Los Angeles is known for many things: the glamor of the film industry, beautiful beaches, and traffic. In the recovery world, Los Angeles is also known as one of the greatest places to get sober in the country. With thousands of recovery meetings, tons of people getting sober, and beautiful weather, Los Angeles offers great opportunities to find lasting recovery from addictions. When I got sober myself in the area, I quickly realized that I was lucky. There really is nowhere like L.A. to get sober. Although we may get sober anywhere if we are truly ready, getting sober in Los Angeles is a great blessing.
I got sober myself in West Los Angeles, moving to town to go to treatment. I didn’t know anyone in the city, did not even really want to get sober, and planned on returning home to Oregon immediately after treatment. Instead, I moved into a sober living here in Los Angeles, built some amazing friendships with fellow recovering addicts, and settled here. I found men’s meetings, non twelve-step meetings, a great therapist, and a love for sunshine and beaches. Although I could have never pictured myself here, I am deeply grateful today that I had the opportunity to get sober here in Los Angeles, finding a lasting recovery with support from a great community.
Recovery Meetings
One of the reasons Los Angeles is such a great place in which to get sober is the amount of recovery meetings available. Los Angeles is home to over 4,500 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings alone. Getting sober here in Southern California means you have the opportunity to find a recovery that works for you. As a progressive city, L.A. offers the most current and new recovery models, keeping up-to-date with the latest trends in the recovery world. Facing a drug or alcohol addiction here means you don’t ever have to do it alone. There are meetings around the clock, and there always seems to be a meeting closeby. I know that when I need to connect with others, I can almost always find a meeting that is happening soon and nearby.
Sober Living in Los Angeles
There are so many people getting sober here in Southern California. There is a great variety of sober addicts, from musicians and artists to hipsters and businesspeople. When we decide to take action against our drug addiction or alcoholism, we absolutely need help facing our addiction. In addition, we often need help getting accustomed to living sober. In Los Angeles, there are sober people everywhere! Regardless of what you want to do with your life, you can find sober people in your industry, with similar interests, and that will support you in your daily life. All of the colleges and universities have recovery meetings on campus, employers are more understanding of recovery than most places, and your companions you meet in treatment and at meetings can help you find the life you are hoping to build. When people come to Los Angeles in search of recovery, the find that they are not alone. Building a new life in recovery isn’t easy, and the help of a supportive community is priceless.
A Sober Community
Because Los Angeles has become a hub for recovery, there is an amazing recovering community. With an active young person’s community, social events, and many opportunities to connect with others, you have the chance to build relationships with people who will support you along the path. Community is an important part of most spiritual paths, and many recent studies have found great benefits to engaging with a community in recovery from many illnesses. The recovery community offered in Los Angeles is unparalleled, and it can be felt in any recovery meeting. I have participated in sober hiking groups, connecting with new friends in recovery. For my first few years of sobriety, I attended a weekly sober bowling night. I have gone to sports games with sober groups. With the amount of recovering people in Los Angeles, there is always a community to connect with.
Beautiful Weather
This may seem like a silly point to make, but it really is a great offering of Los Angeles. The weather is mild year-round, with sunshine most days of the year. The beautiful weather is good for the mind. Addicts get to spend time outside, at the beach, hiking, and in the sunshine. The weather encourages people to get outside and get moving, which is essential for healthy recovery. Living sober in Los Angeles gives us the gift of being outside year-round.
All things considered, Los Angeles is an incredibly unique place to recover from addiction. It’s not uncommon to see people you know in recovery around town. Sobriety is like a not-so-secret culture that pervades Los Angeles life. There’s a good reason that Los Angeles is the holy land for addiction recovery. It’s beautiful, relaxed, and accepting of the issues surrounding drug addiction and alcoholism. And as more people realize Los Angeles is the right place for them to get sober, the community only strengthens.