Sober Living in Boston Massachusetts

A Sober Life Worth Living

You may be wondering what your life will be like once you have taken steps to beat your addiction and work towards sobriety.  At first, the recovery process may seem difficult, but it is important to keep in mind that living sober will drastically increase your quality of life and will be extremely rewarding.  A sober life is worth living; and you will find many reasons for this below.

  1. You will have more time. Until you start the recovery process, you may not realize just how much time you spent in the past focusing on your addiction.  Living sober, you will have much more time on your hands and you can partake in activities you truly enjoy, such as spending time with friends and family.
  1. You will have more fun. It may not seem this way at first, but you will have more fun living sober than you did living with your addiction.  You will have more money and energy and will no longer have to experience hangovers.  You can now enjoy life more.
  1. You will have more respect from others. People will look up to you now that you are sober and admire your determination in getting there.
  1. You will have more energy. By living sober, you will get better-quality sleep and will also get more frequent sleep.  Additionally, your body will be able to take a break from repairing damage done to it through years of drug or alcohol abuse, so you will have more energy as a result. You feel good about yourself.
  1. You will feel better about yourself. With sobriety, you can be proud of yourself every day for continuing with your recovery.  Your self-esteem will greatly improve.

There are several benefits to conquering your addiction and living sober.  Contact the Tharros House today to begin the process of finding the sober living facility that is right for you.

sober living house Boston Massachusetts

Is a Sober Living House Right for Me?

Sober living houses are living environments that provide structure for patients who have just completed a rehabilitation program for addiction. These houses are a great option for those who are not quite ready to live on their own yet and want to learn additional skills on how to live a sober life.

Many sober living houses are associated with a 12-step alcohol or drug addiction program. The houses themselves vary in size and format, and the typical stay for a person in recovery from addiction varies as well. It will depend on the individual’s specific recovery needs, but many people will stay anywhere from a few months to a full year.

Is a Sober Living House the Right Place for You?

There are several factors that go into whether a sober living house is the right place for a person in recovery and for how long they will stay at the facility. These factors include:

  • The House Rules – Depending on the house, there may be a specific length of time residents are expected to stay. Some houses do not have a time-length requirement.
  • Standard of Living – When deciding if a sober living house is the right fit, it is important to consider the fact that these houses tend to be run more like college dormitories, with specific rules that must be followed. Strict rules may not be ideal for everyone.
  • Personality Issues – Residents in sober living houses may encounter different personalities and must be adaptable to dealing with others.
  • Financial Resources – While rehab facilities are typically more expensive than sober living residences, sober living residences may be relatively expensive and are often not covered by insurance. Residents are often expected to get a job after adapting to the new living situation.

Tharros Sober Living House in Boston, Massachusetts

At Tharros House, we provide a way for residents at our sober living home to maintain a safe and supportive environment while they are in the process of easing back into their normal lives. If you or someone you love is interested in a long-term living arrangement, such as a sober living program, contact us at Tharros House to get started with the process of moving into a sober living house today.

man in backpack thinking about addiction recovery programs

Types of Addiction Recovery Programs

There are many different types of addiction recovery programs out there.  For someone who is working to recover from an addiction, it is important to consider the pros and cons of the different programs in order to choose the best option for their individual needs.  A few of the addiction recovery programs available are explained below.

Alcohol Anonymous: This program is a 12-step program that provides support and guidance in the form of a support group for the recovering addict as well as their family and loved ones.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT):  Cognitive Behavior Therapy has been shown to be effective at using an understanding of how thoughts influence behavior and emotions to manage addiction.  It also works to change the underlying thoughts of an individual that contribute to the maintenance of the addiction.

Detoxification (Detox): A detox program involves a patient going through the withdrawal process being monitored and treated with necessary medications in order to manage the symptoms that occur during withdrawal.  A detox can be done on an outpatient or inpatient basis.  This is not a complete type of treatment and should be followed up with additional treatment methods.

