Realize Your Full Potential in Sobriety with Real Recovery Recovery Resources & Community Services Recovery Resources & Community Services Resources To Help You Achieve Your Goals & Succeed The process of recovery is so much more than simply not picking up a drink or a drug, use the following resources to build the best future for yourself.Many of us are making up for lost time while in the grips of addiction. We’re here to help you focus on obtaining long-term sobriety (one day at a time), grow in your interpersonal relationships, rebuild your professional career, and learn new skills so you can sustain the life you desire. Recovery Blog Articles & Resources Changing from an active user to a recovered alcoholic or addict does not happen overnight. We know from experience that it is a hard-fought battle each day that gets easier overtime but that’s not to say we shouldn’t strive to become better humans every day.Our goal is to provide informative, no-nonsense, and authentic content through our sober living and recovery blog to help everyone seeking to better their self in recovery, whether you’re on Day 0 or have decades under your belt. We hope we can bring a little more to your week, thanks for reading. Heroin Overdose: From Crisis to Recovery December 16, 2024 In 2022, there were 32 total deaths involving heroin in Tampa. That may seem like a small...Read More Alcohol Poisoning: When Drinking Turns Dangerous November 18, 2024 In 2022, 16.7% of Floridians engaged in heavy or binge drinking activities. This practice increases the risk...Read More Alcohol Withdrawals: Why Do They Happen? November 18, 2024 Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to...Read More View our latest blog posts View our latest blog posts Substance & Alcohol AbuseSelf-Assessment Tests Not sure if you may have a problem with drugs or alcohol?We’ve prepared several anonymous substance abuse self-assessment tests to help you decide for yourself. (Hint: if you’re on this page, you’re probably in the right place so congrats on taking the first step to create a better life ). Is the test really anonymous? Listen. We’re not your parents, relatives, significant other, probation officer, and certainly not here to be the judge.We don’t care what you’ve done, how much you use or don’t use, or who your connections are.What we do care about is helping as many fellow alcoholics, addicts, and individuals, as possible, who struggle with substances of any kind. What is important is that you are willing and able to be honest. Take an alcohol or drug self-assessment test Alcohol Self-Assessment Click here to take our self-diagnostic test to see if you or a loved one may be suffering from alcohol abuse. Click to Start Be honest for accurate results. Real Recovery will never share your answers or information used on your self-assessment. Drug Use Self-Assessment Click here to take our self-diagnostic test to see if you or a loved one may be suffering from substance abuse. Click to Start Be honest for accurate results. Real Recovery will never share your answers or information used on your self-assessment. AA Meetings and Local Events Unless you’re an energetic extrovert by nature, being new to AA can be an anxiety-inducing adventure but don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Yes, it can be awkward asking another guy for his phone number (aka finding a sponsor), and then calling him every day to check-in, or putting yourself out there to make new friends in AA. Attractive women, sure; other guys? … not exactly high on most newcomer’s list of fun things-to-do at the beginning. Speaking from experience here, it’s funny how quick “priorities” change when you get sober but try to stay the course. The amount of men who lose focus on their sobriety by focusing on money and women is just to damn high. Here’s the thing, AA’s process works so let’s get over ourselves, and build a better life. Everything you want in life can and often more will happen if you trust the process and place your recovery first.We’ve curated some simple tips and resources below to help you get active in your recovery community. Get weird, have fun, laugh, make friends, and try not to take yourself or others too seriously all the time. It’s not easy but hundreds of now successful men, who were once broken, will tell you it’s worth it. AA Meeting Sites for Tampa Bay You may already know this but for the uninitiated: each county typically has their own “intergroup” website that will list a 24-hour help hotline you can call when you’re feeling froggy, as well as, a list of meetings in the area, planned events, and additional resources to help you quickly find what you need.Here are the different intergroup websites for AA in the Tampa Bay Area: Tri-County Central Office Tampa (Hillsborough & East Pasco) Pinellas County AA Intergroup West Pasco County Alcoholics Anonymous Hernando County AA Intergroup AA Central Office of Sarasota-Manatee Citrius County AA Intergroup Since the Coronavirus hit, AA has digitally transformed with thousands of awesome meetings now available online: Online Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous (hint search "Tampa") How do I find local AA events? Attending local Alcoholics Anonymous events is one of the best actions you can take to build the strong foundation you will need to overcome the challenges you’re going to meet in early sobriety. We must build a strong support network of like-minded individuals in sobriety to survive the trials ahead.There’s no secret sauce to this recipe – the best way to find interesting things to do in sobriety is to attend AA meetings and network. When you’re at a meeting be sure to listen for “does anyone have any AA-related announcements?” More often than not, if there is a group planning a camping trip, sober outing, movie night, or beach volleyball tournament, you’ll likely hear about it.We highly recommend attending as many “newcomers”, “beginners”, and “Young People Groups” (YPG) meetings as much as possible. As you start integrating with different groups of sober people, you can bet you’ll be invited to go out to eat or something fun after a meeting. Don’t be too shy to introduce and invite yourself or ask if anyone is doing anything after a meeting. Most people will recognize the sincere effort and welcome you with open arms. NA Meetings and Local Events By the time most of us entered the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous, the party had stopped long ago. For us, our continued use wasn’t some naïve high school experience that blew our minds nor did the drugs still provide the same euphoria we enjoyed during our early years of experimentation. Nope. Most of us continued to use just to avoid getting sick from withdrawals and simply function or numb the pain. Our bodies and mind had lost the choice in the matter, whether we realized it or not.If you identify with this, and you’ve landed on this page – welcome to the team! We wish we could tell you