How To Choose A Sober Living Home

Making a substantial, meaningful decision to change your life is courageous, especially when you decide to move forward and continue your journey in recovery. Choosing a sober living home may seem overwhelming at first, but it is critical for your new life of sobriety. If you have recently graduated from inpatient treatment, residential treatment or have relapsed and are looking for more support, a sober living home may be the best decision for your recovery journey. 

Many individuals move into a sober living home as their direct approach to establishing a fulfilling and healthy lifestyle. There is a lot on the line when choosing the right sober living home because you want to have the facility work with you and not against you. Additionally, you want it to meet all of your needs so that you have the best structure and support to meet your recovery goals. So, how do you choose a sober living home?

Choosing a Sober Living Home and What to Look Out For

Sober living homes are all over the United States, and each one has its specific rules and regulations on how it operates. Some of the best sober living homes will work with you on sustaining and acquiring a healthy lifestyle. You may assume that recovering from an addiction is simply physical, but it entails much more than that.

Sober living homes are places where you can live and gain independence while you work with your treatment plans. Sober living homes are safe environments where you can develop your skills and have immediate access to the resources you need to sustain a long-term life of sobriety. Choosing a sober living home can be confusing at first. It is complicated if you are unaware of what a sober living home is like. Choosing a sober living home that is right for you starts with your recovery goals.

You can accomplish your goals in a sober living home because it will help you transition into your new lifestyle without the restrictions of an inpatient or residential treatment facility. Sober living homes will help you maintain your focus on recovery and develop your real-world applications so you can make decisions and have freedom in life. 

A few qualities you want to look for in a sober living home include:

• Proper structure

• Professionalism

• Safety

• Social environment

• Support

• Accountability

• Responsibility

Likewise, a quality sober living home will be clean and set forth guidelines for you to follow before entering.

Sober living homes will help you develop your independence and recognition to apply the skills learned in treatment to real-life scenarios. Sober living homes are also a great way to help you take your first steps back into an unknown reality. Therefore, keep your eye out for sober living homes that are in the right location, offer you continued support without distractions, and will work to help you be more constructive on your recovery journey.

Benefits of Sober Living Homes

Consider your treatment plans as you are looking into different sober living homes. One benefit of living in a sober home is that they model themselves after similar treatment plans that align with your goals. Quality sober homes will encourage you to attend your group therapy, family therapy, or meetings and help you reemerge in a social environment.

You will develop and sustain long-term, meaningful relationships while finding joy and purpose in life. Advantages in sober living homes exist because you can reflect on the underlying issues behind the addiction and work towards a better, brighter future. A quality sober living home will have a defined structure and make sure you and the facility are on the same page so you can focus on building a sober lifestyle.

Your location also determines whether a sober living home can benefit you in your recovery journey. You may choose a sober living home outside of your previous home base because it offers a diverse approach to life and can help ease out distractions. Choosing a sober living home outside of your home can give you the distance you need to instill the recovery skills to sustain long-term sobriety.

Many sober living homes will require attendance for meetings, and some will offer transportation services to get to work or go to school. Others will also have a curfew and require random drug testing. 

Always Consider Your Needs Before Choosing A Sober Living Home

Each sober living home may be different from the next, so choose which one will best meet your needs. If you learn to develop stability, maintain self-independence, and surround yourself with support, sober living homes can accommodate your needed length of stay. Furthermore, sober living homes will teach you how to reemerge in society by teaching you tools to become and remain responsible. 

Finally, the right sober living home will provide you with quality services and deliver you a wealth of experiences that will last you forever. Choosing a sober living home needs to meet the same goals in your initial treatment plan and help you process a new lifestyle with real-world applications and resources.

The Forge Can Help You Find A Sober Living Solution

Sober living homes offer structure, rules and regulations, and stability under one roof. They’re the ideal accompaniment to drug and alcohol treatment.

For more information on how you can choose a sober living home or see what The Forge Recovery Center can offer you, please call our compassionate team today.

Written by

Brian Moore

Content Writer

Reviewed by

Jeremy Arzt

Chief Clinical Officer

May 9, 2022