The past three years have been different for many people, especially those who have been using drugs and have found recovery. Isolation, uncertainty, and even closures of vital services such as Medication-Assisted Treatment during the COVID-19 crisis left people scrambling to get the healthcare they needed. As a result, sober living temporarily stopped accepting new clients, but sadly, many people in other care situations found themselves without a place to go. Sober living, however, continues to provide safety and focus on clients' well-being during uncertain times.

Sober living is an essential tool for people in recovery. For many people now getting sober, the responsibility, community, and accountability a sober home can provide can help them build a strong recovery foundation.

Increased Drug Use, Overdoses in the Pandemic Era

The pandemic changed how people used and acquired drugs.

Economic hardship, a stumbling economy, and the fears of the pandemic caused much uncertainty. At the same time, the illicit drug supply chain was cut off in many ports. As a result, people had to look for new ways to get high. Often, this meant dealing with drug dealers on social media who may have added fentanyl to their products.

Uncertainty and economic hardship are often causes of increased substance use. In addition, people who were isolated or working at home often used substances out of loneliness or boredom.

These factors led to a wave of overdoses in 2020 and 2021, with over 92,000 lives lost to overdose. It was the largest number to date, 21,000 more than in any previous year. Moreover, the numbers increased the following year, with 53,000 dead in the first six months of 2021 alone.

Sober Living Homes Help Build Stability

There's never been a better time to get sober – there is increased access to treatment and more options available than ever. Many people are now picking up the pieces to begin to heal from this era in their lives. Sober living can help create a stable, safe living situation for you to focus on yourself.

Sober homes can also provide the following, depending on the program:

• Structure and Routine: Uncertainty can lead to stress and anxiety, triggering a relapse if you don't have the proper tools in place. A sober living home can help provide a structured environment and daily routine. Depending on the home, that may include support groups, individual counseling, and recreational activities. This structure allows residents to stay focused on their recovery goals and avoid relapse.
• Accountability: In a sober living home, residents are accountable to their peers and staff. This accountability provides a powerful motivation to stay sober. When you know people are counting on you to stay sober, this can help you make better decisions. You are accountable for your actions - and your actions are important to others, too!
• Support and Community: A sober living home provides a supportive community of individuals. Your peers are working towards the same goal of staying sober. You have a community to turn to if you need it. This can be vital during uncertain times when feelings of isolation and loneliness can trigger substance use.
• Safe and Sober Environment: A sober living home provides a safe and therapeutic living environment. While this environment is sometimes free from some of the triggers of the outside world, there are rules to follow that keep everyone safe. This can be particularly important during uncertain times when stress and anxiety may be heightened.

A sober living home can provide a stable and supportive environment to help you stay sober, even during uncertain times. You can begin to rebuild your life in recovery through structure, accountability, support, and a safe environment.

Learn More About Sober Living

If you or somebody you know is considering a sober living situation, we're here to help. We offer safe facilities, access to amenities, healthy meals, and other help to stay on track while you learn to stay sober long-term. Get in touch to learn more about how we can help you learn to thrive as a newly sober individual.

 

 

 

Sober living homes often help provide continuing care after a shorter-term addiction treatment program. Recovering housing and sober living programs are meant to help people in recovery transition to their new life. This means helping them stay sober while working on specific goals. Everyone in the home is also living a life centered on recovery. Because it is a community, everyone will have some responsibility within the residence. With structure and support, people in sober homes are able to focus on their recovery.

Life After Treatment: Accountability and Responsibility

Become responsible happens a day at a time. Many people in recovery housing begin working, return to school, or take a career training program. This is to help them begin to establish responsible foundations for their next stop in life. You may have wrecked your finances or lost a promising career due to addiction. Cleaning up the pieces may take time. Everyone needs to be self-sufficient, so you will likely need to get work to pay your slice of the rent. If you are not disabled or receiving retirement income, you will be responsible for finding an income.

Many of your goals won’t be accomplished overnight. You may want to save for a car or a deposit for an apartment. Working on these goals is important, but you can’t put them before your recovery. Living in harmony and balance is also a challenge you may have to face. In sober living, you don’t have to face your challenges alone. Other people are rooting for you.

