One of the most important elements of recovery often overlooked is the transition from inpatient to outpatient treatment. The continuation of sobriety after inpatient care can be difficult if a recovering addict is faced with returning to their old home and habits. Sober living homes are one element of treatment for addiction that supports those recovering as they ease back into daily life. For some people in recovery, these supportive environments can make the difference between relapse or maintaining sobriety. Soba Recovery encourages you to continue reading to learn more about sober living homes!
What Is a Sober Living Home?
Sober living homes are group homes in a controlled environment free from drugs and alcohol, created specifically for individuals recovering from addiction. Sober living homes help with the transition from inpatient and outpatient care, assisting individuals in their sobriety maintenance. These homes are often owned and operated privately but can also be owned and operated by businesses or charity organizations. Residents living in sober living homes do things like pay rent and go to work, just as they would in a regular home, but they also offer additional structure with things like house meetings and chores to contribute to the maintenance of the house. All residents must remain sober and follow house rules to stay in the homes. Residents are also encouraged to continue seeking outpatient treatment and participate in a 12-step program.
Benefits of Sober Living Homes
Sobriety is a lifelong journey. However, the transition from inpatient to outpatient treatment is critical, and sober living homes can help prompt a lasting recovery. Sober living homes are substance-free, offering a controlled and supportive environment that decreases the chances of relapse. Studies have shown sobriety can be difficult to maintain in dysfunctional homes and sober living homes improve sobriety outcomes. Sober living homes have a multitude of benefits, some of which include:
- Support: Though individuals from all walks of life may be in sober living homes, all residents living in sober living homes are working towards the goals of recovery and sobriety. Sober living homes thus offer a space to build sober fellowships, mutual support systems, and positive friendships for those in recovery.
- Accountability: Sober living homes can assist with building accountability of sobriety. Sober living homes have rules residents must adhere to, helping to rebuild personal responsibility. Individuals are ultimately responsible for their own recovery, therefore teaching accountability and responsibly are invaluable to maintaining sobriety.
- Stability: Sober living homes are fundamentally safe, comfortable, and secure places, providing individuals recovering from addiction with a stable home environment. Structure in sober living homes is often created through chores, house meetings, attendance to 12 step programs, and other meaningful activities that not only help re-establish stability but also help maintain purpose. By avoiding boredom, depression, or uncertainty, sober living homes offer stability critical to relapse prevention.
- Skills: Sober living homes provide an environment that encourages recovering addicts to build healthy coping skills and habits to manage triggers and prepare for their return home. Sober living homes also have resources for finding employment and mending broken relationships.
How to Get Into a Sober Living Home
Though not all sober living homes restrict who can live there, often the majority of residents have completed a rehabilitation program for addiction before moving in. Sober living offers a space to maintain sobriety, so it makes sense that most residents have already started the process through means such as detoxification or other inpatient treatment. If you are interested in living in a sober living home, you can start by researching programs to find one that is the best fit for you.
How Soba Recovery Can Help
Soba Recovery’s sober living in Texas and Arizona understands that sobriety is a lifelong journey and to support the longevity of that goal, we believe in spending quality time and effort in treatment by investing in an individual’s care for an extended period all at once. With this goal in mind, sober living homes are integral to long-term recovery at Soba Recovery.
We offer individualized treatment at our two locations: our Substance Abuse Treatment in Mesa, AZ, and San Antonio Recovery Center, both of which offer detox and inpatient treatments, as well as outpatient and sober living homes for aftercare. If you’re interested in sober living, please contact us. We are here to help you take that next step on your road to recovery.