A sober living facility provides a safe and supportive environment for recovering from addiction. Most sober living facilities are private homes, apartments, or condos where people recovering from addiction can live while they learn the skills needed to live without addiction. These homes do not provide medical care for addiction, but they can give stabilizing support following a withdrawal from substances.
Benefits of a Sober Living House
Being in Alcohol and Drug Recovery
Most people in a sober living facility actively or passively participate in a recovery program. Suppose a person is actively participating in the recovery process. In that case, they may live at the facility for between one week and two months, depending on how long it takes them to get through all the steps of their recovery program. They must move out of the facility when they can no longer participate. Those not actively recovering may live at a sober home indefinitely if they wish to remain abstinent during their stay, with no set period. Many people remain at a sober living facility until they have re-established stable employment and made trips back home.
Physical and Mental Wellbeing
In a sober living facility, people receive medical attention for their physical illnesses and injuries. This care is provided in a highly structured environment so that their health problems are treated as quickly as possible. It’s a structured environment that promotes total abstinence from drugs and alcohol, so if people are addicted to either substance, they are obliged to write a contract outlining the duration of their stay and how often they are tested for the use of both substances.
Larger Community Support
People living in sober facilities tend to feel more companionship than those outside. Their peers are not only people recovering from addiction but other recovering people of similar ages and backgrounds. They have a lot of similar experiences to share, and they can often form strong bonds with others who live at home.
Medical Services
Many sober living facilities have on-site medical professionals who provide care whenever appropriate. It is an essential element of respect for the people in recovery, as many require medical attention for chronic illnesses or injuries such as hepatitis or diabetes. Some facilities require that members take regular blood tests to remain abstinent from substances.
Safe Environment
In sober living homes, the houses are well-maintained, the members often have clean clothes, and they are provided with balanced meals. All of these things contribute to a home that is safe and stable. It helps people maintain their sobriety while enjoying life in a social setting. It’s a home that can last a lifetime once it can stay clean.
How Models Are Evaluated
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides a financial evaluation of most sober living facilities to help determine the amount of funding they will receive each year from the government. HUD evaluates facilities on how many people live, how many actively participate in the recovery process, and how many abstain without active participation in treatment.
Rules & Regulations of a Sober Living House
A person actively participating in their recovery program must write a contract outlining the duration of their stay and how often they are tested for substance use.
When leaving a sober living house, members must leave without taking any belongings with them except clothes they have grown comfortable wearing during their stay.
When members become sober permanently, they no longer need to participate in the program and must move out of the home. ❖
For safety reasons, members cannot take a vehicle into their sober living house. They may be allowed to borrow a car from outside the facility, but they must return it in the same condition as when they borrowed it.
A sober living facility provides a safe space to stay while you work through your addiction. If you need a straight-living home, please do not hesitate to contact us at 833-285-1315 and speak with one of our trained representatives, who will be happy to help.
