Ohio Sober Living

Ohio is a state located in the Midwestern United States. Ohio has a population of 11.7 million people, making it the seventh most populous state in the country and the tenth most densely populated state. Ohio’s major cities include Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland. The state is bordered by Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, and Lake Erie. The state is known for its thriving arts, culture, music, and food scenes. In many ways, Ohio delivers a little bit of everything America is famous for: beautiful scenery, rock ‘n roll, and professional sports.

Unfortunately, Ohio is also currently suffering from a significant drug and alcohol abuse problem. Residents have high rates of substance use disorders. As a result, the rates of drug addiction and drug overdoses in the state are on the rise. Much of these drug addiction problems are driven by drugs of abuse like heroin, crystal meth, benzodiazepines, cocaine, and crack.

However, in recent years prescription opioids have been the driving force. These legal prescription painkillers are often far more addictive and fatal than heroin. Unfortunately, physicians write prescriptions for prescription opioids far higher than the national average: there are 53.5 opioid prescriptions for every 100 residents of Ohio. It should thus come as no surprise that drug overdose deaths in Ohio involving opioids numbered 4,293 in 2017 alone.

Fortunately, for individuals in Ohio suffering from drug or alcohol use disorders, help is available. No one should have to suffer in solitude. It is common for people with addictions to believe that if they use more willpower then they will be able to beat their addiction. In actual fact, substance use disorders can only be managed with extensive help and support. Ohio is home to a variety of recovery resources, including sober living houses.

Choosing a sober living house can help Ohio residents recover from their drug or alcohol addiction. No matter how severe their addiction has become, and no matter which substance they are addicted to, recovery is possible in a sober living home. These residences allow people to develop the tools they need to stay sober and rebuild quality new lives for themselves.

What Are Sober Living Houses?

Sober living houses are residences that offer safe, supportive, and trigger-free environments to individuals who are in early sobriety. Environmental factors play an important role during early addiction recovery. Choosing to live in an unsafe or emotionally unstable environment can easily lead to a relapse. This is especially true when a person chooses to live with family members or friends who are not supportive of their recovery goals. Sober living homes ensure that people can live their lives away from troubling or potentially triggering circumstances. While residing in a sober living home, residents can expect a high degree of peer support, structure, and a clean and sober environment.

Residents agree from the outset to stay away from drugs and alcohol. Staff members enforce hours rules and administer drug tests regularly. Staff members also provide their guidance and support to help residents in early recovery deal with challenges healthily and productively. Staff members, who often live on-site, are also able to connect residents with any outside recovery-related resources they might require, as well as provide help in addressing any underlying issues that may be causing them to abuse drugs or alcohol.

Sober living houses are more than just places to sleep, eat, and work. They are communities — in many ways, they are like families. Residents offer each other support during the most difficult periods of their recovery. They share their experiences, their strength, and their hopes with one another, forming strong bonds and keeping each other accountable. During years of active addiction, it is common for people to feel severely misunderstand. Finally meeting and living with other young people in recovery can be life-changing. Research on sober living homes shows that the peer support that residents find there is the most important benefit; in fact, people who have lived in a sober living home have lower rates of relapse even years afterward. This lowered rate can be attributed to sober living peer support.

Sober livings are not clinical treatment programs, and they are not to be confused with rehabs. Sober living homes cannot “cure” an addiction. However, they can help residents by providing long-term support as they work to rebuild their lives in sobriety. Residents work to heal damaged relationships with loved ones, develop new communities, find employment, and clean up their lives. They develop new skills, new values, new behaviors, and begin taking positive steps toward futures that are now finally open to them.

Sober Fun in Ohio

The concept of “sober fun” may sound absurd if you are freshly sober. It may be difficult to imagine how fun can be possible without being drunk or high. Addiction forces people to rely on drugs and alcohol as a crutch. At a sober living home, you will develop new coping skills and behaviors to allow you to have fun without resorting to substance abuse. Best of all, you’ll develop a circle of sober friends with whom you can have fun. Activities that you once did while drunk, such as going to a concert or the beach, can be an absolute blast when you have sober friends by your side.

