Is It Possible to Keep Working while Living in a Sober Living Home?

Most people who enter sober living homes are still in the early stages of their recovery. Sober homes are for residents whose treatment plans call for transitional strategies. While many come from the inpatient residential programs collectively known as “rehab,” others get referrals through court-ordered programs. You can stay at a sober living facility even if you didn’t go through detoxification or rehab. The determination is made by healthcare professionals and your case manager. The transitional aspect of sober living encourages returning to a normal life, and this includes holding a job during your stay.

Easing Back into Regular Lifestyle Schedules

Substance abuse and addiction often throw lives into disarray. This happens almost invariably because the compulsive pursuit of psychoactive substances takes over. When liquor and drugs become the main priorities, life structures get disrupted along with healthy habits and routines. Sober home residents are reintroduced to lifestyle schedules conducive to future sobriety. Work is a hallmark of structured life for most people. For this reason, you’ll always be strongly encouraged to keep a job while staying at a sober home like Casa Pacifica, which provides sober living housing for men in Solana Beach. This reintroduction to a regular lifestyle is a critical function of transitional recovery programs.

Readjusting to Substance-Free Workplaces

A sober life is a productive life. Recovery involves getting back to healthy activities and situations, including suitable jobs. By suitable, this means jobs that won’t interfere with the house rules or your treatment plan. For instance, alcoholic residents shouldn’t work as bartenders. Your job should be in a substance-free workplace, thus prohibiting bars and many other nightlife establishments. For some residents, abstinence is the readjustment angle. If you’re going back to a job where you used to drink or get high during working hours, you must adjust to your new reality as a worker in recovery. Staying away from places and situations that can put you at risk for lapse or relapse is a house rule written in stone.

Preparing for Your New Life Ahead

For many residents, holding a job is more than encouraged. It’s often a nonnegotiable aspect of the recovery treatment plan, which may call for fostering self-sufficiency. You may be expected to make financial contributions to the house, which you can draw from your income. Some residents may have court-ordered obligations to stay employed and pay fines or restitution. Working prepares residents for the realities of life outside the sober living facility, where they must manage income and handle workplace stress as they continue recovering.

Doing Activities beyond Working

Not all sober home residents return to previous jobs or start working immediately. Many start their job searches upon getting case manager approval, usually shortly after settling in. Some residents go to school if their treatment plans allow it. Neither work nor school should get in the way of recovery treatment activities, including mandatory group sessions. If you’re job hunting and not actively interviewing, you can attend workshops, complete chores, or help the house manager with tasks. 

If you or someone you love is addicted to alcohol or drugs and needs help, call on the compassionate team at Casa Pacifica. Along with providing Solana Beach sober living housing, we work with our individual residents to develop customized plans that integrate treatment, aftercare, and recovery support. Our services include sober companionship, coaching, and mentorship for those who are recovering from addiction to alcohol and other drugs. For more information about our sober living facilities, call us today.