How to Choose a Sober Living Home

Choosing the right sober living after treatment can make the process of transition a rewarding and beneficial experience. In early recovery, it is crucial to be surrounded by people who understand you. If you have completed the rehab program and want to continue the recovery journey, sober living homes can be a perfect choice for you.

A sober living home plays an important role in your better retrieval. Choosing the right sober living home is very crucial to achieve full recovery. It is an important determinant to gain lifelong severity.

Many people realize the importance of staying sober in sober living homes. However, it can become difficult to identify a high-quality sober living home. Selecting the right sober living home requires research and diligence.

You cannot take it lightly because if the environment of sober living is not suitable, it can lead to a worse effect on you.

Sober living homes help individuals in their transition phase. These are designed for those who

  • Need more support and assistance in their journey to a sober life
  • People who have completed their treatment and have no drugs or alcohol currently in their system.
  • Want a more structured but the independent environment

There are many things that you should consider while looking for a sober living home. Some of the important feature you must consider before you start your research include

The Right Location 

When you start looking for the right sober living home, the first most important point to consider is the location of a sober living home. You would want to make sure that the sober living home you want to enroll in or want your family member to be a part of is safe, clean, secure, and is located at a nice and convenient location.

The purpose of being a part of sober living is to get an abstemious and peaceful environment to maintain sobriety.

The neighborhood should be safe and secure. The premises should not be close to any known drug area. The areas with liquor stores are usually not the right place for sober living houses.

Also, if you do a job, you will surely want a sober living home near your workplace. If you are looking for a sober living home for your loved one near your home, you can search it online.

Look for “sober living homes near me,” and a list of sober living homes will appear. You can check all the locations and talk to the management working there to ensure that the environment is suitable and worth living.

Number of Residents and Staff Members 

A good and quality sober living facility has an adequate staff ratio. Having a good staff ratio can be very helpful for you. The staff helps in maintaining a safe, healthy, comfortable, and orderly sober living environment.

The quality sober living house contains highly trained staff members with years of experience. They assist residents and help them as much as they can.

With years of experience, the staff members manage and maintain a substance-free environment. They help people in recovering. They help mitigate conflicts that can emerge between fellow residents. The staff members also help people with their cravings and even provide them company if they want.

Stay Duration at Sober Living 

High-quality sober living homes provide you a structured environment to maintain your sobriety. You are surrounded by people like you who understand you and assist you.

You rebuild the confidence through recovery. However, it is important to know how long can you stay at a sober living home. One of the most important parts of being sober living is determining personal progress.

The length of your stay depends upon the progress you make at sober living and how stable you feel in your recovery before branching yourself out from here.

Usually, a sober living home allows you to stay as long as you want. There is no restriction on staying. However, some sober living homes can have strict guidelines of the length of stay.

Some sober living homes, including a sober living home in Los Angeles, follow strict rules when it comes to recovery. The staff members do periodic evaluations to engage the progression. They ensure that not only do people enjoy safe and sound recovery, but they allow show progress with each passing day.

The staff at sober living homes log Angeles do an evaluation of the residents to gauge progression. It is important for you to find a sober living home that offers you support and guides your recovery.

Some people require more time than others as the recovery process can be different for everyone. You will want to ensure that the sober living facility you choose is flexible for you regarding the length of stay.

Transportation Facility

Staying at sober living homes does not mean that you have to cut off the world. You get all the required freedom at sober living, which means you can go out. There comes a need of transportation facility because drug abuse comes with many consequences, including the loss of driving privilege.

You might lose control over driving. Therefore, you need to make sure that the sober living house you are deciding to stay in offers a transportation facility, or is it close to local transportation sources.

The recovery process involves many obligations, including attending recovery-based meetings and other sessions.

You might also need to go on a job on a daily basis. Being in a location that allows you to manage your day-to-day activity through an easily available transport facility is a very important consideration while choosing a sober living home.

Strict Rules and Policies 

Quality sober living homes must have strict policies against the use of drugs and alcohol on the premises. No residents should be allowed to use or keep any type of drug, and strict action must be taken if someone breaks the rules.

The staff members must be proactive and vigilant in the enforcement of rules and policies. If anyone is caught with the substance on or off-premises, staff must take action and immediately remove those who violate the policy.

Though the staff understands how difficult it can be for the residents to deal with their craving and provide them will proper assistance, still, no one can be allowed to do violation of rules because it can impart a negative effect on other residents.

Strictly following the policy helps protect the well-being of staff and residents.

Companions and Housemates 

The housemates you will have at sober living depend upon the house’s cost, location, and culture of sober living establishments. The type of residents living sober living can vary. Many sober living homes in America provide separate women and men living facilities.

You can find people of various age groups at sober living. It is important for you to get a feel for the type of people you would want to share a room or house with.

Sober living homes are designed as per specific demographics, including

  • Gender specifications, meaning separate sober living home for men and women
  • House that supports alternative lifestyle

There are many sober living homes just for men where they can live at peace. At the same time, women also live-in sober living homes specially designed for women.

Cost of Sober Living Homes 

Considering the cost is very important while choosing a sober living home. The cost of sober living homes usually varies depending upon the location and facilities you are availing of.

Luxury sober living homes provide all the facilities to their residents, including a spa, gym, full-time staff for cooking and cleaning. But these homes’ cost is also high. It is therefore important to understand what you want to get and what you can pay.

Sober living homes are the right choice for you if you need

  • Prolonged supported living
  • Alternative form of therapy
  • A peaceful environment that can support your recovery
  • A housing facility invulnerable to government funding cuts

Skills That You Learn at Sober Living Homes 

There is so much you learn at sober living homes. Here are some of the core skills that you learn here.

Time Management- Sober living home teaches you time management. Doing chores or gym and being a part of meeting, you learn time management.

Behavioral Control – At sober living you learn to communicate with others, have an effective conversation. You make friends and create bonds. It helps you bring more control over yourself and improve yourself. 

Purpose of Life- You develop new skills and explore new interests. Sober living homes inspire you and help you find life’s purpose. After completing sober living, you can be a free independent person who can enjoy their life and achieve their goals.

Living with Other People- At a sober living home, you live with other people and learn to compromise and resolve conflicts.

Final Thought 

Sober living homes are helping people in their recovery process. However, it is very important to do proper investigation before getting yourself, or your loved one enroll in a sober living home. Focus on all the major points and then make a decision.