Family Therapy:  Family therapy involves a therapeutic approach that takes into account the recovering addict’s family’s strengths and resources in order to help the individual live their life without the use of alcohol or drugs.  This method seeks to reduce the consequences of addiction on both the substance abuser and their family.

Group Therapy: Group therapy uses a group setting to provide positive peer-to-peer support and assistance and coping techniques.  This type of therapy can be more cost-effective than others.  Group therapy is often used in inpatient and outpatient facilities in addition to individualized therapy treatments.

These are just a few of the many addiction treatment methods out there.  Each person going through the recovery process will need to weigh their options and choose the best method for their own recovery.

Sober house road to recovery in Boston Massachusetts

Sober Living Residences and Half-Way Homes

When a person is working on recovery from addiction, it can be extremely helpful for them to live in a sober living facility or a half-way home to aid in their recovery.  Living in a drug-free and stable environment can help eliminate certain factors that can be detrimental to maintaining recovery.

Some of the earliest forms of sober living residences were run by religious institutions, such as the Salvation Army and also the YMCA.  These sober living homes were first formed in the 1830s.  In Los Angeles following World War II, “Twelfth Step” houses emerged to help combat alcohol-related issues that had become more widespread during that time period.

Maintaining Sobriety While Living in a Sober Living Residence

Exercise at least three times per week – Exercising can be helpful not only to help your body stay in shape physically but also can help you mentally.  While you exercise, your body releases endorphins which can help to elevate your mood.

Maintain a healthy diet – Eating healthy foods and keeping a regular meal schedule of eating three times a day will help you with your overall health levels.  Falling into unhealthy eating habits can lead to relapsing, hurting your recovery progress.

Attend a 12 Step Program and get a sponsor – A 12-step program is an addiction recovery support group.  These groups often have meetings every day.  A sponsor is a mentor who can help someone recovering from addiction.  Often, a sponsor has already gone through many of the same issues that someone new to the recovery process is currently experiencing, which makes a sponsor a very helpful resource.

Sober living residences, like the Tharros House, can be a helpful place to begin your recovery process.  Living with others who are going through the same things can be a helpful built-in support group.

Sober Living Home Fence in Boston Massachusetts

Sober Living Homes

For those suffering from addiction, sober living homes can be helpful when trying to maintain abstinence from drugs and alcohol.  A stable and drug-free environment is important for continued recovery from addiction.

Sober Living House Expectations

While there are different types of sober living home arrangements, there are some general expectations that apply to sober living houses.  These include:

-No stealing from the house

-Paying fees/dues on time

-No drinking alcohol

-No taking drugs

-No sexual activity with other residents

-No violent actions

Tips for Staying Sober in a Sober Living Residence

  • Attend a 12-Step Program – A 12-step program is a support group for people working to overcome addiction.  There are meetings every day that you can attend as needed.  Many people in the support group have experienced similar circumstances and can offer guidance on how they overcame their own personal setbacks on their path to recovery.
  • Exercise Three Times a Week – Exercising releases endorphins, which make you feel good and elevate your mood.  Exercise can also help reduce compulsive behaviors.
  • Eat Three Meals a Day – Eating healthy foods on a regular schedule is an important part of your overall health.  A person dealing with substance abuse is more likely to relapse if they also have unhealthy eating habits.
  • Get a Sponsor and Contact Them When Needed – A sponsor is a mentor for someone recovering from addiction.  A sponsor is usually at a point in their own recovery where they have already worked through many of the issues that someone newly dealing with addiction recovery is experiencing, so they can be a helpful resource.

While in the process of recovering from addiction, it is important to set goals for yourself and come up with a long-term recovery plan.  Living in a sober living residence, such as the Tharros House can help you progress with recovery from your addiction.

Living a Sober Life in Massachusetts

Living the Good, Sober Life

Stick around people in recovery long enough, and you’ll hear a common message: Sober is better.  In Boston, it sounds more like Sobah is Bettah!  But there’s a reason for the statement, however you pronounce it- for those who stay sober and get recovery, life gets really good!