Learning to balance your lifestyle is essential. Sober living can help you juggle your responsibilities and learn more about staying sober while living a full life. You’ll also participate in a community as part of a household, paying rent, attending house meetings, and doing chores. House rules may include curfews, regular drug tests, or completed / continuance of outpatient therapy. But you may have fewer rules depending on the program.

Who Benefits From Sober Living?

Sober living homes are an exciting choice for newly sober people. While living a clean and simple lifestyle, there is also structured support. People often continue outpatient treatment, attend 12-step meetings, and go to therapy while living in a sober household.

People in sober living homes often make recovery friendships for life. Sober living is a great way to stay plugged into a recovery community. They’re a great place to spread your wings and build a strong recovery foundation.

Sober living helps people become more accountable to others as well as themselves. Being in a community requires following rules., People who have completed treatment programs and been sober for a while may want their next step in their journey to have stability and independence.

People new to recovery who has a solid foundation in recovery are typically welcome in sober homes. Sober living benefits people who need a bit of peer support and accountability in their recovery journey.

Learn More About Sober Living

Are you or somebody you love interested in learning more about sober living homes? Do you have questions about our programs? Give us a call at 760-216-2077 to learn more.

Many people live in recovery-centered communities as a part of their recovery journey. Some people experience the community approach to recovery at inpatient drug treatment. Many people also choose a community approach to their recovery by living in sober housing. People who live in a sober living community are also part of a therapeutic community with a focus on community and healing. Sober living, based on the community model of treatment, is a great option for your recovery journey.

Why Community-Centered Treatment? How Does It Help?

The community treatment model works on helping people change in a communal setting. The environment in sober living homes focuses on recovery and positive change. Being around others with similar focus and goals can help people stay sober.

Community members are encouraged to practice honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness. Participating in a recovery community means taking responsibility for yourself and your recovery. Sometimes this means hard work, but as you continue to grow in the program, you’re given more freedom and responsibility.

Recovery work, therapy, and MAT may be a part of your treatment. However, everyone in the community will have their own specific goals and issues to work on. You will learn to live in harmony with a sober lifestyle.

What Do People In A Sober Living Community Do With Their Time?

Most community members attend 12-step meetings, have group therapy, and go out together. Some people will take to the beach or road to surf or jog. There will usually be shared chores that are alternated weekly or monthly. Grocery shopping and cooking are often communal.

Therapy and 12-step groups will be a big part of sober living. After all, staying sober comes before everything else.

The goal for a person in sober living is to use the tools they’ve acquired to continue to stay sober, reclaim their lives, and take on more responsibilities. Some people start to resolve wreckage from the past, such as missed court appearances, old speeding tickets, or charged-off credit cards. Making amends and doing the right thing are important goals to work towards.

For some participants, this means getting a part-time job or a job training program. Moving towards independence and becoming ready to move forward is a part of recovery in this stage.

Becoming Stronger Together With A Community

For many people in sober living communities, having the support of peers is vital. Active participation in group activities helps people inspire each other and continue to move towards their recovery goals.

A recovery community emphasizes group learning and peer support. People come together to rally around community members who are struggling. They also offer support to each other regularly. People in sober living homes find a family-like community where they come together, no matter their flaws, to become better people. Everyone’s goal is

Being supportive is an essential part of growing in recovery. A recovery community is a great place to practice empathy, build coping skills, and learn how to have healthier relationships. Feeling at home in a recovery community helps keep people sober, helps them practice coping skills, and helps with relapse prevention.

Learn About Sober Living Options

If you or somebody you love is looking for a recovery community, our sober housing program may suit you. Give us a call at 760-216-2077 to learn more about our communities.

 

The addiction crisis is raging in San Diego during the times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many parts of the country, addiction rates have seen an uptick due to isolation and other stressors of the pandemic. San Diego has lost an average of three people a day to overdoses.

In 2020, the County reported 457 fentanyl-related overdose deaths, but not all opioid deaths are from fentanyl, and not all opioid deaths have yet been counted. A total of 722 meth users were lost to an overdose last year, up from 546 the previous year. A large number of prescription drug users – 576 – were lost to overdose as well.

