SHAIR 111: "Sober Living" with Bob Apple, life after rehab in early recovery.

SHAIR 111: "Sober Living" with Bob Apple, life after rehab in early recovery.

What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? This conversation with recovery blogger and sober living home manager Bob Apple gives a clear, honest look at life after rehab, especially in early sobriety. Bob shares how he didn’t spiral in his teens or twenties the way many expect, but instead became a “full‑blown raging alcoholic” in his 50s after decades of white‑knuckling life.

His story shows that addiction doesn’t follow a neat timeline, and that ego and denial can keep someone sick long after the party phase has supposedly ended. A big chunk of the episode focuses on sober living homes. Bob explains how leaving rehab and going straight into sober living gave him a “blank slate”, away from old haunts, phone numbers and triggers.

He describes the safety of being surrounded by people who “actually know exactly what you’re going through”, the built‑in push to get to meetings, and the odd mix of dark humour and heartbreak that comes from sharing a house with people in various stages of relapse and recovery.

He also talks about managing a sober living home for two years, mentoring younger residents on basics like work, credit and building a life from scratch, while facing the pain of watching some walk away saying, “I’m not ready… I’m not afraid to be homeless.” Spiritual practice and simple suggestions run through his story. Morning prayer, reading the Big Book, online connections, and one powerful piece of sponsor advice — “Concentrate on getting better.

Let go.” — all helped him stay sober. This episode suits anyone in early recovery, family members trying to understand, or anyone curious about what sober living is really like beyond the brochure. It might leave you asking: could a safe, structured environment be the missing bridge in your own or a loved one’s recovery?