July 4, 2022
What are sober living homes? This article answers this question and provides information on how they help maintain sobriety.
Recovery has always been a long and challenging process. Completing a rehab program is already a major feat, but post-rehab recovery is another challenge for patients recovering from substance abuse. This transition period is when a sober living home can be helpful.
What are sober living homes? This is a type of residence that offers safe, substance-free environments that provide people in recovery with the opportunity to continuously connect with others who are pursuing the same goal of wellness and sobriety.
For today’s article, we’ll provide information on sober living residence and how they can help with maintaining soberness.
Often, entering into rehabilitation programs means people have to give up everything they’ve known and press pause on a lot of things in their lives. Thus, post-rehabilitation presents a different set of challenges for patients in recovery, as this period requires a lot of adjustments.
A destructive or unsupportive home life presents a serious hurdle in maintaining long-term sobriety. Studies have shown that a lack of a stable and substance-free environment often leads to relapse. This gap is filled by sober living residences or sober living homes.
Sober living homes, also known as recovery housing, are substance-free environments specifically for individuals who commit to abstaining from alcohol and drugs while participating in outpatient rehabilitation programs or after completing inpatient treatment. According to The National Association of Recovery Residences, there are four different categories of sober-living environments.
This recovery housing is often single-family homes that are democratically run, typically with a senior resident holding other residents accountable. Usually, there are no paid clinical positions within the home. Substance screenings and house meetings are also common.
Monitored sober living home can also be a single-family home or apartment. They are often run by a senior resident or a house manager with at least one compensated personnel. Regular house meetings and drug and alcohol screenings are typical, as well as peer-run groups.
What are sober living homes that are supervised? Often, this type of housing varies but it is commonly licensed. There is also organizational structure, administrative oversight, and a set of policies and procedures. Clinical services are provided in this type of recovery housing, and skills development is often emphasized. Drug screenings are standardized and staff are certified.
The fourth level of sober communities is integrated ones. As the name implies, this residence is often for transitional housing for patients completing an addiction rehabilitation program. It also follows that services tend to be provided in a more institutional manner. Like level 3 sober living homes, level 4 residences have cynical services and life skill development programs. Their staff also has proper credentials and substance screenings are also standard.
Sober living homes, as defined in the previous section, may sound similar to halfway houses. So what is sober living vs halfway house? Halfway houses serve as a space between living in an institution and living independently in a community, often with residents coming from correctional or inpatient programs or facilities.
We can say that halfway homes, like other recovery houses, are intended to gently reintroduce individuals back into society, free from the potentially dangerous or unsupportive home environment. Lastly, like sober living homes, halfway houses have systems in place to help residents maintain their sobriety, including group activities, chores, and substance screenings.
The main difference between sober living homes and halfway houses is that residents in halfway houses are mandated by the court to live there. This means that residents often come from correctional facilities rather than an addiction recovery program. Another difference is that tenants in halfway houses may not be participating in recovery programs, unlike sober living residents. Lastly, halfway houses are generally subsidized or sponsored by the state, while sober living homes are privately owned.
What are sober living homes’ special rules? All these levels have general house rules, policies, and procedures that should be followed. Some of the common ones are:
People in recovery that chose to stay in a sober living environment usually sign a contract or written agreement containing all the rules or policies of living in a recovery home. Sober homes are generally very strict when it comes to enforcing house rules, and violations often lead to eviction. This is especially true for patients who may experience relapse.
Although relapse is a common experience for people recovering from substance abuse, a patient relapsing may be considered a threat for other patients in recovery. In cases of relapse, a patient is often immediately removed from the residence and transferred to another facility. Often, they are also prescribed a different treatment program.
Generally, the length of stay of a patient in a sober residence depends on the length of time they have been using substances. It should also be noted that the duration of a patient’s stay in a sober living home directly influences the outcome of their recovery. It is usually recommended for a person to stay at least 90 days in a sober living facility. However, there is no perfect length of stay as recovery is very personal and each case varies greatly in different individuals. Thus, getting the right treatment plan while in long-term sober living communities will be helpful in building a recovery that lasts.
Available services and programs differ in different sober living facilities, but generally speaking, various treatments are made available for residents to equip them to smoothly transition to society. The most common services are the availability of an on-site medical staff to respond to the immediate needs of the residents and the regular standard substance screenings. Other treatments residents can participate in while in sober living homes are the following.
This is a type of mutual support group program which consists of a series of steps designed to teach a person in recovery the skills and behaviors necessary to overcome their addiction. Each step has a specific purpose to enable individuals to move forward in their treatment and recovery.
Usually conducted individually, behavioral approaches like dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and motivational interviewing (MI) aim to modify behavior, emotions, and attitudes related to substance abuse. These therapies help people participate in their own rehabilitation and maintain their abstinence. Behavioral approaches may also improve communication and overall dynamics of families and close relationships.
This method is often facilitated by at least one therapist. This lays out a space for patients to relate to one another who are struggling with the same issues. This type of service provides the chance for patients to offer insights and help one another, building positive examples and nurturing relationships.
Counseling or talk therapy is a process by which mental health professionals apply scientifically validated procedures to help people develop their own healthier and more effective ways of coping. It is a form of behavioral treatment that can be integrated with other programs. It can also be considered as follow-up support for patients transitioning from intensive to less structured rehab treatment.
Apart from the core services and treatments mentioned, you can also take advantage of these activities and programs in sober living homes.
Residents may opt to start family therapy to help further ease back into their community and help families become a safe and secure environment that can provide support for a lasting recovery.
Also known as therapeutic recreation, recreational therapy utilizes recreation and other activity-based interventions to address the needs of residents for recovery and well-being. Some recreational therapies can be music therapy, art therapy, outdoor activities, meditation, etc.
Most sober living houses offer educational courses highlighting life skills and further developing them to help the patients build better coping mechanisms as they face the challenge of transitioning back to their communities.
Sober living residences are privately-owned, meaning, residents pay rent similar to the cost of renting apartments. This can range from $500 to $5,000 per month, and this definitely depends on the inclusions like meals and other services.
Although life after rehab can be very overwhelming, supportive programs like sober living homes help in achieving lasting recovery. With the advice of a mental health professional, they can be combined with outpatient treatments like a partial hospitalization program to achieve the best path to sobriety. More holistic programs are now available to better fit your needs, and this is our pledge here at Another Chance.
If you are unsure about the right sober living home and other supportive after-care programs for you or a loved one, we at Another Chance are here to help. Here at Another Chance Drug & Alcohol Rehab Center of Portland, we offer evidence-based treatments and services to help our patients heal and experience life to the fullest. We create a unique and safe environment to address the specific needs of young adults and professionals on their road to healing.
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