober living eases you back into life after a drug rehab program
Many people “go back out”—that is to say, they get drunk or high—soon after finishing a drug rehab program and leaving the rehabilitation center. This is because drug and alcohol abuse is the only coping mechanism they have made to handle life’s issues. If they don’t do a good job of learning new coping mechanisms while in a rehabilitation center, these recovering addicts don’t have much hope of sticking with their treatment plan.

The purpose of a transitional sober living home is to reintegrate you into society at your own pace. While I’ve already given the example of the person who “can’t handle life” once he gets out of a drug rehab program, I’ll now give you the more common example: someone who tries to take on way too much for their own good. When we’re using drugs and alcohol, most of our energy is being sapped by our addiction. However, once someone gets clean and sober at a rehabilitation center, they usually notice a tremendous surge in their energy levels. They may find they’ve forgotten about goals they’ve had for years, or they may decide they like a whole new set of hobbies.

Transitional sober living helps center these people and keep their focus on recovery during these first few months after rehab. Too many recovering addicts leave a rehabilitation center and get two jobs and a girlfriend and start school and start volunteering and so on. Transitional sober living gives you the opportunity to try your hand at all of life’s new challenges, while also giving you a safe space to come home to, where you and your fellows all have common goals.