- 30 Day Rehabilitation
- 90 Day Rehabilitation
- Adolescent Substance Abuse Rehabilitation
- Christian Drug Rehabilitation
- Co-Dependency
- Couples Treatment
- Detoxification
- Drug Addiction Treatment Help
- Drug Rehabilitation
- Extended Treatment
- Gender and Ethnic Specific Treatment
- Health Spa Recovery
- Inpatient Drug Rehab
- Intervention
- Long Term Treatment
- Older Adult Rehabilitation
- Outpatient Treatment
- Private Therapists
- Psychiatric Hospitals
- Psychiatrists
- Sober Escorts & Companions
- Sober Living
- Therapeutic Boarding School
- Tips to Know Before Checking In
- Wilderness Programs or Outdoor Therapy
Sober Living
Sober living environments provide the structure, support and opportunity for people in recovery from addiction to move forward with their recovery maintenance plan and continue living a sober life. As a variation on post-treatment maintenance programs, the strength of sober living homes lies in its expectations that participants re-connect with society. Residents are surrounded by a support group of peers undergoing the same transition, allowing the processing of emotions, anger, and frustrations in a safe and structured environment. Residents are able to find strength to cope with day-to-day stresses and aggravations in a sober way, without falling back into the substance abuse cycle.
Structured environment
Because sobriety requires discipline and guidance, sober living homes are structured around de facto rules that reinforce and assist its participants in their journey. Common to all sober living homes are:
- No drugs/alcohol
- Required AA or NA attendance
- Random drug tests
- Paying rent and bills on-time
- Acceptance by the other residents at the center
- Being employed, seeking employment, or enrolled in school
- Disabled residents contribute to the homes community and maintenance
- Intolerance of theft, violence, harassment, sexual activity, absenteeism, and curfew violations
What is a sober living home?
Sober living homes, at times, have been mistakenly labeled as Halfway Houses, Rehab Homes, Recovery Support Homes, and other, less kind, names. Sober living homes are not detox or treatment centers providing structured medical or psychological services (although a referral list of such services many be maintained). Residents are not necessarily referrals from treatment programs. Some may be following the recommendations of 12-step sponsor, a family member, or personal realization of the need to change environments.
Typically, a sober living home is in a residential neighborhood, and is gender specific. Its residents are required to follow a strict set of house rules, including health, grooming, safety, and life-skills management. Every resident is accountable for maintaining the facility, and assigned specific chores and responsibilities. The violation of these strictures will result in a variety of penalties ranging from fines to expulsion from the home.
The most common, and rigid, rule is the zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol. Included in this prohibition are items found in almost every household: mouthwash, aftershave, vanilla and other alcohol based flavorings, and alcohol or opiate based cold medicines. Each of these, because of their inordinately high alcohol content, can result in failed drugs tests, even from the most innocent use. Their abuse as intoxicants is also prevented.
Sober living, and the sober living home, is still in its infancy. As such, little data exists as to their efficacy as a treatment and support methodology. The data that has been collected, however, is promising and encouraging. Given that it is an extension of established post-treatment support philosophies, future studies should remain consistent with current findings.