All of these numbers are startling. In recovery, there have been many anecdotes of people with long-term sobriety relapsing. Relapse doesn't have to be a part of your story, even if you're struggling. And even if you DO relapse, you are welcome back to recovery with open arms.

Staying Supported During the Pandemic

Of course, life has been difficult for people of all walks of life during the pandemic. And for most of us, it’s not over. People who live with addiction especially need support during these times. Staying connected to other people in recovery can help you stay sober and sane.

San Diego offers many opportunities for recovery for those who embrace them. 12-step meetings, therapy online, and even peer support groups are incredibly valuable for people in recovery.

Lifesaving Services in San Diego For Drug Users

The Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego County is one example of an organization that uses state grant money to help reduce the harmful dangers of addiction. They offer needle exchange services and the opioid-reversal drug, Narcan, to drug users to help them stay safe.

Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego also offers fentanyl test strips, wound care, education, and referrals for healthcare.

Sober Living Opportunities for Newly Sober

Are you a recovering addict or alcohol looking for a sober living situation that offers recovery and stability? Sober living situations offer structure and independence as you learn to live life on its terms, without substances.

Living with others who have the same goals and similar challenges can help you continue to grow in recovery. Structured support will help you stay centered. You’ll also find community and camaraderie in daily living activities such as cooking, doing chores, or even taking time together to go bike riding or strolling on the beach.

Many people who are looking for aftercare choose sober living as their next step.

Learn more about sober living opportunities by giving us a call at 760-216-2077.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, with all of your devices turned off, you probably heard about singer Demi Lovato’s claim that she is “California sober.” In her depiction of this new term, she can use alcohol and drugs “socially” without falling into her former addiction to opioids or other drugs. (Deconstructing her life and her belief in this lifestyle can be a whole other article.)

One belief Lovato seems to have is the idea that marijuana (and alcohol) are just fine to use recreationally and no danger to sobriety. It’s simply not true; both alcohol and marijuana are addictive on their own, even if they never lead the user to opioids or “harder” drugs.

Weed’s Reputation Muddied Truths

Marijuana has always had a lot of stigma attached to it, which has helped muddy the water when truth and fiction about this popular drug. The “drug wars” of the past 30 years often treated marijuana possession harshly. Many police crackdowns on marijuana dealing and use heavily targeted Black Americans, leading to mass incarceration and further societal problems.

Meanwhile, nobody stopped using marijuana, and it eventually was decriminalized and legalized for recreational use, at least in many states like California.

Propaganda often gets in the way of prevention and education when it comes to drug use. Myths and misconceptions about the nature of marijuana use also have helped hide any truths about its harm. For example, for many people, marijuana is a “gateway drug” – often the first drug they try before moving onto their drug of choice. However, it’s not addictive in the same intensity as heroin or cocaine. Yet, it still can take a tremendous toll on your quality of life.

 

Now vs. Then: Marijuana Potency

Marijuana addiction is common, but there haven’t been a lot of studies on it. The active component of marijuana that gets people high, THC, has increased exponentially since the 1960s. In the ’60s and 70’s THC levels in weed were typically under 10%. Today, some marijuana products at dispensaries boast up to 70% THC levels.

No one quite knows the long-term effects of using such potent weed. However, anecdotally, many chronic marijuana users who try to quit have documented headaches, nausea, and cravings sometimes for weeks after they quit using. Many chronic marijuana users have trouble stopping despite the negative consequences of continued use.

Marijuana Addiction

A person who uses marijuana is not automatically addicted to it. Indeed, its draw is primarily psychological instead of physical addiction. Many people try marijuana and use it casually, walking away from it quickly after a phase in life. Some people move on to “harder drugs,” but they are not the majority.

Being addicted to marijuana on its own is possible. Some people who use marijuana lose interest in almost everything except getting high. Like other addicted people, they may suffer job loss, financial woes, relationship problems, and trouble with the law. And, when addicted, they may need help to quit.

And yes, a person who uses other drugs is much more likely to relapse onto their drug of choice.  Marijuana, after all, is a drug.

If you choose to use it, you will probably find it is more trouble than it is worth; there are better choices for you when you stay sober.

