
Due to how interchangeably these terms are used, it is important to ask questions about expectations and structure to determine which home is the right fit for you. This level of support is desirable in that it tends to be cost-contained. Length of stay varies and is open-ended, generally from 90 days to several years. Going to rehab first and sober living second gives you the best of both worlds. Has been contributing to medical fields including mental health and addiction since she retired from medicine; with over 19 years of practicing clinical experience.
What happens if I need to go back to residential treatment?
When you’re ready to start treatment programs to address your drug or alcohol addiction, you will likely hear several terms related to addiction that you may not be used to. Outpatient programs, halfway houses, and sober housing are all examples of the terminology you may not be used to hearing. However, it’s key to the overall success of your recovery to have a broad understanding of them.
Who Pays for Sober Living Homes?
- But, aren’t rehabs supposed to provide psychological and psychiatric care to clients?
- One study into people being treated for heroin addiction showed a considerable risk of death from overdose in the month following treatment.
- Usually, residents have recently completed inpatient or intensive outpatient treatment for substance use addiction.
- Surprisingly, you might find that it is not so difficult to locate a perfectly suited sober home to function as a rehab alternative.
They may arrange for a 12 step meetings, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or narcotics anonymous meetings, to be held in a common area. It is not uncommon for people to mistake a sober house and a rehab or treatment center as the same thing. But, while critical to those seeking sobriety from drug or alcohol abuse, each plays a completely different role in the path to a sober lifestyle.
The Need for Supportive Housing

The delineation of a recovery residence continuum model offers an unprecedented degree of professionalism to a portion of the field of addiction recovery that has heretofore been laden with stigma. Those that refer to themselves as recovery residences, rather than halfway houses, are more likely to aspire to professionally accepted protocol of operation, and ideally adhere to certified standards. The term https://ecosoberhouse.com/ ‘halfway house’ has come to mean different things in different parts of the country. For instance, in Pennsylvania, a halfway house is a structured residential treatment center, whereas in Florida it might be a transitional residence following treatment. Sober living homes and drug rehabs are for two different phases of recovery. To further explain, the early stages of drug recovery are the most volatile.

- For instance, in Pennsylvania, a halfway house is a structured residential treatment center, whereas in Florida it might be a transitional residence following treatment.
- Those who live in these houses rent rooms indefinitely and live a life in accordance with their responsibilities, like work and school.
A sober living house is a transitional residence that offers support, encouragement, and resources to assist you in navigating the challenges you may face in the initial phases of addiction recovery. At a sober living house, rules and safeguards can help build a foundation for sustained long-term abstinence and improved quality of life. For example, there are people who choose to skip rehab treatment programs altogether, instead choosing outpatient medical care over residential treatment. They may choose to go to a private doctor for Suboxone treatment, if they have an opioid addiction issue.
- The ideal time to end your time at a sober living house is after you have established a strong foundation for moving forward sober, with a good quality of life and strong community support.
- A sober living home is a residential home which is configured in such a way to be a safe place for people who are overcoming addictions to live.
- Other times, they function as a more intensive residential facility, meaning that there is consistent recovery programming, requirements, and staff present in the house.
- Once you get out of rehab for addiction, it’s suggested by professionals that you seek additional help through a sober living facility.
- When researching a new home environment, check in with your intuition and speak with your clinical team and treatment specialists to explore safe and supportive living options.
- Much of the confusion arises due to the widely known practice of inpatient rehabilitation or “short-term residential treatment” where patients undergo rehab treatment in an in-house, residence-type facility.
When a Sober Living Environment Is Right for You

Well some of the very high-end rehabs to provide direct medical care from board-certified psychiatrists and doctors of psychology, this level of care would not be typical of most rehabs. In a well managed sober living home, the home manager watches the residence closely. Residents are drug tested, and they are sober house vs rehab expected to have safe and responsible their jobs, they are expected to contribute to chores in the household, and they are expected to submit to regular drug testing. A sober living home is a residential home which is configured in such a way to be a safe place for people who are overcoming addictions to live.

Should I go to a sober living house or residential rehabilitation for my addiction?
Level 4: Service Provider Recovery Residence
