Drug addicts that get sober struggle to deal with things without the feelings that drugs gave them. Many people who abuse drugs do it to escape their emotions and cope with loneliness. When they get sober, they have to deal with these occurrences without the drugs. This fact presents a significant hurdle on their quest for a drug-free life. Failure to deal with it makes your recovery difficult, which can lead to relapse.  Transitioning from inpatient addiction facilities to live outside these centers can be challenging. Once you are out of these establishments, sustaining sobriety on the outside without the rules and structure to support you is challenging. Sober living homes, halfway houses, recovery residences, or transitional living arrangements are an excellent place to stay as you learn to live a drug-free life in society.  Pets are good companions for recovering addicts. Many recovery residences allow residents to have pets. You can come with your pet, or they have some in the facility. Riviera Recovery halfway house recognizes the importance of recovering addicts having pets. Consequently, Riviera Recovery has been among the leading facilities that leverage pet therapy to help recovering addicts. 

Pet Therapy 

Research shows that pet therapy is a reliable technique for helping recovering addicts. Pet therapy is an excellent approach as recovering addicts connect with animals, which helps them through recovery. It involves the use of animals during recovery. The unconditional love, responsibility, and joy that pets cause are beneficial to recovering addicts. They support recovering addicts and encourage them to be more open with their counselors. 

Pets Bring Joy to the Recovery Process 

Pets can be crucial during recovery from substance dependence. For example, petting a dog or a cat can enhance the dopamine and serotonin levels in your body. This increase causes a calm, relaxing effect. Recovering from addiction can be challenging. The impact that pets create brings joy and helps you through the complicated parts of recovery. Having a pet that cares for you unconditionally and does not judge you, despite your struggles, can also bring you joy. 

Pet-Assisted Sober Living 

Some transitional living arrangements allow residents to have pets in their facility. You can have a pet, such as a dog or a cat, in your room during your stay. These facilities have different regulations considering the duration of having the pet, areas you can go with them, and the activities you can engage in with them. Consult the administrators of each halfway house to know their rules concerning having pets during your sober living.  Your pet can help you during your sober living in these ways: 

• Exercise with pets
• Socialization 
• Emotional support 
• Long term, in-room stay 
• Pet walks and relaxation 

Benefits of Pets in Sober Living 

The best sober living homes recognize the advantages of allowing their residents to have pets. After your detox, the challenge of staying sober begins. Having a pet as you transition to a life of sobriety can be beneficial. Pets offer the following benefits of the human-animal relationship. 

1. Pets Give Unconditional Love

Addiction can make you do many things that affect your relationship with those close to you. This bad blood between you can make them struggle to support you unconditionally during your recovery. You do not have to worry about such occurrences with pets. They will be there for you throughout, and they will not criticize you as you work on getting better. This full support helps you get back on your feet and enhances your self-esteem, which is essential during recovery. 

2. Pets Can Teach You Some Things About Yourself

Animals portray complete emotional honesty. Their cues will always tell you when they are angry, happy, relaxed, or in fear. This comprehensive openness can be a vital lesson for recovering addicts. Addiction is likely to have made you numb to emotions or helped you mask them. Additionally, the animals can mirror your emotions, which can help you know your emotional state. Being truthful about your feelings can help you deal with them better. 

3. Dog Owners Are Likely to Exercise More Than People That Do Not Have Dogs 

Studies show that having a dog can make you work out more than you would without one. As you learn to live without the effects of drugs, physical activity can be helpful. Exercising keeps your body in shape to help you recover. It also makes your body release more endorphins, which trigger a positive feeling in your body. Working out also boosts the release of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. These chemicals are essential in controlling your mood.

4. Pets Can Make You More Responsible

Looking after pets can be a bit demanding. However, the necessary work should not scare you. Taking up some responsibility as you adjust to life in a transitional living arrangement can be appropriate for you. Looking after a pet can encourage you to see yourself as responsible. Believing in yourself is what you need as you embark on a road of staying away from drugs. You do not have to bring one home. There are many other ways you can get pet therapy.  

