Sober Living Homes in Illinois

After completing a successful treatment program, such as residential or outpatient treatment, you’ll be directed to sober living homes in Illinois. You’ll undergo screening to determine your eligibility for sober living, which can include an assessment of your recovery progress, commitment to sobriety, and willingness to follow sober living home rules. While residents aren’t required to have completed a treatment program before entry, many have.

Sober living homes have specific roles and procedures for residents to follow. When you enter a sober living home, these expectations will be outlined for you. They’re established to maintain a safe and supportive environment for everyone, such as policies on substance use, curfews, and attendance at house meetings.

You’ll meet individuals in recovery and connect with those facing similar challenges. Peer support is an essential aspect of sober living. You’ll be able to engage in group activities, attend 12-step meetings, and build a support system with those committed to sobriety. This peer support network offers encouragement, understanding, and guidance throughout recovery.

Besides following curfews and attending meetings, you’ll be expected to take on financial obligations, hold a steady job or attend school. You’ll help the community by completing chores, taking responsibility for actions, and obeying all house rules.

Sober living homes typically implement sobriety monitoring measures to ensure residents are dedicated to a substance-free life. There may be drug and alcohol screenings or other accountability measures. Continual monitoring allows residents to stay accountable and provides a safe, sober living environment for the community.

The ultimate goal of sober living is to help you transition into independent living. You’ll explore housing, employment, or education options as you progress through recovery. The length of your stay in sober living can range from a few months to a year.

After you’ve left a sober living home in Chicago, you’ll still have access to outpatient counseling, 12-step meetings, alum programs, and other resources to maintain a substance-free lifestyle. While sober living homes help you gradually transition into your everyday life, you must know support is always on your side with these aftercare programs.

We provide three levels of care at Gateway — inpatient, intensive outpatient, and partial hospitalization programs (PHP):

• Inpatient care: Inpatient or residential treatment involves living with peers struggling with addiction and receiving 24/7 care and supervision. You’ll live in a residential setting, receive medical detox if necessary, attend individual and group therapy, and engage in fun and healthy activities that promote your overall well-being. 
• Intensive outpatient program (IOP): Intensive outpatient care can benefit those hoping to recover while still living at home and tending to everyday responsibilities. You’ll attend support groups, learn coping skills, and receive treatment similar to residential care. However, your program will typically last just a few hours a day and conclude at the end of the day so you can return home and care for other obligations like work, school, or child care. 
• Partial hospitalization program (PHP): Another Gateway care level is PHP. These programs are less intensive than residential care but more intensive than IOP. While you can return home in the evenings and sleep in your bed, you’ll be fully committed to a full day of support services, treatment, and therapy in PHP. 

Withdrawal symptoms can be debilitating. While they often taper off to help patients transition into a treatment program, other symptoms can linger. In these cases, withdrawal management becomes a primary concern. At Gateway, our medical professionals will educate you on what to expect and provide 24-hour care to ensure you are safe and comfortable throughout your recovery journey. In some cases, medical professionals may prescribe medicines to reduce withdrawal symptoms.

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It’s common for people with addiction to also struggle with mental health conditions like depression or anxiety or develop another substance use disorder. Whatever your specific situation, Gateway can help with dual diagnosis services. These programs target addiction and underlying mental health conditions, providing crucial medical detox, medication-assisted treatment, and various levels of care to treat your symptoms and encourage well-being. Receiving comprehensive care can be more effective, translating into a lasting recovery.

Mindfulness-based sobriety is an evidence-based treatment strategy for people with addiction and mental health conditions. This form of care can help you forgive the past, accept the present and alleviate anxieties about the future. At Gateway, you might practice mindfulness strategies like meditation, deep breathing, or yoga. In these sessions, you’ll center yourself on the present moment, allowing any thoughts to pop up and pass without judgment. Mindfulness can help you recover by reducing rumination, enhancing well-being, and building resilience in the face of stressors that might contribute to substance use.

At Gateway, you can follow a 12-step treatment program. This plan offers lifelong support and is supported by a 12-step facilitation model that includes attending meetings in the treatment center and community. You’ll learn to integrate coping skills into your recovery plan and work toward a healthier, more fulfilling lifestyle. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are two 12-step groups that focus on peer engagement, accountability, building structure and routine, and practicing coping skills to prevent relapse.