Consider Sober Living

Sober living is an excellent way for a person to continue their recovery journey in a safe home-away-from-home. You’ll make friends and grow in your recovery along the way. Do you want to learn more about your choices? Get in touch at 760-216-2077 to learn more about your options.

A recent letter to the Acting Director of Health and Human Services in the Biden administration urged action for expanding the availability of Medication-Assisted Treatment through the Office of National Drug Control Policy. This comes on the heels of Biden suspending the former administration's OUD (opioid use disorder) guidelines.

Who Sent the Letter on OUD Treatment?

In response to a recent retraction of Trump guidelines, the letter announced on January 27, 2021, was written by the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) and signed by representatives from seven representatives with over 150,000 members and 2200 treatment centers. The Biden administration recently decided to withdraw the previous administration's Practicing Guidelines for Administration of Buprenorphine for Treating Opioid Use Disorder to update them and provide better access.

Medication-Assisted Treatment: Science-Based OUD Tools

The letter from AAAP implored the Biden administration to expand access to science-based medication. Buprenorphine, methadone and naltrexone are all medications that have been proven to help people get and stay sober.

Medications that help people addicted to opioids are crucial in assisting them to avoid the compulsion to use. Buprenorphine and methadone help people prevent painful and challenging withdrawal symptoms.

For many treatment programs, the idea of medication carries a stigma. Because of this, it's vitally important that more doctors are educated about how MAT works and how it should be administered. Many medical professionals have felt uncomfortable prescribing it because of a lack of education.

Opioids are notoriously tricky to cease using due to the problematic withdrawal symptoms they cause when a person quits using.

Opioid Prescribing Education and Guidance

The letter for AAAP also says that the Biden administration needs to begin a focus on opioid addiction prevention. They say that this means requiring all prescribers of opioids to be taught about opioids dependence, addiction, and withdrawal.

Preventing opioid addiction is the best long-term strategy for ending the opioid epidemic. It's unclear what path the Biden administration will decide to take regarding new addiction recovery health policies.

Sober Living San Diego

Do you or somebody you love need a space to get back on your feet now that you're sober? Our homes are bright, cheerful, friendly homes with both community and structure to help you stay on your path to recovery. We have a lot to offer our residents! Give us a call at 760-216-2077 to learn more.

THIQ, also called Tetrahydrolsoqulnoline, is the chemical that scientists believe holds the key to alcohol addiction. Discovered by a scientist named Virginia Davis, it’s a chemical that has only been found in the brains of people chronic alcoholics. The chemical is very closely related to heroin, and it’s manufactured in the drinker’s body. Since this discovery, scientists have carefully tried to decipher a “cure” for people addicted to alcohol involving THIQ.

Why THIQ? What Does it Have to Do With Alcohol Addiction?

For as long as history can remember, people have been addicted to alcohol. (Even the oldest texts will mention men who have typically become derelict or homeless.) So, of course, it makes sense that humans have also pursued a solution to alcohol addiction as well. Science has long looked for an answer to alcohol addiction.

Science has also shown that Tetrahydroisoquinoline or (THIQ) shows up in the bodies of people who use heroin as well. THIQ is created in the brain as a by-product when heroin is broken down in the body. For chronic drinkers, THIQ is manufactured right there in the brain. However, in a healthy person who doesn’t drink to excess, there is no sign of THIQ at all.

THIQ as a Chemical

THIQ is highly addictive in clinical trials involving animals, even more so than morphine. Experts say that the biochemical similarity between the brains of alcohol and heroin-addicted people suggests that the chemical process between the two is strikingly similar.

Research into the brain’s chemical processes shows that people who drink socially don’t have brains that make these chemicals. This is true even if they drink to excess. Something about the chemicals in an alcohol-addicted brain seems to be creating the compulsion to drink. Rats have been tested to prove this theory; around 15% were found to have a similar reaction. Even when facing negative consequences (an electric shock when they drink to excess), the rats continue to drink excessively.

Future THIQ-Related Treatments

Currently, there are a few treatments involving chemical balances in the brain for alcohol addiction. GABA and working to correct the misfire in neurotransmitters look promising. There is currently a drug in the works that “suppresses the release of GABA and thus could restore levels of the neurotransmitter to normal in people with a dangerous taste for alcohol.” However, it is not yet available for sale.