Road to a better life:

Let’s be clear.  Not many people wake up one day, decide to stop using substances for no reason, and then find that life is better without them.  Usually, there is a reason to stop.  What worked for us at one time, has stopped working.  So we’re willing to try something different.  Some of us engage treatment, a sober community or sober housing.  We look for ways to engage sober support to help us stay sober while working on our recovery.  Yes, most of us had to find sobriety, in order to find recovery.  Sober recovery led us to a life where we felt better, found joy, and discovered, sober is better!

What is sober recovery?

Sober recovery is more than abstinence from alcohol and drugs.  Recovery is about changing the way we engage in life, looking at what’s important to us, and taking action to build a life we want to live without substances.  Stopping your coping mechanisms (drinking/drugs) and taking no further action isn’t likely going to give you much recovery.  If you like white knuckles, this is your path!  To get more, we do more.

What is the sober way?

Finding your path to a life of recovery isn’t easy.  But it’s worth it, and you can do it!  Most of us find it important to build a sober network, surround ourselves with a sober community, and engage sober support, like a sober coach or a sober house.  At Tharros, we’ve combined community with aftercare, and our house offers a safe place to explore sober meaning.  We focus on recovery, with you choosing the fellowship and resources that speak with you.  Our team has many different experiences in recovery, and we make many suggestions, while following a framework designed to help each person move toward a full and meaningful life.  We help you build a life you want to live!

We involve sober entertainment, sober games, sober jobs, and sober dating too!  Living life in recovery doesn’t mean giving up what’s important to you; to the contrary, it’s about finding what’s important to you, building it, and living life in a way that’s meaningful to you!  For those of us on that path, it’s easy to say, Sobah is Bettah!

To learn more about Tharros House and our approach to recovery, visit https://tharroshouse.com/about-2/ or read more of our blog posts at https://tharroshouse.com/blog/

 

Sober roommates on computer in Boston Massachusetts

The Necessity of Sober Community in Recovery

(Sober Roommates and Successful Sobriety)

Contributed by a client of Tharros, 4 months into his stay (December 2016)

Where addiction takes us

As people in recovery from addiction, time and time again, we hear harrowing stories of desperation, loss, and spiritual deprivation. Often, the inherent pain suffered by an active user, before recovery, exceeds that of the average person’s worst nightmare. Complimenting the overarching theme of hopelessness and despair, one common thread in the active user’s story is that of isolation and pervasive loneliness. More often than not, the turning point in numerous stories of addiction is when the substance enthusiast morphs into the solitary pill popper, drunk, drug abuser, or addict.

Why sober community

 Combatting isolation is a driving force for the creation of sober living/sober houses.  These homes often place emphasis on promoting spiritually, physically, and emotionally progress in sober surroundings as a crucial component of successful long-term recovery. The first safeguard against relapse, as is often underlined in the program of Alcoholics Anonymous, is the openness and willingness to reach out to others in recovery and expand a network of sober support that alleviates isolation and accentuates a sense of camaraderie in the battle against addiction. Living in a sober house, or at the very least living with a sober roommate or roommates, makes this extremely accessible, as finding sober entertainment, sober events, and sober jobs becomes about as painless and effortless to find as substances, confusion, and chaos once were to the standard addict.

What happens in a sober home or sober living

Experiences as insignificant as casually sharing past histories of use, talking about the struggles of sober dating, or simply distracting one another from the periodically overwhelming fixation of chemical dependence for spiritual maladies are just a few of the many blessings and advantages of living in a setting of fellow sober minded people.

