Living in a sober living home is one of the best paths to a full recovery.
The move to a sober home is usually done when a person enters the outpatient stages of treatment. Sometimes, it’s the next step after graduating from a drug rehab or addiction center.
Either way, sober living is a great idea: Sober living homes are the ideal place to practice independent living and have a smooth transition back into regular life.
There are plenty of questions to ask if you’re looking for a sober home, and there are also plenty of red flags to be aware of. When you’re doing research about finding a sober home for yourself or a loved one, it’s worth asking questions about:
- What utilities are provided
- If the house is coed or reserved for a particular gender
- Any features the house has, like a swimming pool
- What are the rules
- The length of stay at the sober home allows
- What the surrounding neighborhood is like
- If there are work or education requirements
Perhaps the first question on everyone’s mind is cost:
Is sober living something I can afford?
How Much Does Sober Living Cost?
It’s a good question without a simple answer. There are multiple factors in determining what a sober home charges to live in it. Location, amenities, the type of home, and more are all factors that play a role.
A sober home with a view of the coast is naturally going to cost more than an apartment complex near a warehouse district, for example.
Then there’s the question of whether the sober home is connected to a program. Some sober homes are run by addiction treatment programs and incorporate outpatient care levels such as partial hospitalization (PHP) and intensive outpatient (IOP) programming into their living arrangements.
On the other hand, some sober homes are simply places that aim to reintroduce structure and independent living into the lives of their clients. This doesn’t necessarily mean one is cheaper than another.
Sober Homes: How they Determine Costs
A sober home run by an addiction center might incorporate any sober home costs into their overall fees, making it more affordable for some and allowing insurance to cover some of the fees. Meanwhile, an independent house not connected with a rehab might cost more to live in.
In general, you often get what you pay for. Expensive sober homes often boast luxurious surroundings with easy access to beaches, national parks, and other attractions. These homes can also include in-house meetings and support groups.
More affordable houses may not offer the same services, but instead, simply be places where a person still in or fresh out of treatment can practice and refine their life skills until they’re ready to enter regular life.
Ultimately, the question of affordability depends on the person and the house they want to live in. It really pays off to do research and ask questions when searching for a sober home. Are utilities like wi-fi free? Do the house’s residents chip in for groceries, or are they supplied by the house owner? What’s the rent situation like?
Also, consider looking around for sober living grants – some treatment centers and advocacy groups are willing to pay the expenses for a stay in a sober home.
Why Do People Choose Sober Living Homes, Anyway?
There are multiple advantages to living in a sober home during or after rehab. Take your roommates: in a sober home, you know exactly what to expect. When you come home after a day at a treatment center or your job, you won’t have to worry about parties or drugs and alcohol left around the house. Sober homes are drug-free environments.
Another thing about roommates: they’ll help you stay focused on recovery. Everybody in a sober home is on the same path: moving past addiction and into a happier, healthier life. Your roommates genuinely get what you’re trying to do, and they’ll help you stay accountable to yourself.
Plus, sober homes almost always have a house manager. House managers help assign chores, organize activities, and settle disputes. Better yet, they’re usually veterans of treatment themselves and have intimate knowledge of what recovery is like.
If you need help, guidance, or maybe just a friendly ear, house managers are available 24/7. They’re perfect for getting out of tough situations and working around the emotional roadblocks of early recovery.
All in all, sober homes provide the ideal place to live while recovering … or in recovery. They’re safe spaces great for building new, healthy relationships and let you focus your energies on your continuing recovery, finding a new career, or returning to school.
They’re often worth the extra price tag.
How to Find a Sober Home with SoberLivingNearYou.com
If you’re reading this blog, congratulations! You’re already on the right path. Finding a sober home is often a confusing, stressful process. It’s hard to know where to begin looking, or even what to look for.
That’s why we developed SoberLivingNearYou.com. The largest collection of sober living providers online, our site aims to make your hunt for a sober home as easy as possible. With us, you’ll be able to find your perfect match as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Sober living homes are the best resource you can have in recovery. Find one today with SoberLivingNearYou.com!