What are Sober Living Homes?

Sober living homes provide a combination of freedom and structure to help the person begin to adjust to life outside of rehab. They are set up specially to serve as transitional housing for people coming out of treatment. When there is a strong bond among house members, the chance for long-term sobriety success is significantly increased.

Recognizing stakeholder views that hinder and support SLHs will be essential if they are to expand to better meet the housing needs of persons suffering from alcohol and drug disorders. Daily routines within a sober living home include morning chores, house meetings, substance abuse counseling, community service, 12-step meetings, group therapy, and group activities. Some California sober living houses encourage their residents to adopt a daily exercise routine and may include time for meditation. Most California sober living homes have a house manager that runs the day-to-day activities and provides structure and routines for its residents. These activities prepare residents for a substance-free and independent future.

So, how do sober living homes work, anyway? What even are they?

Some sober living homes offer 1 to 3-month-long programs while others offer 12 months or 18-month-long programs. Many individuals in early recovery feel overwhelmed, and the risk of relapse is at its highest. The longer an individual stays in a safe, structured, and drug and alcohol-free environment, the more support they have. The duration of treatment varies among the unique needs of each individual.

The real estate website Zillow offers advice on mortgages for a sober living home and covering costs with rent. Average rent for a four-bedroom sober living home, for example, should be $900 per room per month, which may legally be broken down into two people per bedroom (dorm-style) for $450 per month per person. This example is a home in Laguna Hills, California, a popular Southern California suburb. We believe that the cessation of drugs and alcohol is only a start, a mere foundation. With almost 4 decades of experience we’ve fine-tuned a process that caters to each individual’s long-term success, far beyond our doors.

How to Pay for Your Stay at a Sober Living House

Despite the advantages of halfway houses, there are limitations as well (Polcin & Henderson, 2008). After some period of time, usually several months, residents are required to move out whether or not they feel ready for independent living. A second issue is financing the houses, which often includes government funding.

• Some homes provide yoga, morning meditations, on-campus 12-step meetings, and a slew of other wellness-based practices.
• Although the owner/operator of the houses is ultimately responsible, she/he defers to the Residents Congress as much as possible to maintain a peer oriented approach to recovery.
• Over the past 15 years, Chris has worked as a tireless advocate for addicts and their loved ones while becoming a sought-after digital entrepreneur.

Deciding to get sober, and stay sober, is no easy feat, thus there will be bad days. A recovery community provides the necessary encouragement and support for an individual to overcome challenges that may arise during this time. In addition, the government funds or owns some halfway houses in California. Instead, private individuals or treatment centers own sober living homes in the state.

Pros and Cons of Sober Living

A “Resident Congress” consisting of current residents and alumni helps enforce house rules and provides input into the management of the houses. Although the owner/operator of the houses is ultimately responsible, she/he defers to the Residents Congress as much as possible to maintain a peer oriented approach to recovery. In order to be admitted to CSTL prospective residents must have begun some type of recovery program prior to their application. A sober living house differs from a halfway house in that the individuals who reside in these facilities mostly come directly from inpatient substance use treatment programs.

Nevertheless, many sober living homes in California choose to adopt national standards and join associations that monitor the safety, health, and compliance of the recovery model used by the sober living home. A critically important aspect of one’s social network is their living environment. Recognition of the importance of one’s living environment led to a proliferation of inpatient and residential treatment programs during the 1960′ and 70’s (White, 1998).

The managers and directors spend a great deal of time with each house member, checking in with them, discussing their goals, fears, and decisions. We believe that it takes the personal experience of someone who has recovered from drug abuse to know what it takes to break the cycle of substance abuse and identify with the individual. This personal connection can make all the difference in the world when it comes to learning to live a healthy lifestyle in sobriety. Residents can increase the likelihood of staying sober by committing to the guidelines set out by the Selecting the Most Suitable Sober House for Addiction Recovery. Being actively involved in the day-to-day group activities, therapies, and meetings help increase the chances of an individual staying sober. These activities affect the mind positively and give the resident a sense of belonging.