A sober living home is a place where residents are helped to break free from their drinking habits or drug addiction through a stable recovery process. Such homes help such ones transition from addiction and come back into society as sober and responsible people. Sober living in Los Angeles is such a home that provides treatment to people who have recently finished a rehab program.
These facilities are integrated into quiet environments in order to provide a peaceful setting for residents to focus on their recovery. These facilities are owned by businesses and charities while others are privately owned. These residents do not necessarily need to live nearby the place and some of them come from various parts of the country. Addiction is something that affects people from all races, ages, and economic backgrounds.
When to Move into Sober Living Los Angeles Homes
After a person completes the ad in-patient program, he can move into an inpatient program. It is in such a place that an individual receives the help and support he needs from professionals in their transition to a sober lifestyle.
A resident at Sober Living Los Angeles home is free to come and go as he pleases. A person will be helped to establish healthy living habits. This is an important step in helping an addict come back into society as a responsible individual.
A structured environment helps individuals as they enjoy the loving support of counselors, sponsors, co-residents and program directors. This environment is aimed at reducing the chances of helping an individual relapse into addiction.
What To Expect at Sober Living Homes
After one has completed their in-patient care at a recovery center, he needs to join a sober living home first before going home. This is because a sober home environment promotes structured surroundings where an addict can adjust to a normal everyday life while developing healthy habits. Only after this stage can a person safely go back to their respective homes.
Residents in these homes are helped in a number of ways such as
- Guide them through the process of reconciling with their friends and family who are affected by his substance abuse
- Assistance in finding employment
- Maintain a sober lifestyle even in an unstructured home environment
Although residents have the freedom to come and go as they wish, they still have to follow certain rules. Chores are assigned which must be completed in order to maintain a clean space. Residents are also expected to follow the curriculum and attend meetings and groups.
A house manager is always present to oversee all of the activities. He is also responsible for ensuring residents comply with the rules and participate at every level of the program.
These homes are not to be confused with rehab centers. They are different in that they allow more freedom of movement. However, residents are still expected to abide by curfews and submit to random drug tests.
Residents must demonstrate great responsibility and they do this by completing the house chores such as maintaining a clean and safe living space. They also pay their own rent, buy their own groceries, do their own laundry and cook for themselves. These routines are helpful in that they foster independence, responsibility, and self-reliance.
Residents must sign a contract as a sign of commitment to compliance of these rules. There are penalties for violations and these vary from home to home. These might involve fines or assignment to other serious duties. Any type of alcohol is prohibited including certain brands of vanilla or mouthwash.
Day to Day Living
A typical day at a sober environment resembles a normal residential environment in structure. Residents wake up at a certain scheduled time in order to meet their work or school program obligations. They make their breakfast and resumes normal daily routines.
The afternoons and evenings may vary depending on a resident’s commitment and group schedules. It is normal for residents of sober homes to participate in a number of recreational activities such as indoor games, video games, hiking, basketball and barbecuing.
The Length of Stay
Several factors will determine how long a person will stay inside a sober living home and these include:
- Length of addiction
- Age of the individual
- The severity of the addiction
- Psychological disposition
- Support system
- Severity of injury
There is no solution suitable or practical for all situations and so it is best for a resident to discuss the topic his options with a professional. Generally, a resident must stay at least 90 days. Individuals who stay for a long time without going to school or workplace should stay longer so that they can be better re-immersed in society. Considering the fact that sober homes are more affordable than rehab facilities, a person can extend his stay for 12 or 18 months.
The Level System
Most homes work on a level system in which a person enters the home as a Level One patient and gradually goes up to the other levels as they complete various assignments and obey the rules. As residents move through the level system, they gain more privileges and enjoy increased independence. This also helps them to develop as individuals.
The program structure allows residents to increase their sense of responsibility and accountability. One remains a part of a strong recovery community and this helps him to maintain long-term sobriety and stays focused on achieving personal goals.
Effective of Sober Living Homes
According to a study published by the National Centre for Biotechnology, there are impressive results after patients stay for a long time inside a sober home. Improvements were recorded in employment, arrest and psychiatric problems.
The data also showed greater success in residents who stayed at least 6-12 months and these could remain abstinent for long periods. This shows that these facilities have succeeded in providing a high level of autonomy for residents while fostering personal growth.
Mandy X
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
