Woman laying down smoking in Massachusetts

What Are the Best Ways to Quit Smoking?

Many people decide to quit smoking once they realize the negative impact of the habit on their overall health. Fortunately, once a smoker does quit, there are significant health benefits that take place almost immediately.

Why Is Smoking So Addictive?

Smoking is an addictive habit due to the active ingredient in tobacco called nicotine.

When you smoke cigarettes, your brain quickly adapts to the nicotine, causing you to crave more and more of the chemical to feel the way you did after your first cigarette.

Over time, your brain begins to predict when you are ready to smoke a cigarette, then you have one, and then the cycle repeats again.

How to Quit Smoking, Once and For All

It probably won’t come as a surprise that the most challenging days of quitting smoking are the first few days.

Although it probably will not be easy to get through the first couple of days after quitting, it is essential to stick with it.

One helpful way to quit smoking is to choose a day and commit to being done with smoking that day and beyond. Having an end date that you commit to will make the process feel final and give you a better chance at success.

Another way to quit smoking is to make a list of all of the reasons you want to stop smoking and write down all of the benefits you will gain once you achieve your goal. Having a plan written out in front of you with reminders of why you are quitting in the first place can help you focus on your goal and move forward.

You may also want to consider nicotine replacement patches, gum, or prescription medications that can help curb cravings. These options can be extremely helpful.

Tharros House

Tharros House in Massachusetts is a sober living home facility where individuals can live and work on maintaining their sobriety in a collaborative atmosphere. Give us a call today to learn more about how we may be able to help 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.

identification with addiction smoking Boston Massachusetts

Identification with Addition

For those recently working toward recovery from an addiction, this process may involve a change in identity, meaning a change in how a person views themselves. During recovery, the former addict will need to change their mindset and stop viewing themselves as an addict. They will need to develop a different, more positive self-identity.

The Social Identity Model of Recovery

The social identity model of recovery involves the concept of changing a person’s identity from someone who is actively addicted to or using substances to someone who is in recovery. When a person develops a substance abuse disorder, they tend to lose their existing social identity—a good parent, a good friend, etc.—as their identity becomes more about being an addict to one or more substances. Under this approach to recovery, it is thought that regaining or restoring a person’s lost social identity may give them the motivation necessary to continue with their transition to sobriety and recovery.

Studies have shown that this change in identity is an important aspect of achieving a successful outcome. This positive identity change tends to have a better chance of occurring if the individual is involved with a network or social group that includes other individuals in recovery. This is one of the reasons that sober living homes are an excellent approach to maintaining sobriety in recovery.

Discovering a New Personal Identity

When a former addict begins the long road to recovery, it often includes a change in identification, as well as a shift in their former mindset. It can be challenging to work toward restoring your former identity. A sober living home can help someone at this stage in their recovery maintain their sobriety and continue working on their self-identity and other important aspects of the recovery process. Contact us today at The Tharros House to learn more about what we have to offer.

controlling addictive urges cigarette

Controlling Addictive Urges

One of the difficult parts of addiction recovery is controlling addicting urges. The good news is that as time goes on, these cravings and urges will decrease in frequency and strength over time. You can help yourself to control addictive urges through the use of coping strategies that work for you.

The Acceptance Method

One way you can control these urges is simply by accepting that the urges are normal and to be expected. It is important to learn to accept discomfort as part of the recovery process. You must teach yourself that these urges will pass. When you have accepted that these urges will happen, you can have an alternative activity in mind.

The Escape Method

Another way to work on control here is to remove yourself from the triggering situation. For example, if you are in a bar with friends and feel the urge to drink, it is time to leave. If there is an ad for alcohol on TV, change the channel. Just the simple act of escaping this trigger will allow you to focus your mind on something new and help lessen the urge.

The Substitution Method

When you start to feel an urge, try to substitute an activity or thought that is fun and more beneficial. Go out and take a walk or partake in another form of exercise. You can also try to pick up a new book to read or turn on new music to listen to. The possibilities for substitution are endless. Think about and write down some ideas so that you have a list on hand to choose from when an urge happens.

These methods are some ways you can control your addictive urges. To learn more about sober living facilities, contact us today at The Tharros House. We can help you continue on your path to recovery from your addiction.

Sober Living House Boston Massachusetts

Why Staying in a Sober Home After Treatment is Better Than Treatment Alone

If you are dealing with an addiction and have decided to seek treatment, you may be overwhelmed and wondering where to begin. There are many different treatment options to consider, depending on your circumstances and where you are at in the process of recovery. One option that many people recovering from addiction choose after treatment is sober home living.

Benefits of Living in a Sober Home

As you are recovering from addiction, being around others who are also in recovery and remaining sober can be a great way to help you stay sober. Sober living homes give you the opportunity to live among other people who are dealing with the same issues as you. They provide a calming and community-based atmosphere. The social network that a sober living home provides on a daily basis to its residents a valuable resource for people in recovery from addiction. Additionally, as your environment impacts recovery, living in a positive environment free from alcohol or other addictive substances is associated with better recovery outcomes.

The Role Your Social Network Can Play in Your Recovery

A 2002 study found that people recovering from alcohol addiction who had social networks which included a higher number of individuals who abstained from alcohol as well as people who were recovering alcoholics had better outcomes with respect to addiction recovery after three years as compared to those who had social networks with fewer of these individuals. Other studies have shown that a positive social network has a significant impact on recovery from addiction. Social support is positively correlated with better outcomes when it comes to recovery from addiction.

Living in a sober home such as Tharros House can positively impact your recovery in many ways. By creating a sober environment free from addictive substances and providing you with an instant social network of people just like you in recovery, Tharros House can help change your life for the better.

[Source – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3057870/]

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.

sober living home backyard path to recovery

What Are Sober Living Homes?

Sober living homes are places where recovering addicts can live in a safe, drug-free environment to continue with their recovery.  These homes do not provide actual treatment, but they do provide a clean-living space for recovering addicts to work on discontinuing their destructive habits.  Sober living homes have rules for their residents, which provide structure.

Benefits of Sober Living Homes

Additionally, they have organized recovery meetings.  Sober living homes also help their residents find work or connections with school programs.  They also provide their residents with connections to outpatient recovery programs.  Sober living residences also require regular drug tests, and of course, drugs and alcohol are banned from the homes.  Sober living homes are less costly than staying in an inpatient rehab facility while providing someone in recovery the same type of safety net of being separated from their temptations and having the benefit of being surrounded by others who are also working towards recovery from addiction.

Who Lives in Sober Living Homes?

Many residents in a sober living home are in active treatment or attending a twelve-step program of some kind.  The homes only provide indirect support during the recovery process, but this indirect support can make a huge difference.

How Effective Are Sober Living Homes?

There is evidence, both anecdotal and empirical, that sober living homes do make a significantly positive difference in the process of recovery.  Generally, those who reside in sober living homes show better overall results over time on their path to recovery.  Typically, recovering addicts who live in sober living homes tend to stay sober longer and more consistently, avoid legal trouble, hold a consistent job, and have a lower rate of relapse.

Sober living homes can be hugely beneficial to those working towards recovery from addiction.  While everyone is different and there are a variety of different approaches to take in recovery, these homes are a good place to start the journey.

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 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.