How Sober Homes Help You Reach the Goal of Living a Sober Life

According to the NCBI, “Studies show that housing status is associated with alcohol and drug use during and after treatment.” If a person is living in a place that is not drug and alcohol-free during recovery, it can be extremely difficult for them to abstain, and the potential for relapse is more likely. Consider the many ways sober homes can help you reach the goal of living a sober life.

Removing Temptation

As stated, these homes are alcohol and drug free residences where those who are still working on their recoveries can stay in order to be away from the temptation of these substances. Especially if you were living in a place where any substance you can abuse is readily available, you will benefit from moving to one of these facilities.

Providing Autonomy

You will be responsible for yourself and allowed to plan your daily routine however you see fit while still having the individuals running the home and the other residents looking out for you. Most sober homes require residents to pay rent which means they will still need to work. They may also attend school, see friends and family members, and come and go as they please. This allows residents of the home to live their lives without being completely on their own during this difficult and volatile time.

Setting Rules

Rules and boundaries are still a large part of what will help you reach the goal of living a sober life. Many homes mandate that residents attend a 12-step program, which they will often continue to attend after their stay has ended. This also helps them meet other individuals who may possibly be beneficial to their recovery over the long term.

According to the NCBI, residents also follow rules like agreeing to “sleep at the [home] at least five nights per week” or “attend[ing] the mandatory Sunday Night House Meeting.” Both rules ensure that the individual is engaged in household activities and in their place in the house which makes them more likely to follow the other rules (including those about abstaining from mind-altering substances). Helping residents understand the need for rules actually prepares them for setting their own rules when living on their own in the future, which they will need to do in order to continue living soberly.

Teaching Accountability

Especially if someone has been in inpatient treatment before coming to a sober home, the concept of accountability and being responsible for one’s own actions is definitely one these facilities try to impart onto their residents. Individuals at the home must be accountable for where they go, how they spend their time in and out of the house, and when they break the rules.

Staying at an inpatient program takes away some need for accountability because patients are monitored 24-7. However, transitioning into one of these facilities will remind patients that their actions are their own, and if they choose to do something dangerous or harmful, there could be major consequences. This helps remind them of the previous consequences of their drug abuse and how they don’t want to repeat their past mistakes.