Sober Living Houses After Treatment

A stable environment that’s free of drugs and alcohol is an important component of addiction recovery. For many people, sober living homes are an alternative living arrangement that can provide a healthy environment that encourages sustained abstinence.¹

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) includes sober living homes in their best practices and suggested guidelines for recovery housing, which they define as “safe, healthy, family-like substance-free living environments that support individuals in recovery from addiction.”²

This article will go into further detail about what the advantages of sober living homes are, who can benefit from them, and what to expect if you attend one.

Advantages of Sober Living Homes

Sober living homes can be a valuable resource to those in recovery from addiction, particularly if difficult life circumstances or an inadequate support system makes staying sober difficult. Most of these homes offer structure and guidelines for behavior.³ Some may require residents to submit to random urine or breathalyzing testing.²

Being surrounded by people with similar life experiences can also be helpful to recovery, and many find that the relationships formed with other residents are a powerful tool in maintaining sobriety.

One study found that the relationships established within sober living homes operate as a pseudo-family, providing healthy relationships and support that may be lacking within the residents’ actual families.⁴

In a study looking at 18-month outcomes of sober living homes, 6-month abstinence improved from 11% at baseline to 68% at 6 and 12 months; however, 18 months abstinence was a bit lower.¹ Other positive outcomes included fewer occurrences of relapse, fewer arrests, and lower severity of other psychiatric disorders.³

Who Benefits from Sober Living Homes?

Those recovering from drug or alcohol misuse can experience many stressors and triggers in their daily lives that can potentially lead to relapse. Skills learned during treatment as well as living in an environment free from drugs and alcohol can help contribute to maintaining sobriety.

Some sober living homes are geared toward specific populations who are especially vulnerable to relapse.² This might include those who are homeless, were recently incarcerated, or Veterans.

A sober living home that serves a particular demographic offers a community of people with similar life experiences to bond and support one another in their recovery and abstinence.

Some college and universities throughout the United States have adopted the use of sober living homes for their students who are in recovery from addiction. Texas Tech University, for example, established a center for collegiate recovery communities to support students in recovery, as well as recovery-living dormitories and supporting off-campus recovery living as well.⁵

Best Sober Living Homes in the U.S.

The best sober living home will be the sober living home that is right for you. You’ll have to take many factors into consideration as you choose the right transitional housing after rehab, such as location, amenities, house staff, and more.

A quality rehabilitation program will provide aftercare planning as part of your treatment, and you can investigate the ideal sober living home for you with the help of your treatment team and case manager.

For patients at Greenhouse Treatment Center, Resolutions Arlington provides a nearby quality sober living option, complete with numerous amenities from chef-prepared meals to apartment-style quarters and daily transportation. Those who are in our outpatient programs can also benefit from participating in our sober living program, too.

Through these programs, they can bolster their recovery with a wide range of benefits while they work on their sobriety, including:

• Developing additional relapse prevention skills.
• Improving communication with others.
• Continuing to utilize therapy to maintain strong mental health.

Find Recovery at Greenhouse Treatment Center

If you are experiencing challenges with substance misuse or addiction or maintaining your sobriety, reach out to our drug and alcohol rehab right now. We can connect you with our dedicated rehab admissions navigators who can offer answers to your questions regarding paying for rehab, insurance, and the levels of addiction treatment we offer.

Do not wait any longer. Contact us right now to learn more about how we can help and fill out our secure online to have your insurance verified in minutes.