Living in a solid sober home after you complete treatment can be one of the best things you do for your ongoing recovery. It gives you accountability, rules, and keeps you surrounded by your peers as a support system. At the same time, it allows you the freedom to reintegrate back into the real world while continuing to focus on your recovery.

Picking the right sober home can literally be the difference between a relapse and sobriety, so it is really important to do your research and know where you are going. There are many reputable sober living facilities out there, but there are also many places looking to take advantage of people in recovery and make a quick buck. Those places don’t care what goes on behind closed doors, no matter how ugly it gets. Here are some tips for finding a good place to live.

How to Recognize a Good Sober Home

It is a good idea to start planning for your extended care while you are still in rehab. This includes where you will live. Sober living is one of the best things you can do for your recovery because it keeps you accountable. Going back to a previous residence can be a trigger for many people, so this ensures that doesn’t happen.

One of the first things to do is listen to your counselors, therapists, and doctors. They have worked with hundreds of people just like you, and if they recommend certain sober living homes, chances are that they are reputable places that will have your best interest in mind. Discuss any and all concerns you have with your care team so that together you can find the best place for your needs.

If you are looking on your own, this can make things a little tougher. First of all, always be on the lookout for sober homes that offer any kind of incentive or kick back for living there. Many places lure recovering addicts in with discounted rent, phones that are paid for, and other things. Almost always, these places are looking to profit off of you, and do not actually care about your addiction recovery. This is a major red flag.

When you have found a few places that look legitimate, schedule tours and meetings with the staff so that you can get the feel for the place in person. You will be living there, after all, so you want to make sure it is a good fit. Talk to everyone and ask all the questions you think of. Also, talk to the other people to live there if you have the opportunity to meet them and do your own independent research. Word of mouth is a great way to figure out how good a sober home really is.

Beware the Flop House

Chances are you have probably heard of a flop house. It’s a sober living home where people continually relapse, and maybe even overdose and die. It is an absolutely horrible place for a recovering addict to be, but unfortunately, many end up there because they are often cheaper than reputable places and offer the kickbacks we discussed before. A desperate person in recovery with little money can easily be lured in by these places.

Some red flags to watch for so that you don’t get lured in include being wary of coed housing. This is just never a good idea. There is too much opportunity for distraction and bad things to happen. Your best bet is to look for a gender-specific sober home or at least one that houses men and women separately. Also, always be wary of incentives and kickbacks. Those kinds of places are only interested in making money off of you. If the house is lax about rules like curfew, etc, also beware. The point of a sober home is to keep you on the straight and narrow.

When it comes to picking a sober home, be smart, do your research, and trust your gut feeling. When you pick the right one, it can literally be the best thing to happen to you for your sobriety, happiness, and health.