Men are more prone to substance abuse than women. Around 67 percent of admissions in addiction treatment centers are men. The high numbers are mainly caused by culture or other influences such as stress and genetics. Most men usually suffer from marijuana and alcohol substance use disorder. Anyone can fall into substance use disorder. There are those substance abuse experiences and treatment approaches that are unique to men. Thus, you may find men-only rehab centers or sober living facilities.  

What Is Sober Living

Sober living is transitional for individuals advancing from inpatient treatment to their normal lives. Many individuals who have finished inpatient treatment for substance use disorder feel they need more time away from home. They need this time to cope with triggers and cravings.  Sober living residences are transitional because men will ease back into their work and school life. Men in sober living will also take part in an intensive outpatient program. They will access treatment services like therapy, support groups, mentorship, sponsor contacts, and counseling. 

Sober Living Vs. Rehab

Sober living and rehab are similar because you will spend time in a given facility. However, there are major differences between the two. The main difference is that rehab facilities are clinical environments, while sober living is a supportive environment.  The staff members of rehab facilities are clinical experts such as doctors. There are some top sober living houses like Riviera Recovery with licensed practitioners like therapists. However, most of them do not have these experts.  Rehab facilities are usually closed-doors facilities. This means that you cannot leave unattended. However, sober living houses encourage you to attend offsite activities like support groups, family time, and more. You can also go to work or school while in a sober living facility.  In most cases, individuals spend more time in rehab than in sober living houses. It could be 30, 60, or even 90 days.  

What To Expect In Men-only Sober Living

How men-only sober living in Los Angeles is based on what it means to live in a sober house. 

• Structure. Sober living offers a structure for individuals in recovery. The structure is achieved in the form of rules. There are different rules in a sober house, and each of these depends on the facility. Examples include aero tolerance on drugs and alcohol, curfew restrictions, tidiness, visitation regulations, general conduct, and more.  
• Tough love. Tough love from the staff in a sober living house nudges you towards long-term sobriety. They exhibit it through honesty, compassion, and real conversations I topics like masculinity, sex, self-worth, substance abuse, and more.  
• Outpatient programs. It is a requirement to engage in some outpatient programs while in sober living houses. Examples include therapy, support groups, sponsor meetings, mentorship, and counseling.  
• Supportive community. Long Term recovery calls for the support that sober living houses offer. The support will come in the form of friendships with your housemates, shared chores, support meetings with housemates, sharing meals & conversations, and more. 
• Medication support. There are those individuals who need further medical support after rehab. The sober house staff will take over giving out the prescriptions to avoid abuse of these drugs. However, the medication you have must be prescribed by a doctor. 

Get Help Today at Riviera Recovery

Riviera Recovery is a wellness community that offers the best sober living houses in Los Angeles on top of other services. We offered health and wellness services for over 30 years now. Recovery Riviera also offers transportation to outpatient treatment programs and 12-step meetings. The locations of our facilities also offer access to serene environments and activities such as paddleboarding and surfboarding.  We have two sober living houses dedicated to men and co-ed. Our Pacific Palisades is dedicated to co-ed residency. It has separate bathrooms to support co-ed residency. The residents have access to gorgeous ocean views. You can also see the Santa Monica mountains since this facility is located right at the foot of these mountains. Our Barrington House is dedicated to men’s sober living residency. You can access a couple of parks and various shops. It is also centrally located within a short driving distance from Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and LAX. Furthermore, our residents have access to yoga studios, museums, meditation, and gyms. There is also a BBQ in our outdoor patio.  Our services focus on support, empowerment, and safety.  They include a phase system, random breathalyzer & drug testing, nightly check-ins, nutritionist meetings, food management system, sponsor contacts, and more.  We also offer amenities as part of our services. They include weekly mentoring, housekeeping, peloton bikes, grocery cards, weekly family updates, and more.  

Conclusion

Men and women undergoing recovery from substance use disorder have unique challenges that call for unique help. The men have a higher rate of substance use disorder than women. They also tend to abuse different substances, as men are more prone to an alcohol use disorder. This calls for different approaches to treatment. There are rehab facilities that focus on specific genders to be able to provide unique services. This also applies to sober living. For example, there are men-specific, women-specific, and co-ed sober houses. Sober living is a transitional phase where individuals spend time in a sober house. They need this transition because they are still prone to relapse from various triggers and cravings. You will have access to outpatient programs such as support groups, therapy, and mentorship.  Many individuals confuse rehab and sober living. Rehab is a clinical environment, while sober living is a transitional and supportive environment. In sober living, you are free to leave the premises while rehab is a closed-doors setting. Moreover, rehab tends to take longer.  In men sober living, residents can expect tough love, structure, outpatient programs, a supportive community, and medication support.  You can get help in Los Angeles at Riviera Recovery. We are an experienced team of recovery experts that have served residents in the Los Angeles area for more than 30 years. We have two facilities, one for men and co-ed. Our Barrington house residency offers men sober living in Los Angeles, and our Pacific Palisades offers co-ed sober living. Both of these facilities offer a serene environment packed with fun and growth activities to promote sober living.  Our basic rule is our facilities are drug and alcohol-free zones. However, we also admit residents who have been sober for a single day. Contact us now to book your space or for your loved one space in sober living.