Four Things to Know about a Sobriety Home

by Kristen White Blogger

Sobriety is the top priority of these homes and therefore is a major condition for being able to live in any of the locations and guests must be sober as well. The goal is to provide an environment that encourages and supports recovering addicts to stay clean while they re-establish their lives in the community through employment, social activities and daily responsibilities. While rehab programs are not mandatory, they are helpful and most individuals participate in some type of program especially during their initial months at the home.

Staying busy means that there is less time to think about the past or to get bored and reach back out to old habits which are destructive. This is why the recovery houses in San Francisco and every other location require individuals to keep their personal areas clean and tidy as well as helping out with assigned chores around the home. It gives residents a personal sense of pride that they are part of something bigger than themselves and contributing to the household while also helping them resume patterns of cleanliness and organization. These will be assigned on a weekly basis and will change so each person has the chance to do something different according to their talents. These houses are strategically placed around the city so participants have easy access to public transportation and jobs in the event they don’t have a vehicle and are starting out with a small budget.

To ensure that everyone is abiding by the rules they agree to random drug and alcohol tests administered by the House Manager. Chronic offenders will not be re-admitted but as relapse can sometimes be part of the recovery process, those that have made a mistake can come back to live at the house after completing the required steps. When looking for recovery homes it is a good idea to check in an area that is outside the individual’s comfort zone but close enough for family members to visit for providing support. House guests are encouraged to visit but are not permitted to stay overnight and residents must adhere to the curfew especially in the beginning. Minimum stays are 30 days but most find that they are more successful when they utilize this resource for 6 months to a year because they can establish positive patterns and habits. There is a cost but it is kept as affordable as possible so that anyone can take advantage and get the help that they need by changing their surroundings and living with people who understand the challenge and have the same goals.

Sobriety is a difficult process but with the right support and encouragement, taking it day by day is possible and reaching milestones can be celebrated with friends and housemates that want you to succeed. Go online and check out the various locations of sobriety homes in California and see how you can change your life by changing where you live in a new and different way. Nightly house meetings give everyone a chance to talk about their struggles, their accomplishments and work together to achieve long-term objectives that put them on the right path.