Often, individuals embarking on the journey to recovery have reached a place where they cannot live with drugs and alcohol, but they also feel like they cannot live without it.

Most people who are either considering recovery or are beginning their journey have a certain amount of apprehension around living a sober lifestyle. Who will I be when I’m not using or drinking anymore? What will my life be like? Addiction recovery isn’t just about stopping and not relapsing. It’s about learning how to live sober and, even more than that, to enjoy it.

After treatment, people go home to a variety of living situations. Some people go into sober living facilities like halfway houses, some move into their own place, and others have no option but to return to their previous living circumstances and environment. No matter what the case may be, with the right support and determination, it is possible to continue living a sober lifestyle while strengthening and growing your own recovery.

After treatment, many people participate in outpatient programs, where they find continued support and accountability.

Some people join 12-step programs, which can be key to learning how to live a sober lifestyle. 12-step programs present an outline for living sober. In addition, they offer the opportunity to work with others who are struggling with addiction. They provide accountability and support, as well as a network of people who are committed to living a sober lifestyle themselves.

It is often suggested by professionals that if old using friends can be avoided, they should be. But what if those were the only ‘friends’ we had left? Living a sober lifestyle means adopting new attitudes and being open to new experiences and new relationships. The recovery community is a place where new and lasting friendships can be forged, ones that are centered around being happy and healthy. It provides opportunities to grow and learn who you are and what you like and don’t like, now that you’re sober.

Life will, of course, be different when you get clean and sober, but the possibilities are endless.

Compared to a life that is centered around getting loaded, sobriety is a much simpler and more productive way of living. You may say to yourself, “I have no idea how to live a sober lifestyle.” It is a process that doesn’t have to be done perfectly. Living life sober means giving yourself a chance!

For more information about Twin Lakes Recovery Center’s Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), please contact us anytime at (770) 282-1272.