NEWS
Sober Living vs Halfway House: What’s the Difference?
In 2021, 94% of people over the age of 12 with a substance abuse disorder didn’t receive treatment. Addiction recovery can be a long and complicated process, but it’s essential to take action as soon as possible.
It’s often possible to choose between sober living vs halfway house treatment, but it can be difficult to make the right decision. Let’s explore the key details you need to know before you move forward.
What Is a Sober Living Home?
A sober living home is a place people can stay and receive the proper support for overcoming their addictions.
Its purpose is to establish a community that helps people abstain from drugs and alcohol. Those who reside in sober living homes often participate in outpatient rehab programs.
They might also stay in a sober living home after completing treatment at an inpatient rehab facility. Sober living locations help you apply what you learned in rehab to your everyday life. It’s not uncommon for people to have trouble adjusting to regular society after completing a rehab program.
The community in these areas goes a long way in helping people overcome the challenges of recovery. There are four different types of sober living environments:
- Peer-run
- Monitored
- Supervised
- Integrated
Peer-run facilities are typically single-family homes run by a senior resident. This individual holds other residents accountable for their behavior. House meetings and drug tests are common in these homes.
Monitored environments can also include a senior resident who holds others accountable. This role may be filled by a house manager instead. Monitored sober living homes have at least one compensated professional. The house rules in these environments are a bit more restrictive than those in peer-run facilities.
In a supervised sober living house, there is a hierarchy and administrative oversight. Stricter policies and procedures are in place. In this environment, an emphasis is placed on life skills and personal development.
Integrated sober living homes are more institutional than other forms. They are meant to serve as a transitional service for those who complete addiction treatment programs. In-house clinical services are available from certified professionals.
What Is a Halfway House?
Halfway houses are fairly similar to sober living homes. Primarily, they serve as a place of transition to help people integrate back into society from rehab facilities.
In halfway houses, many of the residents have been court mandated to be there. Sometimes, residents come from correctional facilities instead of substance abuse treatment programs.
Tenants in a halfway house might also not be enrolled in recovery programs. So, the demographics you’ll find at a halfway house are often fairly mixed.
Halfway houses are typically sponsored or owned by the state. In contrast, sober living homes are either privately owned or managed by treatment facilities. Halfway houses may have additional services compared to sober living homes. These can include mental health and educational services.
Sober Living vs Halfway House
Where you stay will depend on your situation.
To clarify, those leaving a treatment facility might choose to reside in a sober living home to ease the adjustment back into society. In contrast, those in halfway houses don’t choose to live there. As previously mentioned, the court orders them to do so.
Since residents are required to enroll in addiction treatment programs, it may not be the best environment for recovery. It’s also worth noting that the community won’t be as strong since not everyone at the house suffers from addiction.
For this reason, sober living homes are best for those who are voluntarily seeking a way to improve their situation. Not all sober living homes are created equal, though. It’s essential to choose the right one so you can get the best results.
Getting Started
Getting a referral from a treatment provider is the best way to get started. They’ll have a list of reputable sober living homes that you can look into.
You can also consult a mental health professional for this information. It’s important to consider the price of your stay. This number will be influenced by many factors, such as the location, the length of your residence, etc.
You might also have to pay extra money for additional services. Ask for a detailed breakdown to gain insight into how much you’ll need to budget. You should prioritize sober living homes that will aid your recovery.
To clarify, some homes have services that cater to almost every need of their residents. While this can make them a comfortable environment to live in, it’s not always the best choice. By the time you leave the sober living home and live on your own, you might not have sufficient life skills.
Check the reputation of the sober living home. You should never live somewhere that does not have overwhelmingly positive feedback. If you don’t enjoy where you live, it could adversely impact your mental health. This could make your recovery much more difficult.
Before you can live there, you may have to meet certain requirements. Some sober living homes require residents to have been sober for a certain number of days. Others may have additional criteria, such as having a part-time or full-time job.
Make Your Decision Today
The longer you wait to receive addiction treatment, the more complicated your situation can become. Consider the above information about sober living vs halfway house when making your choice so you can start on the right path.
Our blog has plenty of other lifestyle articles that can help you plan for your future. Check them out today to see what you can learn!
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