Why is Austin a great city to get sober in?

Whether you’re an ATX native and in recovery for the first time or are considering relocating to live in a recovery residence, you may wonder what Austin has to offer someone healing from an addiction.

In a city known for its vibrant live music scene, its nightlife, and its drinking culture, is there a place for the recovering addict?

In fact, there is.

Austin’s party scene is just one facet of a city bursting with hope, life, and positive social connections. The city’s slogan – “Keep Austin Weird”— isn’t just an invitation to hidden bars bearing wacky names or to topless swimming at Barton Springs. It’s a reminder that everyone — regardless of race or ethnicity, education level or socioeconomic background, worldview or brand of personal struggle — is welcome to live, love, work, play, and (yes) even start over here.

So what exactly does Austin have to offer those in recovery?

1. Community

Residents of Second Chances Recovery Homes (SCRH) have access to a large and thriving recovery community outside the walls of their homes. For starters, dozens of AA meetings are happening in Austin at various times on any given day of the week, meaning there is a meeting to match anyone’s schedule. There are also a number of Sober Meetups occurring on a regular basis.

Second Chances Recovery Homes partners with ATX Recovery, a Recovery Community Organization, or RCO, that provides education, peer-based support services, and outreach programs to recovering addicts in Austin. ATX Recovery’s physical location, The Station, hosts 12-Step and other recovery meetings and events, along with a pop-up non-alcoholic bar called Sans Bar.

SCRH also maintains relationships with other groups and businesses like Austin-based Clean Cause. Founded by Wes Hurt, a recovering drug addict and alcoholic, Clean Cause is a beverage company with a mission that extends far beyond the energy drinks it markets. Fifty-percent of the company’s profits go toward Sober Living Scholarships. These scholarships provide support for recovering addicts during the critical 30-day reintegration period following rehab, when a person is most vulnerable to relapse. Clean Cause also makes a point to hire employees who are on the recovery journey. To date, Clean Cause has donated $250,000 and provided 500 scholarships toward keeping members of the sober living community in Austin and beyond clean.

2. Opportunity

Clean Cause isn’t the only company hiring in Austin, Texas. The Wall Street Journal awarded Austin the glowing title of “Hottest Job Market in the U.S.” in March of 2019. This accolade followed the city’s two straight years at the top of U.S. News and World Report’s 125 Best Places to Live in the USA list,  a ranking thanks in large part to its job opportunities and affordable cost of living.

Finding a job after rehab is a top priority for many transitioning into or out of a sober living home like Second Chances. Fortunately, with the support of SCRH staff in setting vocational goals and following through on them, job hunting in Austin does not need to be a scary or discouraging prospect. The ongoing, unprecedented growth of tech, education, healthcare, construction and many other industries is good news for the job seeker looking to put the past behind him and start fresh in a new career.

3. Recreation and the Great Outdoors

Sure, Austin summers are HOT, but an average of 228 days of sunshine a year make fall, winter and summer in Austin perfect for spending time outdoors in exercise and recreation.

Frequently ranked as among the fittest cities in the U.S., Austin is a mecca for cyclists, runners, cross-fit enthusiasts, and more. Scenic parks, hiking and biking trails, waterways and lakes abound, drawing residents outdoors to sweat, rest and refresh.

Austin’s invitation to the outdoors is no mere luxury for the recovering addict. Exercise can provide a significant boost to treatment for alcohol, drug and nicotine addictions. Studies show that regular exercise increases abstinence rates for addicts and eases depression, anxiety and withdrawal symptoms. Even something as gentle as yoga can be beneficial – as participants in Austin area Yoga for Recovery sessions will tell you.

4. New Hobbies and Healthy Diversions

But perhaps you’re the kind of person more likely to get stressed than release stress on an outing to Mt. Bonnell or McKinney Falls State Park. Fear not: it’s still possible to add a turbo shot to your recovery efforts without getting soaked in sweat (though you shouldn’t give up on that daily walk). A variety of leisure activities and hobbies can be just as beneficial for the healing of body, soul and mind.

Walking away from a drug or alcohol addiction leaves a gaping hole in a person’s time and social life. A critical part of recovery is figuring out how to fill that void with fun, sober activities and people in order to prevent relapse.

Residents of Second Chances Sober Homes are encouraged to restructure their lives with work and healthy hobbies that will keep them busy and keep their recovery on track. Fortunately, Austin has a lot to offer on that front, from pottery workshops to cooking, painting, and woodworking classes and more. History buffs will find plenty of museums and historic sites; book lovers, plenty of book clubs. The bottom line is that Austin has something to offer everyone seeking to break away from old habits and fill their lives with the new.

In sum it is possible to stay social, enjoy life, and maintain your sobriety. And Austin is the perfect city in which to pursue recovery for those who have eyes to see its opportunities and hearts ready to embrace them.