Ohio is a great place to be if you are trying to live a high-quality sober life. The state has plenty to do, from outdoor activities to thriving arts and culture scenes. However, if you were someone who abused drugs and alcohol in Ohio, then it may be best to pursue addiction recovery out of state. In many cases, the state will simply be home to too many triggers. However, once you have developed a firm grasp on sobriety, you can safely return to Ohio and enjoy all this state has to offer.

Some ideas for sober fun in Ohio include:

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Located on the waterfront of Cleveland, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a must-visit for all lovers of music. The museum was designed by architect I.M. Pei, and simply walking by the building is astounding. The seven floors of the museum include rock memorabilia, musical instruments, interactive exhibits, and costumes. The center offers a comprehensive look at the history of rock and roll.

Cedar Point Amusement Park

Ohio residents flock to Cedar Point amusement park every summer. It is located near Sandusky on the shore of Lake Erie. The amusement park includes over 17 world-class roller coasters. It also offers live entertainment for guests. For people looking for more splashy adventures, the Cedar Point Shores Water Park is right next door. This park includes a lazy river, a wave pool, and a six-story aqua-drop water slide.

National Museum of the US Air Force

This museum is one of several free museums in Ohio. Located near Dayton, Ohio on the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the National Museum of the US Air Force includes more than 360 aerospace items on display. Visitors can walk through a time capsule of aviation history, exploring the Wright brothers’ early experiments to contemporary space travel and stealth technology.

Hocking Hills State Park

Hocking Hills State Park, located near Logan, Ohio, is a natural area that offers plenty to do for outdoor enthusiasts. If you’re looking for sober fun, there’s nothing better than exploring Rocking Hills’ hiking trails, caves, cottages, and camping facilities. You can even take s seminar on bird watching or photography led by a park naturalist. Other activities here include canoeing, ziplining, and rock climbing.

The Cleveland Museum of Art

There are many ways to expand your mind without using drugs. The Cleveland Museum of Art has been helping Ohio residents see the world in new ways ever since it was founded in 1916. Since the 1950s, the museum has increasingly developed an international reputation. The building is built in an awe-inspiring Neoclassical style, and the collection houses outstanding specimens of European, Asian, and American art.

Amish Country

Amish Country is a must-see for Ohio residents and visitors alike. Ohio is home to a large population of Amish, who enjoy simpler lives devoid of modern technology. Buggies move through the twisting roads, and farmers plow the fields. These small communities sell household goods, locally made cheeses,  ice cream, and candy.

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is often rated as one of the most important zoos in the country. It is home to more than 10,000 different animals. The zoo aims to depict six different world regions, including Asia Quest, Congo Expedition, and Heart of Africa. The zoo also hosts stage performances and special education programs throughout the year. During the winter, visitors can take part in Wildlights, a celebration that allows visitors to experience animal life at night.

Benefits of Ohio Sober Livings

Drug and alcohol addictions are mental health disorders that are legitimate and require outside help.  No one recovers from a drug or alcohol use disorder overnight. In fact, there are no recognized “cures” for addiction. However, it is indeed possible to learn to live with addiction. It is even possible to live free of the obsessive cravings that often characterize active addiction. Living a quality life in recovery means developing new skills, a strong support system, and a value system that makes long-term sobriety possible.

Sober livings allow residents to take all the time they need to develop these important foundations. While rehabs often require people to live after only a few months, sober livings encourage residents to take things slowly. Many people make use of the support of a sober living house for a year or longer. This ensures that by the time they graduate, they will have developed confidence, autonomy, and a strong bedrock of sober skills. Some of the many benefits of sober livings houses in Ohio include:

24/7 Staff Support

Staff members and sober living house managers generally live on-site with the other residents. In most cases, staff members have been through the recovery process themselves. For this reason, they serve as valuable resources for residents. Staff members can offer their own experiences and provide much-needed feedback for residents. Moreover, they are available 24/7 to enforce house rules and structures, answer questions, and guide residents along their sober journeys.