My experience at Tharros in Lexington MA

In my personal experience, within weeks of entering Tharros House, I recognized the magnitude and significance by which having a fellowship of sober friends provides the definitively lonesome subconscious of my addict mind, a sense of immense spiritual and social relief. As time progressed, the bonds of the men in the house grew, cultivating a sense of wholeness, and an irreproachably guilt and shame free elevation of my self-esteem. The house morning meetings, ping pong tournaments, the bi-weekly bowling gatherings, the Sunday night dinners all constructively snowballed, compounding a positive growth in my confidence, and belief in my peers. It re-instilled a conviction in me that I was worthy of maintaining positive connections, of having faith in those who I entrusted to support me, of finding socially, intellectually, and intangibly meaningful and liberating connections, but most importantly of enjoying the basic elements of life all entirely substance free. Undoubtedly, the brotherhood of the men facing the struggles and triumphs of sobriety, living and breathing a substance free life together, fuses a comradeship that makes the strenuous days tolerable and the triumphant days euphoric. Thus, the urgency of placing the sober supports around oneself in the manner of a sober living environment is perhaps the single most critical key to my personal success in sobriety.
I was skeptical about sober living when it was suggested to me.  At Tharros, I found a wholesome and inclusive environment, and I’ve gained much more than I could have imagined.  To learn more about what we do at Tharros, click here to explore the Tharros experience.

Living Sober in Massachusetts

Living Sober in Massachusetts

The path to living sober can be much different for each individual person.  There’s no magic program or exercise – the best way to get sober and stay sober is to find your own path. There may be many similar ways of thinking as far as sobriety goes, however just because one program doesn’t work for you it doesn’t mean you’re doomed. That’s the best part about living in a sober house – you’re able to live with like-minded people and take your own path with the guidance of experienced mentors.

Sober Living Housing vs. Halfway Houses

Sober living, as opposed to a halfway house, is much more directed at people in recovery from addiction, as opposed to criminal activity or mental health. Halfway houses may carry a certain stigma about them, whereas sober houses are generally looked at in a different light.

If you’re looking for the support to solidify your foundation of living sober, you’re much better off finding recovery housing that identifies itself with sober living due to the differences in amenities, programs, structure, and support.

First Step: Getting Clean

Abstaining from drugs and alcohol is just the beginning step on the road to recovery.  It’s hugely important, as it’s hard to think clearly and face your feelings / issues while under the influence. You may feel like you’re going in the right direction if you’re going to meetings high, but it’s very unlikely that you will have any success.

Get Moving

Many times when people put down the substances that they have depended on, they feel stuck. Feelings may come up that you haven’t felt in a while due to the constant suppression – perhaps feelings that there is something wrong with you or that you aren’t good enough. Challenging and ultimately changing those beliefs is critical for recovery.

Path to Living Sober

Getting and staying sober is rarely achieved when done alone. Having the support of family, friends, and people that understand exactly what you are going through is critical.

At Tharros House Structured Sober Living in Massachusetts, clients have the best success when they are exposed to many ideas and given the power to choose their own path to recovery.  I believe that you need to identify what is meaningful for you in order to direct your own recovery.  To learn more about this approach, please visit www.TharrosHouse.com

Sober Programs in Boston Massachusetts

Sober Programs – What to Look For

This blog post about sober programs and what to look for was sent in by a sober guest blogger that wished to remain anonymous.

Sober Programs

Sober houses in Massachusetts and sober programs have become more prevalent as a result of the recent addiction crisis in the Northeast. Having a sober community with activities and companions is one thing I know contributed greatly to my sobriety. Sober housing is not a new concept, but when an individual is looking to get sober, it is probably new to that person.

Most people start their journey to recovery at a detox center or a thirty-day rehab program. This is a great first step, after admitting that you have a problem with drugs and/or alcohol. After this initial treatment, the chances of long term success are greatly increased when the person in recovery engages a supportive environment.

All sober homes offer similar, yet different things. For example, one sober home may not offer a coach or a companion, but will offer a sober driver for transportation. Whether you are looking to get sober, it’s important to build a community of like-minded people. This is what all sober homes have in common- community.

From experience having roommates who were also sober, living with sober minded people, and creating a network of people who were on the same path were all among the most important parts of my early recovery. I needed a to surround myself with sobriety in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, free from drugs and alcohol. I remember back when I was living in my sober house and I went on a date. If you have never gone on a date as a sober person, it’s hard! Yet, having my roommates, I was able to get some great ideas!

