Dark photo of drugs on table with mans hand tensely gripping, close to relapse.

Why Do I Keep Relapsing?

If you have recently made the positive life choice to become sober, you might be surprised to learn how common relapses are. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, between 40-60% of people in recovery experience one or more relapses. Relapses happen often, but there are some things you can try to prevent them.

Why Is It So Common to Have a Relapse?

One of the reasons it is so common to experience a relapse after getting sober is that addictions are extremely powerful and tend to cause lasting changes to the brain. For this reason, it is vital to understand the common relapse triggers, so you can do your best to avoid them.

Common Triggers That Can Lead to a Relapse

There are many different triggers that can contribute to an addiction relapse. Keep in mind that since everyone is different, a significant trigger for one person might not have the same kind of effect on you. However, having a general awareness of the most common triggers can help you figure out the best way to manage them.

Some common triggers include:

  • Stressful situations,
  • Toxic relationships,
  • Spending time with people still suffering from addiction,
  • Going to places connected with your former substance abuse routine,
  • Seeing a bottle of alcohol or item associated with your substance abuse.

Relapsing and Sober Living Homes

One of the best ways to help prevent a relapse is to live in a sober living community. Residents of sober living homes are required to stay sober. These communities provide residents with a structured environment that can help them stay on track and maintain their sobriety.

Tharros House is a sober living home for men located near Boston, Massachusetts. Call 617-249-1087 to learn more about what our sober living home can offer you.

Group of friends looking out into the sun outside of a sober living home

How Do I Know If a Sober Living Home is Right for Me?

If you are committed to remaining sober and want to work toward becoming more independent, a sober living home may be the right choice for you. Sober living homes are group residences, where people who are recovering from addiction can live.

Life in Sober Living Homes

Sober living homes typically require that their residents follow certain rules. One of the most serious rules that must be followed is that residents must remain sober. Other common rules include a mandated curfew and a ban on any form of violence. Different sober living homes have different rules; however, the main goal is to provide structure and responsibility for residents.

Residents living in a structured environment tend to have a better chance at lasting recovery. Sober living homes allow residents to adjust to life and its responsibilities both during and after treatment. Many residents opt to reside in sober living homes while they make the transition from rehab to independent living.

Thriving in a Sober Living Home Environment

A sober living home is a great residence for someone who has completed inpatient rehabilitation and feels almost ready to live independently. Sober living homes provide independence in many aspects, but also serve as a helpful community.

Job searching is encouraged for residents, and on-site job training programs are available at some homes. Some homes also offer transportation for their residents so that they can more easily get back to work. If you feel ready to go back into the workforce and begin the steps necessary to reacclimate into society, a sober living home may be the right choice for you.

If you are thinking about moving into a sober living home, contact us at the Tharros House today at (617) 249-1087. The Tharros House is a sober living home for men that is located in the Boston, Massachusetts area.

tips for keeping a sober home in Boston Massachusetts

Keeping a Sober Home

Once you have completed a drug or alcohol rehabilitation program, the next steps in your recovery include developing new life skills. You will need to make some changes in your lifestyle in order to remain free from drugs or alcohol. Below, you will find four ways to help you keep a sober home.

Practice Self-Care

One of the main reasons for emotional relapse is failing to practice self-care. In your own home or in a sober living home, you will need to learn to take care of yourself by getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, and learning and using coping strategies to overcome any negative thoughts and feelings.

Keeping a Clean Living Space

When you are living with other people, whether it is in a sober living home or with family or other roommates, you will face various obstacles as personalities differ. As you learn to keep your living environment clean, you will also learn the importance of being respectful of others around you and thinking about their wants and needs when you make decisions that affect your home.

Managing Your Finances

Another major life skill necessary for recovery is to manage your finances. During the time you suffered from addiction, you may have allocated a significant amount of your money toward fueling your addiction. Now that you are in recovery, you will need to make a new budget. Residing in a sober living home can give you the chance to practice saving and budgeting; Tharros offers an optional budgeting component where clients can develop important money management skills.

Cooking Healthy Meals

It is important to make healthy food choices. You will benefit from learning how to cook healthy meals and shop for groceries, as well as prepare your own meals.  At Tharros, we offer a variety of cooking instruction and community cooking nights, led by experienced and talented chefs.

The Tharros House is a sober living facility that provides its residents with recovery support, including helping residents learn to practice self-care. Residents can also learn to cook healthy meals, manage their finances, and keep their residence clean—all life skills that help with recovery.

Sober Living Home Fence in Boston Massachusetts

How a Sober Living Home Can Help You

Staying in a sober living home is a great option for people looking to stay clean once they become sober.

While rehab is great for getting clean and taking that much needed break to work on personal matters, many times it just isn’t enough to stay clean during everyday life.

Sober living homes are a great transition from rehab to give you the tools you need and help you live more independently without the use of narcotics.

What is a Sober Living Home?

A sober living home provides you with a safe, peaceful environment usually alongside other’s that are also recovering from addiction.

Although you may need to be home by a certain time or take random drug tests, the goal of a sober living home is to help you become responsible for yourself. Therefore, compared to rehab centers, there is much more freedom to come and go as you please.

Benefits of sober living homes may include:

  • Organized meetings
  • A safe, drug free environment
  • Help finding work if needed
  • Connections to outpatient recovery programs
  • Empowers and supports your journey to become free from substances
  • Provides the time and support needed to restructure your life, free from your old environment that may not have been as healthy
  • Coordinated in a thoughtful way to help you with recovery

Are sober living homes actually effective?

Yes, there is anecdotal and empirical evidence that sober living houses actually make a significant difference. People that reside in sober living homes generally have better results and are able to stay sober more consistently and for longer periods of time with a lower rate of relapse.

Tharros Sober Living House in Boston Massachusetts

Tharros offers a highly supportive version of sober living, which includes an extensive peer support model.  To learn what’s different about Tharros, view our Tharros Experience Page.

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.

Living Sober in Massachusetts Sun Meditation

15 Tips for Living Sober in Massachusetts

Although there are a variety of programs available to help you on your journey to sobriety, living sober in Massachusetts can still be a daunting task if not prepared.

From specific addiction targeted sober living programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, to sober living homes, finding a strategy that works best for you is what matters most.

The following tips, while simple, may each make a huge impact on your path towards living a clean, sober life.

15 Tips for Living Sober in Massachusetts

  1. Get involved with the community.
  2. Dump the friends that bring you down and make friends with the people that lift you up.
  3. Take it one day at a time.
  4. Take responsibility for your life – no blaming others or making excuses.
  5. Be forgiving.
  6. Discover your passions and pursue them.
  7. Take on a hobby that allows self-expression.
  8. Spend more time around nature.
  9. When you wake up, close your eyes and picture 5 things in life that you are grateful for.
  10. Create goals for the type of person you would like to be and the things you would like to do.
  11. Use mindfulness to become more self-aware.
  12. Meditate.
  13. Never underestimate the control that your addiction may have.
  14. Learn more about living sober.
  15. Explore the sites and scenery in Massachusetts without drugs and alcohol.

Above all try not to be too hard on yourself; we all have weaknesses that can trigger a relapse. No matter what happens there is always help and various sober living programs to help you in living a clean, sober life.

Tharros Sober Living Home in Boston, Massachusetts

Tharros house brings together a sober community of like-minded individuals with aftercare, allowing you to learn new skills to overcome the challenges ahead in a fresh, fun, and encouraging way. Learn more about how Tharros House can help you.