What Is Sober Living?

Sober living programs provide you with time in a safe, comfortable place to practice living an independent sober life. These programs are recovery-focused and offer the security of a highly structured community living environment with opportunities to earn additional privileges.

If you are enrolled in a sober living program, you are required to follow the community rules and standards. These may include chores, group meetings or other similar responsibilities. Sober homes also have strict policies prohibiting all types of substance use and random drug tests help maintain the accountability of all residents.

Sober homes can be apartments, residential homes, or entire neighborhood communities of individuals in recovery. Community homes are available for men, women and LGBT individuals, and as a resident, you’ll be required to engage in an ongoing addiction recovery support group.

Advantages of Sober Living

There are many benefits to living in a sober home before pursuing a sober lifestyle on your own at home.

Community atmosphere.

In a sober living home, you’ll be surrounded by other people facing the same struggles as you. Extremely valuable friendships can be made during this time, and many of the relationships you form here may even last for life. These relationships will provide support, encouragement and wisdom throughout your journey to recovery.

Accountability.

Throughout your addiction rehab at a sober living home, you’ll continue meeting with a sober coach or mentor who will provide additional support and accountability to help you reach your sobriety goals. Many programs also offer personal monitoring services to help keep you accountable.

Independence

Sober homes are designed to provide treatment for those who have already graduated from a residential drug and alcohol rehab program. This allows for a graduated sense of independence before you begin living a sober life on your own. A sober living program provides a safe place to learn how to make responsible day-to-day decisions and practice healthy routines.

How to Choose a Sober Living Program

1. First, it is beneficial to consider the location. Where will you feel most comfortable? Do you need to remove yourself from a harmful living situation or stressors at home? Would you prefer to stay closer to home so you can have additional support from friends and family? These are important factors to consider before deciding on a location that will best suit your lifestyle.
2. Next, you should look at the cost of potential sober home programs. Many sober living programs are very affordable and your insurance policy may also cover some substance abuse treatment services. If you are interested in one of our recommended sober living programs after detox, a member of the Hill Country Detox admissions team will gladly contact your insurance provider to verify your benefits for you.
3. Since lifelong recovery is the main purpose behind enrolling in a sober living program, we also recommend reviewing all outpatient addiction treatment options provided by any given program to make sure they are right for your needs. A high-quality sober living program will provide individual addiction monitoring with a sober coach or mentor to help keep you accountable while you progress through your recovery program.
4. We understand how important it is to feel comfortable during your stay at a sober home — regardless of how short or long it is. Since sober homes come in all shapes and sizes there are plenty of options to choose from, but you’ll want to make sure you feel safe and comfortable during your time there.

If you have additional questions about sober living programs after detox, please call 888.512.5020 to speak to a member of the Hill Country Detox admissions team.