If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, finding a sober living home may be the best solution. This can be a difficult decision, however, as there are many sober living homes to choose from. How do you know which one is right for you? What should you look for when making your decision?
In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most important things to keep in mind when choosing a sober living home.
Number One: Is the Sober Home Maintained & Safe?
The first thing you should always look for in a sober home is whether or not it is well-maintained and safe. This is important for two reasons. First, you want to make sure that the sober home is a clean and safe environment for you to live in. Second, you want to be sure that the sober home is not contributing to your addiction.
A sober home that is dirty or unsafe is more likely to trigger your addiction than a sober home that is clean and safe. Also, check for fire alarms and gas detectors. Basic safety measures are important; a lack of these is a major red flag.
Number Two: Is the Sober Home Staff Qualified?
The staff at a sober home should be able to help you with your addiction recovery. They should be able to provide you with the resources and support you need to stay sober. Qualified, professional staff will also keep you safe.
Number Three: Can I Afford this Sober Living Home?
The third thing you should look for in a sober home is whether or not it is affordable. Addiction recovery is expensive, and you want to be sure that you can afford the sober living home you choose. Insurance doesn’t always cover sober living homes, remember. Rent is mostly going to be out of pocket.
Number Four: What’s Included with My Payment?
Are you simply paying for room and board, or are you expected to shoulder utility costs like Wi-Fi? Plus, if the house has organized activities, are you going to kick in for them as well? Finally, are meals provided, or do you have to pay for them as well?
Those are just a few good questions to ask when considering the cost of a sober living home.
Number Five: What Other Services Does the Sober Living Home Offer?
It’s good to look into any other services a sober home might offer. A good sober living home will offer services such as individual therapy, group therapy, and 12-step meetings. These services can help you in your recovery by providing you with support and resources.
Number Six: Does the Sober Living Home Have a Good Reputation?
Reputations matter. A sober living home with a good reputation is more likely to be a safe and supportive environment for you to recover in. Look for reviews and consider them carefully.
Number Seven: What Kind of Area is the Sober Living Home in?
It’s also important to consider the area the sober living home is in. Exercise and outdoor activities are very important during recovery, and if the surrounding area isn’t safe to walk around in, it’s worth considering another sober home for your recovery. Also, a location where drugs are freely available isn’t a great choice — it can be easy to be tempted back into drug use if your sober home is across the street from a liquor store or dispensary.
Finally, you want a neighborhood that’s quiet. Noisy neighbors will only add to your stress as you recover.
Number Eight: What are the Rules of the Sober Home?
All sober homes have rules of some kind. Rules keep the home safe and orderly, and also help rebuild social skills damaged by addiction. Some homes may require participation in an outpatient drug treatment program, for example. Many sober homes are connected to addiction centers and other rehab facilities.
Other homes may require people living in the sober home to join 12-step or other support group meetings, abide by a curfew, and/or pitch in with chores.
Number Nine: What Kind of People Live in the Sober Home?
Some sober homes are aimed at a particular gender or generation. If you’re older, you may not feel comfortable in a sober home that caters to a younger population and focuses on, say, outdoor activities.
Also, sober time matters. If you have a lot of sober time under your belt you may find living with people newer in recovery to be stressful. It always pays off to ask the sober home provider who their tenants are.
Finally, how many people live in the sober home you’re looking at? It’s rare to not have roommates while living in a sober living home … but you don’t want to be living with four or five people in a room Aside from the lack of personal space, a crowded home can also be a fire hazard, making it hard to escape during an emergency.
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The hunt for a sober living home can be incredibly frustrating. There are a lot of sober home businesses out there and figuring out which one is the right one for you isn’t easy.
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