Behavioral therapies are evidence-based treatment methods that can help people with addiction. They address and modify thoughts, values, and beliefs that might contribute to addictive behaviors. The idea is that if you can shift toward more positive beliefs, your behaviors will follow suit. 

In cognitive behavioral therapy sessions, you’ll work with a mental health professional to identify your thoughts and learn practical strategies to change your behavior and prevent relapse. Dialectical behavior therapy focuses on helping you establish skills to manage overwhelming emotions that might lead to addictive behaviors. It recognizes that physical and emotional pain can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms like addiction and provides practical strategies to manage these feelings and prevent relapse. 

Medication-assisted treatment programs involve a combination of medicines and therapies to address addiction. The comprehensive approach first aims to manage withdrawal symptoms and cravings of addiction. From there, patients can attend group and individual therapy sessions and focus on their recovery more comfortably. Medications used in these programs are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and can be adjusted as your symptoms improve. They work by normalizing brain chemistry and blocking the effects of substances, reducing cravings, and alleviating withdrawal symptoms. 

While addiction isn’t a choice, motivational interviewing acknowledges that encouragement and inspiration can help individuals make lasting changes. These sessions encourage patients to get directly involved in their recovery and focus on the specifics of a positive, substance-free future. Counselors can work with you to identify the negatives of substance use and how addiction might impact your career, health, and relationships. Then, you can focus on positive developments, encouraging you to commit to your recovery and take actionable steps toward positive change.

Sober living homes provide a structured, routine-oriented environment. Structure promotes healthy habits and routines, supporting an individual’s overall recovery. Daily schedules include meal times, group meetings, therapy sessions, and recreational activities. The routine can help patients develop a sense of stability and discipline, which is often beneficial for anyone transitioning from intensive treatment programs to independent living. 

Residents are expected to adhere to specific rules and guidelines, such as abstaining from drugs and alcohol, attending support group meetings, following curfews, and participating in household chores. These rules promote accountability and responsibility, encouraging individuals to develop crucial life skills for long-term sobriety.

In sober living homes, residents can bond with peers about wanting to stay sober. This understanding and supportive environment can help you stay committed to recovery. You’ll share experiences, challenges, and successes with others with similar goals, which can be instrumental in recovery. The support system can provide validation, encouragement, and accountability during recovery. Additionally, moving into a Chicago sober living home means getting 24/7 support from staff seven days a week. 

Sober living homes keep residents safe from harmful outside influences. These homes have strict policies against drug and alcohol use, which creates a supportive and secure space for everyone. Living in an environment free of substances reduces triggers and temptations, letting you focus on your recovery and build a solid foundation for a substance-free life.

In sober living homes, you don’t have to jump straight into everyday life following a more intensive treatment program. Instead, you’ll gradually increase your responsibilities as you improve and be able to take on more. Ultimately, the structure of sober living homes can help you reduce stress and focus on self-care. 

Further, all homes are well furnished, and luxury homes have excellent amenities. You’ll get to relax and build your sobriety toolbox before returning to society. 

Sober-living homes recognize how substance use can deprive individuals of essential life skills. While other people their age were forming relationships, attending school, or advancing their careers, others struggled with addiction. Sober living homes can work with these individuals to help them develop crucial life skills.

For example, you’ll get to work on building healthy relationships, improving communication, pursuing education or employment goals, and enhancing self-esteem.

Privacy is a crucial aspect of sober living homes. These homes prioritize the privacy and confidentiality of each resident. You’ll get the chance to continue recovery without the scrutiny of family, friends, or workmates, and staff and management of these homes uphold the privacy rights of all residents. This ensures a safe and discreet environment to help you heal and grow. 

Studies suggest that sober living homes are highly effective in supporting individuals in their recovery from substance use disorder. Effectiveness also depends on your commitment to change and maintain a substance-free lifestyle. Sober living homes services that can enhance the chances of long-term sobriety include peer support, access to counseling, and assistance in developing essential life skills.

The length of a stay in a sober living home depends on the resident’s specific needs but typically ranges from a couple of months to a year.

Addiction counselors or people undergoing successful addiction treatment typically run sober living homes. In either case, this person will ensure residents follow the house rules. They also assign chores, perform drug testing, manage home finances, and organize and guide 12-step meetings.