Top Reasons to Choose a Sober Living Home

Business professional in the Addiction Recovery and Mental Health industry for the past 26 years. “Some residents probably benefit from the mandate that they attend outpatient treatment during the day and comply with a curfew in the evening,” according to Dr. Polcin and his research team. It would also be helpful if the house were near your work or school, a grocery store, public transit, a laundromat, and a healthcare provider. Even if you aren’t the best networker or businessperson, those with good intentions who take time to ensure that every resident has an opportunity to recover in a safe environment, will be recognized.

For some individuals, the limited structure offered by freestanding SLHs could invite association with substance using friends and family and thus precipitate relapse. This could be particularly problematic in poor communities where residents have easy access to substances and people who use them. A critically important aspect of one’s social network is their living environment. Recognition of the importance of one’s living environment led to a proliferation of inpatient and residential treatment programs during the 1960′ and 70’s (White, 1998). The idea was to remove clients from destructive living environments that encouraged substance use and create new social support systems in treatment. Some programs created halfway houses where clients could reside after they completed residential treatment or while they attended outpatient treatment.

Why ChooseThe Last House?

Typically, sober living homes have on-site managers that live in the house with you and the other tenants. These managers are available 24/7 to help you with any potential issues that arise in your recovery – difficult cravings, down emotions, trouble finding a job – and are simply there to talk. In many cases, sober living homes connected to a treatment facility will be equipped with support staff and alumni who have walked in similar shoes. These people know what it is like to experience substance addiction, complete a rehab program, and to live sober after treatment.

• However, the biggest disadvantage of halfway houses is that they often stipulate a limit on how long residents can stay.
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• But many sober homes require residents to attend support group meetings or participate in 12-step programs or outpatient treatment, which may be an additional cost for residents to consider.

Like other SLH models of recovery, residence are free to stay as long as they wish provide they comply with house rules (e.g., curfews, attendance at 12-step meetings) and fulfill their financial obligations. Also like other SLH models, each house has a house manager who is responsible for ensuring house rules and requirements are followed. ORS does not have any type of Residents Council, but house managers meet regularly with the executive director and have input into operation of the SLHs in during these contacts.

What Are the Requirements to Get Into a Sober-Living Home?

These can include your recovery goals, your progress in recovery, the state of your support system, and your financial situation. Most importantly, the decision of how long to stay in a sober living environment should be made in consultation with sober living staff members as well as your family. Some residents might find that they are prepared to leave after sober house just a few months. Others might need a year or more to work on repairing relationships, setting up their employment, academic, and living plans, and become confident in their sobriety. While everyone recovers at a different pace, it is worth repeating that long periods spent in substance abuse treatment are correlated with a reduced risk of relapse.

This measure was taken from Gerstein et al. (1994) and was defined as number of arrests over the past 6 months.

How Successful Are Halfway Houses

Some sober houses, including Vanderburgh House, will accept residents who are new to recovery provided they are willing to stay sober. However, sober house applicants should have already completed any detox program required to cure physical addiction so they are not acutely ill and unable to work while living in the house. This is an important step in recovery; addiction makes people irresponsible and the friends and families of addicts often enable them by supporting them despite these behaviors. Recovery home residents usually pay rent, buy their own food and do the same things they would do for themselves if they lived in a traditional apartment or home.