5. Pets Can Help You Relate Well With Other People

Once you detox from drugs, you will need to cut off any ties with friends that increase your likelihood of relapse. Building new relationships can be scary for many people. You may struggle for some period as you start relations. Having a pet can ease this transition. Having a pet can be an excellent link to start a connection with other pet owners. Animal-related topics can also be incredible ice breakers. Isolation can make you relapse. Connecting with other people is vital for staying sober. People who are going through a similar ordeal as you often give practical advice that helps you cope.

6. Pets Can Help You Fight the Feeling of Loneliness

As you transition to a drug-free life, necessary changes can make you feel lonely. This feeling is dangerous for your new path. Recovering addicts that do not have support or people in their corners are likely to relapse. Having a pet by your side can reduce the feeling of loneliness. Pets do not endanger your new life and will always be there for you as you work on yourself. They can also help release feel-good hormones that will improve your emotional state.

Strength, Courage, and Optimism 

  Adjusting to a drug-free life can be challenging. During your addiction, you might have been taking the drugs to deal with stressful situations or your emotions. You will have to learn alternative ways to cope with them during recovery. It may be difficult at first, but having a pet can give you the inspiration you need to remain sober. Look for sober living homes near me that allow residents to have pets to benefit from having one. Many dogs are energetic and playful. Their enthusiastic nature may inspire you to also be proactive in your recovery. Their movements may also make you active, which can be a form of exercise. This physical activity will release hormones that will make you delighted. Happiness can make you more susceptible to adopting the practices you need to remain sober. 

Problems With Pets in Sober Living 

Having pets in halfway houses can present some challenges to the residents. Pets can be dirty. Failure by their owners to clean after them can cause discomfort to the other residents. Pets can also move around a lot. This movement bothers the other recovering addicts or makes the animals get lost. If you fail to look after your pet, the burden often shifts to the more responsible inhabitants of the recovery residence. 

Sober Living and Pet Allergies 

Some residents of halfway houses are allergic to pets. Sober living facilities must ensure that all the inhabitants of the facility get a conducive environment to adjust to a life of sobriety. The common practice is for the recovering addicts to undergo a medical background check before admission. Those that are allergic to pets and gain entry get their pet-free section.   

Finding a Pet-Friendly Sober Living 

Riviera Recovery acknowledges the significance of allowing residents in our sober living homes in California to have pets. We have been at the forefront of leveraging pet therapy to help recovering addicts. Residents get to benefit from pets in our luxurious, spacious, clean, and pet-friendly surroundings.    We have experienced staff on hand to help you when you need them. We take in a specific number of residents to ensure all our inhabitants receive the quality environment they need to adjust to a life of sobriety. Our clients are important to us, and we take an interest in ensuring they stay sober. We provide post-sober living care to help them integrate after they leave our facility.  We have facilities in Malibu and Los Angeles. These centers provide several services. Our services include nightly check-in, food management system, weekly social meetings, attendance at the necessary gatherings, and mandatory weekly in-house get together. You can have your pet through some of these activities while in Riviera Recovery.

Final Word 

While experts agree that pets can be beneficial to recovering addicts, not every halfway house allows residents to have pets. Finding one that permits you to have a pet can make a significant difference in your quest to sustain your sobriety. Pets have many benefits to recovering addicts despite the challenges of having one. They can make you more responsible, keep you company, support you unconditionally, and help you exercise.  Riviera Recovery knows that pets can help people in sober living facilities. Therefore, we allow our residents to have pets. We have a few regulations to help get the best of pets without inconveniencing other inhabitants of the halfway house.  Check what you need to bring to a sober living home to know if you can bring a pet. Our clean, luxurious, pet-friendly environment is the right place for you to learn how you will sustain your sobriety.  Reach out to us via (866) 478-8799 or send us a confidential message to know how we can help you adjust to recovery.