Five Helpful Tips to Choose Sober Living Homes

Learning to live without addiction is like learning to walk with baby steps. Each move forward might be uncertain, and progress is likely to be slow. But each day brings new strength, and each moment that doesn’t include a fall can allow feelings of confidence to grow. People in recovery need warm and comfortable surroundings to soften their rough edges and help them grow. The right sober living homes in San Francisco can provide that environment, but unfortunately, many facilities claim to be therapeutic, but that provides only heartache and discomfort. 

Separating the good from the bad can take time, but once families know what to watch for, they will make a good decision. Given below are some tips for choosing the right sober living homes: 

• Mark Your Priorities:

When choosing the right sober living homes in San Francisco, consider your immediate needs. If you don’t have a vehicle and rely on regular public transport or walking, be sure to locate a home within easy reach of work, food, and group or individual counselling or meetings. In some cases, someone leaving treatment may feel unsafe because of an unstable former partner or another person in their life. A home that offers a strict curfew and additional security might be a high priority in those circumstances.

• Good Management System: 

Your sober living home must have mandatory rules and regulations, including curfews and an alcohol-free environment. Anything less can be a risk you shouldn’t be willing to take. Stability is very crucial in the first months of recovery. Rules and responsibilities can offer you a sense of accountability for your actions, and motivate you to move on your path toward long-term sober living. When it comes to maintaining a sober living environment, the more structure the sober living home has, the better. 

• Cost: 

Cost of living in the house is also essential to understand. In addition to the rent, are you responsible for sharing the parking, utilities or other fees? If so, find out the general average cost of utilities each month, so you have an accurate picture of what you will be required to pay.

• Visit the Home: 

You need to visit the sober living home once to get a sense of its spirit, mood and environment. You should feel a sense of positive vibes, or have an inner feeling that it’s the best place for you. The people living there should appear well taken care of and happy – at least for the most part.  

• Talk to the Staff: 

Talk to some of the staff members, making sure they treat the patients appropriately. The staff at the facility should be professional, well-trained and dedicated to the safety of residents. Strong staffs are the backbone of a good sober living home. The staff should truly care about the success of the residents. They shouldn’t be afraid to enforce the rules and kick residents out who break them. Finally, the staff should have experience in the field of addictions and recovery.

 Benefits of A Sober Living Home

A sober living home is an ideal living environment where you have time to become acquainted with life outside of drug or alcohol use. It is also a form of group support in roommates with a similar vested interest. The benefits of a sober living home include the broadening of your social network and provide an understanding environment in which you can openly talk about your past things without feeling judged. All while becoming acquainted with a new pattern of living that does not involve the pitfalls of addiction.

Choosing the right sober living home can also provide you with a support network for life. Surrounding yourself with other people who understand what you’re going through can help immensely with your recovery. It is not uncommon for residents to establish close bonds with the people they live with, continuing the friendship even after their time in sober living. The right sober living home can improve your recovery success.

How to Choose?

Every sober living home is different, which means you have many options for choosing a sober living option that fits your needs. Depending on the organization or individual sponsoring the home, each home may have a different set of rules and guidelines to live by. These guidelines are set in place to help keep the home a safe and healing environment for its residents.

Commonly, sober living homes may be dedicated to a specific gender. These gender-specific sober living homes are intended to relieve temptations and other triggers, so you can focus on your recovery. All-male or all-female homes allow residents to feel more comfortable expressing their emotions or feelings regarding their addiction. These homes are also designed to create a fellowship feeling to provide more support on your most challenging days.