What Are Sober Living House Rules?

To have the best chance for effectively recovering from addiction or substance abuse and remaining sober long-term, individuals should look for drug-free, stable housing that will support their recovery. Anyone who wants to stop drinking alcohol or using drugs should consider joining a sober living community. Many residents complete a rehabilitation program prior to approaching a sober living home, but this is not mandatory.

People usually go back to school, work, and get back into their daily lives while living in a sober home. Residing in a sober living home is usually less expensive than living in a residential treatment facility since the staff provides fewer services. Residents must frequently attend 12-step programs or other recovery programs.

The Difference Between Halfway Houses and Sober Living Homes

The triggers and temptations of your daily life can put your newfound sobriety to the test. The main rule of living in a halfway house is that under no circumstance is the use of drugs and alcohol tolerated while living in the home. In most situations, residents who are caught using substances in the house itself or outside the home are evicted and are not allowed to return. Drug use and relapse behavior not only impact the addict who is using substances, but it can significantly impact the safety and recovery of both residents and staff.

Some have a resident manager who oversees and enforces house rules, while others take a more social approach. Many sober living homes operate like a co-op, where a group of residents pays rent and upkeeps the home as if it were their own. In order to stay living in a sober home, everyone has to follow a set of rules, which may include meeting curfew or periodic drug testing. Some are on the campus where drug and alcohol addiction treatment is provided, and others are independent homes, apartments or condos. The number of residents depends on the size of the home or licensed beds in a facility. In most sober-living environments, bedrooms are shared, but some do provide individual rooms.

What Is a Sober Living House?

Accountability is important not only for SLH residents but for operating staff as well. As such, qualified staff structures in Level 3 or 4 housing may provide better results. Sober living programs operate differently based on how much support they offer. In lenient SLHs, a violating resident is liable to be restricted from select What are sober living homes privileges. If rules continue to be broken, they may be booted from the sober living home. However, most residents stay 6-9 months before leaving for full independence. Sober living can be attended by people who have not gone through a formal rehabilitation program but simply wish to get hep to abstain from addictive impulses.