Sober living homes are typically group homes where residents share living spaces and participate in household chores, such as cooking and cleaning. The primary goal of sober living homes is to provide a safe, supportive, and drug-free living environment where residents can focus on their recovery and transition back into mainstream society. One of the most important factors in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction is the social support a recovering person receives during this critical time. When their living environment is alcohol-and drug-free, it makes it easier for them to avoid substance abuse. Sober living homes typically do not offer a formal treatment program, but encourage or require 12-step program attendance or participation in other forms of outside treatment. The halfway house gives structure but also provides you with more freedom than an inpatient rehab program where you are not typically allowed to come and go as you please.
What Rules Apply in a Sober Living House?
Differences between the two can stem from funding, length of stay, and requirements to apply to live there. Sober living homes typically do not limit the length of stay and may not require previous attendance in a formal addiction treatment program. Halfway houses, on the other hand, typically have a time limit and require residents to either be attending a treatment program or have recently completed one.
Each sober living home will have its own cost, depending on location and specific amenities. However, the overall cost of sober living is roughly the cost of rent of a small, basic apartment. Each sober living home has its own cost, depending on location and specific amenities. However, the overall cost of sober living is roughly the cost of rent for a small, basic apartment. There are many different names for sober living homes that you might come across. However, the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs found that the average length of stay was between 166 and 254 days and most people have moved out after 12 to 18 months.
- IHAT’s emphasis on convenience, flexibility, and tailored care appeals to people who may not be able to accommodate the logistics of a sober living home.
- Coming after intensive treatment, it helps create accountability by placing individuals in an environment of supportive peers where they can practice resilience strategies.
- These homes help bridge the gap between intensive treatment programs and independent living.
- People may use sober housing for some weeks or months while they adjust to living without drugs, alcohol, or other addictive substances or behaviors.
- Sober living homes provide a physical place in which to pursue sobriety among residents in recovery.
Eligibility for Sober Recovery Housing
Sober living is an important phase of recovery in which a person transitions from addiction to a sober life. Coming after intensive treatment, it helps create accountability by placing individuals in an environment of supportive peers where they can practice resilience strategies. Individuals are given more freedom in sober homes than in residential treatment facilities, but there is still a level of supervision and the ability for residents to stay in a semi-controlled environment. This minimizes the chance of relapse as well as other issues that can occur with recovery and the process of leaving treatment such as loneliness, depression, and lack of social support. Of course, an individual’s success in remaining sober will have a lot of factors specific to them, such as their willingness to work on their overall recovery through aftercare programs. But as a whole, sober living communities offer recovering addicts a safe, supportive environment that helps them remain sober during and after their residency.
All sober houses have a zero-tolerance policy regarding the use of drugs or alcohol. Some recovery houses insist on random drug testing to ensure residents remain sober. Individuals who breach this are usually removed from the home immediately to protect the other residents. To learn more about rehab programs and treatment options, contact a caring admissions navigator with American Addiction Centers (AAC) free at . You can also check your insurance coverage online now or fill in the form below. Without the structure of a daily schedule and accountability of others around you, it can be easy to fall back into old habits that are not productive for your sobriety.
- By understanding the purpose, benefits, and expectations of these residences, you can make an informed decision and find a home that best supports your journey to lasting sobriety.
- Calls to any general helpline will be answered or returned by one of the treatment providers listed, each of which is a paid advertiser.
- These facilities are generally more pleasant and less crowded than halfway houses.
- However, the way they work, the length of stay, and the funding options differ.
- Sometimes people use the term halfway house and sober living home interchangeably.
Do Sober Living Houses Work?
Treatment programs are available to help individuals overcome these issues and live a healthy, sober life. Many sober living homes provide essential life skills training to help residents navigate everyday life within a supportive sober living community. Sober living homes typically incorporate group therapy, and most sober living homes function similarly to a halfway house, offering support from sober peers to promote lasting recovery. All sober living homes have a zero-tolerance policy regarding the use of drugs or alcohol. Usually, residents have recently completed inpatient or intensive outpatient treatment for substance use addiction. Sometimes, sober living houses also act as a stand-alone approach for substance misuse problems, Sober House Rules: A Comprehensive Overview meaning that someone will go straight there without first attending a residential treatment center.
Sober Living Homes: A Comprehensive Guide
In other words, transitional living facilities are often offered in conjunction with active addiction treatment unlike other sober housing that may require treatment to be complete prior to move-in. Sober housing is not a treatment service, but rather a place for people to live in a guaranteed sober environment. People may use sober housing for some weeks or months while they adjust to living without drugs, alcohol, or other addictive substances or behaviors. Drug and alcohol addiction treatment is an immensely beneficial service many people with substance use disorders can access during early recovery.
What Is In-Home Addiction Treatment?
Some sober living houses may be placed in neighborhoods with high crime rates. Something important to note is that sober living houses are not the same as halfway houses. While they are both residences designed to support folks in maintaining sobriety and transitioning back into society, there are some key differences. Sober living houses also date back to the 1800s when religious organizations set up residencies where people were required to abstain from alcohol.
Substance use treatment providers may offer oversight in some instances, although this is not always the case. Going to a sober living home has proven to be an effective way for many people to reduce relapse and achieve long-term sobriety. When living in active addiction, the only relationship that mattered was the relationship between you and your substance. Through the help of a built-in community, you will be able to establish meaningful relationships and find value in like-minded community.
Julia Childs Heyl is a clinical social worker who focuses on mental health disparities, the healing of generational trauma, and depth psychotherapy. Enter your information to learn about our advertising options and get in contact with our development team. The content on RehabNet.com is intended purely for informational and educational purposes. The information available on RehabNet.com shouldn’t be utilized as a means to diagnose or treat health issues or diseases. If you think you might be facing a health challenge, please consult with a healthcare professional.
Residents may choose to use an SLH to transition from the structured, therapeutic lifestyle of rehab to the outside world. They provide a safe, alcohol and drug-free space for residents, enabling them to feel comfortable as they re-engage with wider society. Sober living houses are commonly mistaken for rehabilitation or treatment facilities. Both are important to those recovering from drug or alcohol abuse but play different roles. It offers an alternative to transitioning directly from an immersive care environment to a completely unstructured environment at home. Although less strict than inpatient facilities, sober living homes still have guidelines that residents must follow, such as curfews and attendance at group meetings.
Sober Living is one of many treatment services available to support you in your recovery journey. This is a wonderful stepping-stone for those who have been in residential treatment and are ready for a less controlled environment that still provides safety and support. We can also help you find a rehab program that will allow you to transition into sober living after your treatment has ended. Residents of sober living facilities must abstain from drugs and alcohol, which provides an excellent peer support system for everyone who lives there. The word “rehab” is a catch-all term for the variety of services available for treating substance use disorders, including alcohol and drug addiction. However, within the scope of rehab, a whole range of programs offer varying levels of care.
While insurance companies will often cover some or all of the cost of rehab, sober living facilities are not actual addiction treatment providers. Therefore, insurance will usually not offer coverage for a sober living stay. Of course, an individual’s success in remaining sober will depend on many factors specific to them, such as their willingness to work on their overall recovery through aftercare programs.
By providing a supportive community and access to resources, sober living homes and halfway houses can make all the difference in helping individuals achieve long-term sobriety. Our addiction treatment services include sober living homes and halfway houses to help individuals build daily life coping mechanisms. Most sober living homes provide a supportive community to encourage a sober living arrangement and help residents remain sober; note that message and data rates may apply for communications.