Content medically reviewed by Vicky Magobet, PMHNP-BC, on August 24, 2020.
After you complete residential addiction treatment, your choices for living environments include sober living homes and your former home. Each of these approaches has its pros and cons, and everyone has a unique experience with post-rehab life. By understanding the structure of a sober living home and the potential benefits and disadvantages, you can make a better-informed decision about your home after rehab.
Learn About Outpatient Treatment
What Are Sober Living Homes?
Also known as a "sober living house" or a "sober home," a sober living home is a living space dedicated to drug-free life that usually has the following elements:
- An environment dedicated to living without alcohol or drugs: The primary rules in sober homes focus on promoting a living space without drug and alcohol use. You can't possess or use any kind of substance while living at one.
- Focus on social support: Instead of having treatment services, most sober living houses encourage or require participation in recovery support groups. Some homes have in-house meeting groups to build solidarity among their residents. The general culture of a sober home also promotes support for one another.
- House rules: To keep all residents accountable to themselves and others, sober homes have house rules that might include doing chores or participating in house meetings. These rules provide added structure to everyday living.
- Rent and living cost responsibility: As someone lives in a sober house, they pay rent and buy groceries like they would at their own home. People who live in sober homes need to have a source of income to cover these costs.
Sober Living Homes: Pros and Cons
Compared to living at home, sober homes have these potential benefits and drawbacks:
- Pros: Sober living homes provide plenty of social support and structure to give people in recovery the resources they need to succeed.
- Cons: The potential drawbacks of a sober living home depend on the specific house and your situation. For example, a sober home might have higher rent than you can afford or a location far away from your work.
Living at Home: Pros and Cons
In comparison with sober living homes, living at home could have these pros and cons for you:
- Pros: If you have a support network and recovery strategy, living at home would enable you to continue recovery in a familiar environment.
- Cons: Without extra support in place, it can become difficult to stay in recovery while at home.
What to Consider When Deciding Where to Live After Drug Rehab
Keeping the potential benefits and disadvantages of each living situation in mind and considering these life factors can help you decide on your post-rehab environment:
- Budget: How much can you afford to pay for living costs?
- Location: Can you find a sober house in a manageable location?
- Accessibility: Do you have certain living requirements for a health condition?
- Recovery support: Do you plan on getting outpatient treatment or other support services after rehab?
Get Residential Drug Rehab in Northern California
If you want to start residential addiction treatment in the Sacramento area, Diamond House Detox programs offer care in a home-like environment. Our services can make an ideal first step for someone with an addiction who needs structure as they recover.
Find out more about our services by calling 800-205-6107 or by getting in touch online.
Vicky is a board certified Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She began her nursing career in healthcare by working in the intensive care unit, and then an inpatient psychiatric hospital. After realizing the mental health needs of both the patients and the families she served, she became a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. Throughout her experience working with clients, she has developed a passion for those with dual diagnoses and specializes in helping individuals recognize the issues driving their substance use. This recognition has been crucial to the individual’s success in treatment. Vicky opened Diamond House Detox so that she can address these issues early on in a therapeutic environment to allow clients to transition to the next level in their recovery.
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