I never thought the day would come where I would feel comfortable being sober in a nightclub, singing karaoke, or hanging out with musicians. In my experience the more like-minded people I met, the more comfortable I became in my skin. I was told to pick and commit to a path of recovery, and for me, it became the beginning of choosing a sober way of life. Whether it be AA, NA, Smart Recovery, or Dharma Punks, being around a clean, sober and healthy environment can do wonders for maintaining your sobriety.

When most people first get clean, they can never imagine being sober forever. People in AA would say, its “one day at a time” to recovery, and they are right. So my suggestion, when you’re stringing together a day at a time, is to create time with friends, build a support system, such as AA, and maybe even ask about jobs or other opportunities to hang with other sober singles.

Who would of thought entertainment, dating, games, and events while sober would be fun! I certainly didn’t in the beginning – but after time it became completely normal and actually much more fun / rewarding. So when you’re out looking for sober programs, remember to look for support in the community you’re involved in – it sure went a long way for me!

You deserve a joyous and meaningful life. Visit us at www.TharrosHouse.com to learn more about receiving the right guidance and support at Tharros House in Lexington, MA.

Living a Sober Life in Massachusetts

A Sober Life Can Be A Very Happy Life

Living a Sober Life is not a death sentence

I hear many newcomers to sobriety express fears that living a sober life means that the fun and joy in their lives is now going to become a thing of the past.  While most will quickly admit that the “fun” was short lived, soon leading to some brand of misery, it’s not uncommon to feel like we’re going to lose much of what we termed “fun” in early sobriety.  In my experience, and for most who I’ve seen embrace recovery, life just started to get fun when I found my path to recovery.

In the past week, clients of our Sober Living in Lexington MA, Tharros House, have been rock climbing, hiking in the blue mountains, bowling, grilling some great steaks and seafood, learning to cook their own pizza’s, and much more.  But it’s not just the activity that is the fun, it’s the community and fellowship that is often at the center of a good time in sobriety.  Imagine that you get to have fun feeling completely comfortable and accepted for who you are, without having to adjust your mood or behavior with a substance!

Sober Events

I recently heard someone who was having great difficulty with the idea that they would get married one day and that they would not be able to participate in their own wedding reception.  What a reminder this was to me about the fears that my life was going to slip away while I changed into a boring, sober man.  Nothing could have been further from the truth!  Attending and hosting events, parties, and dinners is not a thing of the past.  You get to choose what you want in your sober life.  You are the designer of your life, and in my experience, what I found that I enjoyed wasn’t what I had been doing for so many years!  An event like a wedding can seem like it will be very different without the champagne toast; it is different: you find a different glass to use for the toast, and you gain the ability to engage with others, remember your conversations, and act the way you want to act.  Imagine waking up the day after your wedding and being able to hold your head high when seeing your guests at breakfast or brunch!

Sober and Single

Another common fear that I hear is regarding relationships.  So many of us used substances to help reduce the anxiety around our relationships.  I’ve been asked: How can I date someone if I’m sober?  The secret for me was first learning to become comfortable with who I am.  Dating, while often desired in early recovery, is usually best approached after some period of real recovery foundation.  I’ve seen many people with 6 months to a year of sobriety engage in successful relationships which offered them more than they ever thought possible.  The first several months in recovery are often an opportunity to learn more about who we really are.  With those who have taken the opportunity to be single while living sober for the first year, I’ve seen the best relationships show up.  In my experience, relationships got far better in sobriety.  Women respected me more when I had learned about myself and committed to my sober lifestyle.

Sober Recovery

Whatever your fears about a sober life, remember that the process of recovery is much more than learning how to live substance free.  Recovery is an awakening to who you are.  You get to live a life you design and while changing beliefs and behaviors isn’t easy, the rewards are far greater than I imagined they could be.

If you’re curious about the kinds of activities that you might be interested in doing when living a sober life, we suggest taking a look at Phoenix Multisport, a great organization for those choosing a sober lifestyle.   See what’s happening with Phoenix in  the Boston area here: http://www.phoenixmultisport.org/index.php?&chapter_id=57