Sober Life in San Diego

Do you or somebody you love need the help of a compassionate, structured sober living environment? We’re proud to help people early in sobriety have a place to spread their wings and call home. Learn more about our living spaces and what we offer by calling 760-216-2077.

San Diego has kept in line with a disturbing trend; overdoses and opioid use is up among younger people, and overdoses are a frequent cause of 911 calls. In fact, according to the San Diego Police Department, officers responded to 100 more overdoses in 2020 than the prior year. And although people are staying home more, addiction isn’t taking a break.

Rising Opioid Use and Related Crime

Arrests of people on opioid-related offenses related to overdose phone calls are up by nearly fifty percent. (Police sometimes arrest users who remain with a person who has overdosed if they possess drugs or if they or the overdose victim has outstanding warrants.)

Opioids are a popular street drug but also highly addictive. There has been a surge in addiction as the pandemic has drawn on. Users of opioids may have evolved from other addictions or gateway drugs. Some people become addicted to a prescription from a doctor, while others purposefully will misuse a drug to numb or entertain themselves. Some people who overdose have relapsed from a long-term stint in recovery.

Boredom, loneliness, and anxiety during the pandemic have caused an uptick in almost all addictive behaviors. People are using more drugs to self-medicate troubling feelings. Many people have felt despair and depression with economic loss. All of the above can be factors contributing to substance use disorders.

Fentanyl Killing Younger People

People in their 20’s and 30’s have been dying at a higher rate during the pandemic, however, experts note that these numbers were already rising in late 2019. Overdose victims from opioids in the past year usually have had fentanyl in their bloodstream, a drug that is fifty to one hundred times as strong as morphine.

While some people use fentanyl on purpose, many users are unknowingly exposed to it through illicit drugs. Some dealers will add it to cocaine or pass it off as Oxycontin. Because it is harder for drugs to flow across borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, drug dealers have been fentanyl to add “punch” to the drugs they sell.

Preventing Relapse Saves Lives

People who relapse on opioids and other narcotics are statistically more likely to overdose. There are many reasons for this. For one thing, many people, especially during COVID-19, are using opioids all alone. If they overdose, nobody can call for help for them. People who have abstained for years will also use the amount of the drug they used to use, believing they will still tolerate it. Instead, they overdose because the drug is too strong.

Preventing relapse saves lives. A good aftercare program or sober living program can help you or your loved one stay sober in the long-term and learn to live life on life's terms without the use of substances.

Getting Help for Drug or Substance Use

If you or somebody you love has a problem with alcohol or drugs, help is available! While COVID has changed some procedures for starting the treatment process, recovery is still very much open to everyone!

Relapse prevention is another important component of staying sober. A structured, caring, sober living environment helps many people get sober and achieve long-term recovery.

At By The Sea Recovery, we offer the best sober living experience in California, creating a place of growing, learning, and respect for everyone who walks through the doors. We want to help you stay sober and offer camaraderie, structure, and tools for your journey. Get in touch by calling us at 760-216-2077. We’re happy to answer questions!

For many people with opioid use disorder, Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) such as Suboxone or Vivitrol is a lifeline to long-term sobriety. While MAT is not the best option for everyone, thousands of people across America have used it in one form or another to help put distance between themselves and their last use of illicit drugs.

Becoming Familiar With MAT

MAT is considered an important tool for people with opioid use disorder. The recovery community has not necessarily embraced it as the go-to tool for addiction recovery, mainly due to worries about its safety. Many people who got sober without the aid of MAT may have reservations about its use. However, the FDA has recently recommended the use of agonist or partial agonist medications (methadone, buprenorphine) to support abstinence. Through this endorsement, more treatment centers have decided to add MAT as a tool for people new to recovery.

Like all treatment tools, MAT is an option, but it’s not the only way people can get and stay sober. We’re fighting a deepening opioid crisis, and treatment providers, as well as their clients, deserve to have as many tools at their disposal as possible. MAT definitely can provide a life-saving function for people who suffer from opioid dependence and addiction.

It is the role of the treatment providers and medical professionals to learn the facts about how medications work and find ways to support long-term recovery for individuals using these medications. This education on MAT includes those who run sober homes and housing programs for people in recovery.