Peer Support Systems

Living in a sober living house means joining a thriving community of people who have all been through similar experiences and challenges. Addiction is often referred to by professionals in the recovery industry as a “disease of isolation,” because sufferers frequently experience loneliness and conflict. They also tend to feel misunderstood. While living in a sober living, residents can finally share their experiences with people who not only understand but who can also provide valuable advice. Moreover, the friendships people develop in sober livings significantly reduce the likelihood of relapse over the long term.

Mentorship Opportunities

While living in a sober living facility, residents have the opportunity to get sober themselves — but they also have the chance to help newer residents who may be struggling. It may be surprising to discover that helping other people get sober is often the best way of helping oneself. Not only do sober living houses provide mentorship opportunities, but residents also get involved in the broader recovery community via programs like AA or NA. In these programs, individuals in early recovery can receive and provide support in their recovery journeys.

Life Skills Training

Most quality sober living homes understand that recovering from addiction is seldom a matter of simply avoiding drugs and alcohol. After years of active addiction, most young people have significant gaps in their skill set. Sober living homes help people recover by educating them and helping them develop new skills and behaviors. These skills can range from basic personal hygiene skills to learning how to write a resume or pass a job interview.

Rehab Transitions

Ohio sober livings are not clinical treatment programs. Nonetheless, they are often used as transitional programs for recent rehab graduates. After finishing an inpatient treatment center, it is rarely a good idea to jump abruptly back into one’s old life. After all, a recent rehab graduate may be physically abstinent — but they probably haven’t had the opportunity yet to develop a sober life. Sober living homes serve as bridges between rehab and the so-called “real world.” Moreover, according to research studies, individuals who take part in aftercare resources like sober livings have reduced chances of relapsing.

Sober Livings Outside of Ohio

Ohio has plenty of excellent sober living houses. Despite that, residents of Ohio are often warned against making use of these homes. The reason is that after many years of active addiction in Ohio, living in Ohio can be triggering. Even at a high-quality sober living home, triggers can be dangerous. These triggers can range from chance encounters with former drug dealers and drinking buddies to simply walking through a neighborhood where one used to get intoxicated. It is often far easier to develop new behaviors and habits in a new location.

Moving to California to get sober is a great way to make a fresh start. Southern California is a sought-after location for addiction recovery because of its beautiful beaches, idyllic mountains, and thriving arts and culture scene. This open-minded and health-conscious city makes sober people feel welcome. 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous hold meetings in every neighborhood at all hours of the day. In fact, you’re more likely to encounter a sober person walking down the street than a celebrity! But what truly makes Southern California great for addiction recovery is the presence of structured sober livings, a type of sober living home that is unique to the area. Structured sober livings offer additional support and recovery resources that most sober living homes do not offer.

Recover from Addiction at Design for Recovery

Design for Recovery is a structured sober living home in Southern California. It is a sober living home for men that provides a safe, supportive, and trigger-free environment. No matter what a person’s substance of choice was or how severe their addiction was, they can turn their life around at Design for Recovery. Residents work daily to develop the toolset, values, behaviors, and peer support that they need to maintain long-term sobriety. In the process, they work to build new lives for themselves beyond their wildest dreams.

Design for Recovery was founded on a simple idea: recovery involves more than just quitting drugs and alcohol. It means building a life that is meaningful, joyful, and free. Residents at Design for Recovery work to develop a strong foundation of values to live by. These crucial principles include honesty, integrity, responsibility, and accountability. By cultivating these values, a new life becomes possible. Relationships improve, career prospects change, and the future opens up.