One of the best things you can do to protect your sobriety after treatment resides in a sober home. Equally as important is that you find the right one that works for you and what you need. There are many different kinds of sober living arrangements, and it is up to you to figure out the one that is best suited for you.

Be Careful When Choosing a Sober Home

It is the unfortunate truth that many sober homes are poorly run. When you are deciding on a place to live, it is important to check referrals and speak to people who have lived there or people who know someone who has. Word of mouth is often the most accurate representation of these kinds of places. Obviously, use your discretion, but if more than one person has negative things to say about it, you should probably listen.

If you are in treatment and choosing a sober home to live in with your treatment team, they will most likely already know of reputable places to send you. With them, you can choose somewhere that will be safe, secure, and good for sustaining your sobriety.

Unfortunately, drug and alcohol addiction treatment is a large industry, and with that comes people who are trying to make money. At all cost, avoid places that offer you a discount on rent in exchange for attending certain treatment facilities, because this most likely signals patient brokering, which is a huge problem in some areas. Basically, these kinds of places are looking to make money off of you, and don’t have your best interest in mind.

Traits to Look for in a Solid Sober Home

Not all sober homes are created equal, so pay attention to these things that every good sober living home should have:

1. Naturally, it should be clean, neat, and well cared for. A sober home is intended to be your stepping stone in living as a sober, self-sufficient adult. If the place looks rundown and unkempt, chances are the management will be the same.
2. It should have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to drugs and alcohol. If they allow anything at all, this likely means that you are looking at a flophouse and not a sober home. A flophouse is a bad place where people abuse drugs and the people running the house usually look the other way. It is a terrible place for a recovering addict to be because temptation will be present.
3. A caring staff. When you visit the sober home, the staff should be pleasant, upbeat, and interested in helping you. These are good indicators that they have your best interest in mind, and that they aren’t just looking to make a buck off of you. You should feel comfortable asking them as many questions as you need so that you feel confident in making your decision.
4. A good halfway house will be gender specific. Meaning, males in one house, and females in another. Clearly, it brings a whole new element to recovery when people of different genders are living together. Most reputable halfway homes keep men and women separate, at least as far as their living quarters go to eliminate unnecessary distractions.
5. The home will have rigid rules. These rules include things like enforcing a curfew, mandatory 12-step meetings, and regular drug tests. While it may seem annoying, it is important to realize that these rules are in place to keep you accountable for staying sober and doing the right things.

The best thing you can do when looking for a sober home is taking your time to find the right one. And, when you do find it, make sure to visit it, speak with people who live there, and do your research about the place. Trust your gut feeling about a place after all our intuition is a great guide. And remember, don’t ever settle, instead make sure that you find the perfect place for you.