According to data from 2018 gathered by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 128 people in the United States die from opioid overdoses every day. Medication-Assisted Treatment has helped thousands of people beat those odds by reducing cravings and assisting individuals to put more time between themselves and their drug of choice.

Guidance For Treatment Providers, Sober Housing, And Others

New guidance has been released by NIDA to help addiction treatment providers understand the ins and outs of prescribing and helping people use MAT as a part of their overall treatment plan.

While all treatment providers and sober housing professionals have their own programs that help them build a safe community, this information is vital to assisting professionals to make the right choice for their clients to begin their journey in recovery.

The guidelines brief attached can help sober living homes and other providers understand where MAT fits into an overall treatment plan. While MAT is still new to the sober housing community, it has been safely used in treatment facilities for a number of years. Understanding what role it can play will help housing communities draft their own policies based on science and information on treatment outcomes.

Download the guide here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the National Association of Recovery Residences (NARR):

NARR's mission, according to their website, is "to support persons in recovery from addiction by improving their access to quality recovery residences through standards, support services, placement, education, research, and advocacy."

 

About By the Sea Sober Living

Now, more than ever, it’s important to have people in your life who support your recovery. Sober living situations are a great way to rebuild your life and adjust to working on your new goals. Learn more about how our sober home can help you in your recovery. Call us at 760-216-2077 to learn about housing options.

What are you to get the most out of recovery right now? It may seem like a strange question given the era of COVID-19 and the many challenges everyone may face in the next few months. Indeed, it has been a difficult couple of weeks for many people across America. There are many challenges ahead for all of us. While it seems like a time of uncertainty, one thing for sure is that a lot of people have had to learn to adapt quickly to a new way of life. Changing is how we, as human beings, cope with difficulties and things we have no power over.

Accepting the Here and Now

You’re not alone in thinking that it’s a problematic era we have all been thrust into. There's a lot of bad news going on. It’s okay to be angry, frightened, or sad. No one is immune to feeling vulnerable. This is what being human, and feeling your feelings, is all about.

Staying sober is a journey. There is no destination, and nobody can say for sure what is around the corner. Life is the same way. You can only accept your feelings, acknowledge them, and continue to trudge on with the help of others.

Tools to Get You Through the Day

There are plenty of tools to help you strengthen your recovery and stay focused on today. In times like we’re going through today, it’s more important than ever to take life a day at a time.

Here are some ideas to help you stay centered at home:

• Read and study 12-step literature. If you’re not sure where to start, check the index of your Big Book or other readings for acceptance.
• Keep a “worry box” where you write down all of your worries at the beginning of the day. Then place those worries in the box for your higher power to worry about.
• Talk to people in your support network. Don’t focus only on yourself; friendship is a two-way street.
• Consider having small video 12-step meetings online. Software such as Zoom or Microsoft Meetings has worked for many people who want to host their own, more intimate gatherings.
• Practice being gentle with yourself and use self-care at least once a day. That means doing something you love or that soothes you, such as a long bath, a short walk, or just chilling and listening to music.
• Network with others in recovery online. There are Facebook groups, for example focused on 12-step recovery.
• Turn off the news. The news may seem like a necessity, but you don’t need to get phone notifications all day when they usually only highlight upsetting events. You can set aside a half-hour to read the news you choose without being bombarded every day.
• Watch uplifting or inspirational movies and documentaries through a streaming service. Don’t watch videos with graphic drug use or other triggering images. (When you look at the rating for the movie, it will tell you why. Drug use is often mentioned as a reason for an R or PG-13 film.)
• Practice meditation or breathing exercises. If you don’t know how to start with something like this, there are many free videos online.

Remember, this too shall pass. It can be challenging to sit still or walk through fear. Staying sober is still your most important priority. Learning to do so will help you grow and adapt in life. Don’t suffer in silence; call your sponsor or a friend when you’re feeling low.

Consider Sober Housing

Many people find that after treatment, they’re not ready to be out on their own. Sober housing is a great way to land on your feet and begin building a new future. Learn more about how it works and why it benefits you by contacting us at 760-216-2077.