According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, an estimated 19.7 million people suffer from substance abuse. A report by the National Institute on Drug Abuse indicates that between 40% and 60% of these people relapse after their treatment. Are you worried about relapsing?
If you want to minimize episodes of relapse, recovering addicts need to receive care services after undergoing a formal substance abuse treatment program.
Sober Living
Sober-living homes are only one of the options. You can find sober homes in Austin, where you should consider getting admitted if you feel you need more time to establish your coping mechanisms and habits before returning to your daily life. It is a place for people like you who need a transition from a treatment program to your normal life.
While you’re in the transition phase, a sober home can provide you with continued support so that you can learn how to become independent and remain substance-free in a community setup. Here are a few tips to help you find the right sober home:
Comfortable Amenities
At a minimum, a sober-living home should provide a place for you to sleep, whether in a private room, a shared room, or a dormitory with other residents. Typically, sober homes assign rooms to two residents at a time. Private rooms are considered an upscale amenity. Other upscale amenities include gyms, pools, a library, or an entertainment room.
Accommodating Staff and Residents
The ideal sober home has supportive, understanding, and generous residents. Recovering addicts who become friends with other residents they meet in sober homes are not unusual. On your first visit, try to interview a few residents to learn more about a sober home’s environment.
More importantly, a sober home must be staffed with social workers and medical professionals. In some cases, you might even find former addicts who have recovered and are now working in sober homes.
Staff and Peer Accountability
Recovering addicts often find it hard to decide for themselves. Sober homes should have strict accountability rules that keep residents from making bad decisions. Usually, accountability rules are enforced by staff and fellow residents. It’s a way of looking after your fellow residents while helping them learn decision-making skills, which will be necessary once they go out into the real world.
A Safe Location
A sober-living home should be located in a secure area, near nature but not too far from the conveniences of urban life. It should be isolated from busy places but still close to where your family and friends live so that they can visit you.
Affordable Cost
Unlike state-run halfway houses, sober-living homes are privately-owned, not receiving a single cent from government funding. They are not free. Aside from the monthly cost, you might be charged for groceries, utilities, and rent. However, sober living homes provide better care and amenities, and a longer stay for its residents.
Finding a place that can help you slowly return to your healthy life can be exciting. However, please remember that besides the things mentioned above, you should visit a sober-living home, interview its residents, and have long talks with its staff and manager before you finally decide to live there temporarily. Evaluate the environment and the people as a whole.