Sobriety Strategies: 13 Tips for Staying Sober

The risk of relapse is particularly high in the first few months following treatment. Studies have identified that 65% to 70% of people relapse within the initial 90-day period. 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. Typically, there are rules about shared living spaces and individual room maintenance and chores, visitor hours, meal times, curfews and Twelve Step meeting requirements.

It’s More Than a Sober House, It’s Home

Sober living houses are usually peer-run facilities encouraging continued substance use disorder recovery. Occasionally they are run by a charity or an addiction treatment center as a less structured and more informal version of the inpatient treatment plans they offer. Sober living houses allow residents to live together in a drug and alcohol-free space. Residents pay rent to live there at a value similar to renting privately in the local area.

Sober Living Homes

However, some halfway houses are designed to reduce drug relapse rates for high-risk individuals leaving incarceration. The risk of relapse when someone leaves addiction treatment is particularly concerning. One study into people being treated for heroin addiction showed a considerable risk of death from overdose in the month following treatment. This indicates the need for greater health education of drug users and the implementation of relapse and overdose death prevention programs.

• There are many more interventions that may be used to help you recover from substance misuse.
• You can expect certain alcohol withdrawal symptoms such as sleep disruption to occur, though some people can experience seizures and other severe symptoms.
• Sober transitional living spaces like sober homes can help you by limiting your access to drugs and alcohol.

How Do I Find a Sober House?

Depending on the severity of the addiction or substance being used, a medically supervised detox may be necessary to safely help you. Some studies find that this structure, along with a start date for sobriety and milestones, is important to some people in recovery. Residents may first move into homes with high levels of support and then transition to homes with lower levels of support. A 2006 study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that most Oxford House residents stayed more than a year, but some residents stayed more than three years.

However, sober living houses are not covered under insurance since they do not provide treatment services and thus aren’t considered rehabilitative facilities. While completing a substance abuse rehab program before moving in may not be required, it can help individuals to stay sober. However, if residents are willing to remain sober, follow all house rules, and guarantee medical stability, they should feel free to apply. In addition to reducing the risk of relapse, recovery residences have other benefits. One study of 330 residents at 49 sober living homes in California found that residents had increased odds of total abstinence and employment. The same research also identified operational characteristics that improved the success rate of sober houses.

Included Residential Sober Living Services

On the other hand, if both people have had multiple arrests within the last few months, it would probably be difficult to be admitted into sober living. Many rehabs that offer transitional living also have supervised medical detox services. Choosing a rehab that is there for its patients from day one is the best choice as you do not have to worry about any gaps in your treatment. Avenues NYC offers a wide variety of supportive options to residential and offsite clients to foster growth. For more information about Avenues NYC’s in-house recovery services, please visit our recovery services menu.

Most homestays will cost between $500 to $1,200 monthly, with all services included. But they can be anywhere between $300 and $2,000, depending on the neighborhood and amenities. Since sober living typically follows addiction treatment, getting a referral from the treatment provider is recommended. Other referral sources may include the criminal justice system, a mental health professional, Twelve Step meeting participants, or friends and family. Whatever the source of the referral, take a tour of the facility and talk to the people living there to decide if it’s the right fit for you. Let’s say you or a loved one has almost completed an alcohol or other drug addiction treatment program.

Ethos Structured Sober Living is an all male community in recovery located in the heart sober living of West Los Angeles. Our primary purpose is to foster long-term sobriety through the cultivation of accountability, camaraderie, & character development. Others may limit or restrict cell phone and internet access because they can act as triggers that could lead to relapse.