If you or someone you know is in substance or alcohol recovery, you might be wondering what a sober living house is.
What is a sober living house
A sober living house is a place that patients who are leaving recovery can move into with other recovery patients. The homes have a few standard rules that patients must meet.
- They all share rent, other costs, share in household chores, and attend house meetings.
- The house is alcohol and drug-free to help patients attempting to abstain.
- The majority of the sober living homes have no formal treatment services, but they do strongly encourage participation in a 12 step program.
- Renters must maintain abstinence.
- There can be an invitation for renters to stay as long as they want to provide they comply with all the rules, including paying rent and other costs that are shared.
- Some homes may have curfew hours to assist in staying sober.
Sober living houses originated in California, and the majority of them are still located in California. Hopefully, other states will begin to establish sober living homes for recovering addicts to give them the best chance for maintaining recovery.
How does a sober living house help recovery
These homes help the recovery patients move into a life free of alcohol or substances, keep a job, live on a budget, and make friends who will help them stay clean. They can learn to use the tools from recovery therapy to deal with stress and make wise choices. They can practice healthy eating and exercise to help them feel better instead of using substances.
These houses also provide the recovery patient to take a leading role in enforcing the rules, helping the other housemates maintain sobriety, making sure that bills like rent and utilities are paid, and cooking meals and cleaning. It gives them a purpose to stay clean.
While living in one of these units, it is up to the person in recovery to continue any therapy or counseling he or she may need, including a 12 step program. Most patients do not transition into one of these sober living homes until they have participated in intensive therapy.
Is there any concerns with this type of arrangement
There are some concerns when it comes to sober living accommodations.
- Communities can be concerned about crime.
- Patients can relapse.
- Possible that if one of the housemates relapses, the temptation of the others to use again can cause them to relapse also.
An analogy that could be similar is to think of sober living accommodations similar to witness protection where you have to leave friends and family behind. This is especially true of any friends or family members that still abuse substances.
At 449 Recovery, we help patients transition from recovery to sober living homes where they can continue their recovery and maintain sobriety. Call us today (855) 435-7449 to learn more about the therapies offered to achieve recovery. 449 Recovery provides a clean, safe space to learn the tools needed to achieve and maintain clean living.