how easy it is to get sober. We can’t. You know this anyway. So let’s cut the BS and get to the real of recovery.The Narcotics Anonymous process works and there is a simple solution available for you to create a better, more successful life, filled with adventure and purpose (all the material stuff too)!If you want to seriously get and stay clean, we highly recommend contacting us (hint: call us directly, complete a form, or reach out via email or a DM on Facebook). Aside from obviously working the steps, our next step as addicts to get fully integrated into the NA program, establish a support network, and make new friends who want the same thing we do – to stop using and just live a better life.Here are some tips and resources to help support your journey in recovery. NA Meeting Sites for Tampa Bay Similar to AA, Narcotics Anonymous has their version of “intergroup” or a main district office at the state and county levels. Getting clean is especially challenging during the first few months of sobriety. Withdrawals certainly don’t help. Thankfully the major area NA groups have a 24-hour hotline you can call when you’re feeling froggy or just need someone to talk to. Get connected and enjoy a better way of life.Here are the main Narcotic Anonymous websites with meeting lists for each county across the Tampa Bay Area: Hillsborough County Narcotics Anonymous Meetings Pinellas County NA Meetings Pasco County Narcotics Anonymous Hernando County NA Meetings Manatee & Sarasota NA Meetings Polk County Narcotics Anonymous Citrus County Narcotics Anonymous Since the Coronavirus hit, Narcotics Anonymous has really modernized their approach to meeting online, they even have Discord servers: Virtual NA Meetings Online (hint check out their Discord servers.) How do I find local NA Events? Attending local Narcotics Anonymous events is one of the best actions you can take to build the strong foundation you will need to overcome the challenges you’re going to meet when you’re new to recovery and just getting clean. As addicts, we need to build a solid support network with other addicts who are serious about staying clean, otherwise we become isolated, depressed, and can quickly lose sight of goals… ultimately leading to a painful or fatal relapse.Just like other 12-step programs, there isn’t any secret formula to networking and learning to have fun in recovery. The best way to find interesting things while pursuing a clean lifestyle is to attend NA and put yourself out there. Meet people, enjoy the experience, and don’t stress about social anxiety. Getting out of our comfort zone is how we addicts grow in recovery. When you’re at a meeting be sure to listen for “does anyone have any NA-related announcements?” More often than not, if there is a group planning a camping trip, sober outing, movie night, or concerts, you’ll likely hear about it.We highly recommend attending as many “newcomers”, “beginners”, and “Young People Groups” (YPG) meetings as much as possible. As you start integrating with different groups of sober people, you can bet you’ll be invited to go out to eat or something fun after a meeting. Don’t be shy, introduce yourself and see if anyone wants to do something after a meeting. Community Assistance & Resources Employment Opportunities Finding a new job can feel like an overwhelming and daunting task. We've got your back, click here. Job Opportunity Resources Finding a new job can feel like an overwhelming and daunting task. We've got your back, click here. Health & Wellness Recovery is about so much more than just staying clean. We recognize the importance of a healthy body, that's why every resident can receive a free gym membership. Body + Mind + Spirit = Recovery Many of our residents meal prep on the weekends so they have delicious, healthy, and quick meals they can reheat during the week, for as little as $1.00 per meal. View our favorite recipes. Education Opportunities Most residents are eligible to attend St. Petersburg College or the University of South Florida at low cost or tuition free. Learn New Skills, Make More Money Learn how to quickly expand your skills, study for a new career, and leverage technology to make more money. Everyday Essentials Not everyone arrives at sobriety's doorstep looking like a million bucks. We've curated internal and external community services to help residents get back on their feet quickly. Community Services & Resources Whether you need a hand-up or are on a tight budget, we're here to help you find the everyday essentials you need. Whether it's a ride to a meeting, interview appropriate clothes, or extra snacks. See What Our Residents Have to Say About Real RecoveryWe believe that everyone that wants to get sober should have the opportunity to do so in a safe, clean, and respectable environmen. Check out our testimonials Finally a sober living that is about helping people on the road to recovery, that adheres to a set of strict standards to ensure the comfort and safety of the clients over an extra dollar being made. These guys practice integrity in an industry riddled with greed. They take sobriety very seriously and operate with professionalism.Ethan Svia Google - St. Petersburg PropertyI have struggled for many years with a debilitating case of untreated alcoholism , until I made the life changing decision to come to Real Recovery St.Pete. With the support of staff, and residents alike, I am still sober sober 13 months later. I can not say enough good things about this place! Thank you Real Recovery!Kyle Kvia Google - St. Petersburg PropertyI have been to other Sober Living houses and Real Recovery is the best. They drug test to keep people honest. They make sure clients are responsible and clean their house. The House Managers are awesome. If you are serious about recovery this is a great place to live. Several meetings on site.Dan Bvia Google - Clearwater PropertyReal Recovery is the best choice in all regards. Their facilities are amazing, the amount of work and money the owner puts into his properties is unmatched. The programs they have are also the best. House managers are also super involved, go to the same meetings and know what is going on with the clients. Jonathan Avia Google - North Tampa PropertyI recently moved into Real Recovery and I have been very impressed! I came from a sober living situation in St. Pete but moved back home to Bradenton. If you are looking for a clean, sober living environment - this is it! Mark is a very open and relatable person to talk to. The men here are open, eager to help, and make you feel welcome.Rob Bvia Google - Bradenton-Sarasota PropertyI been in Real Recovery of Tampa for a month now and it was by far the best decision I ever made after completing 30 days of inpatient rehab at Turning Point. RR is teaching me how important it is to make friends in recovery and to get out of my comfort zone. Thank you to for welcoming and helping me on this journey in recovery.Bob B Jrvia Google - Tampa Property