What Did We Learn from Our Study on Sober Living Houses and Where Do We Go from Here?

Many individuals attempting to abstain from alcohol and drugs do not have access to appropriate housing that supports sustained recovery. Our study found positive longitudinal outcomes for 300 individuals living in two different types of SLHs, which suggests they might be an effective option for those in need of alcohol- and drug-free housing. Improvements were noted in alcohol and drug use, arrests, psychiatric symptoms and employment. Although criminal justice referred residents had alcohol and drug use outcomes that were similar to other residents, they had a harder time finding and keeping work and had higher rearrest rates.

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“This Halloween, leave the keys behind if you’ll be consuming alcohol or cannabis. It’s always better to call a sober friend or use a rideshare service than put yourself and other Coloradans at risk.” The fact that residents in SLHs make improvement over time does not necessarily mean that SLHs will find acceptance in the community. In fact, one of the most frustrating issues for addiction researchers is the extent to which interventions that have been shown to be effective are not implemented in community programs.

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In California, studies show that few offenders being released from state prisons have adequate housing options and in urban areas such as San Francisco and Los Angeles up to a third become homeless (Petersilia, 2003). Housing instability has contributed to high reincarceration rates in California, with up to two-thirds of parolees are reincarcerated within three years. In a study of women offenders released from jails in New York City 71% indicated that lack of adequate housing was their primary concern. It was noteworthy that a wide variety of individuals in both programs had positive outcomes. There were no significant differences within either program on outcomes among demographic subgroups or different referral sources. In addition, it is important to note that residents were able to maintain improvements even after they left the SLHs.

• Thus, the intervention is a way to help them prepare for the challenges and recognize the potential benefits of new activities and experiences.
• One 2020 study found potential benefits of combining in-person and online support methods.
• A mental health professional can help you cope with some of the challenges you’ll face on your path to sobriety.

What Did We Learn from Our Study on Sober Living Houses and Where Do We Go from Here?

The houses are different from freestanding SLHs, such as those at CSTL, because all residents must be involved in the outpatient program. Most residents enter the houses after residing in a short term homeless shelter located near the program. At admission, nearly all residents are eligible for some type of government assistance (e.g., general assistance or social security disability) and use those funds to pay SLH fees.

• Whether you’re just starting your journey or looking to reinforce your commitment, these strategies will equip you with the tools you need for lasting sobriety.
• Organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous are other ways to build a support network.
• As mothers, we need to connect, share experiences, share expertise, hear stories, and tell our own.
• Anger is a normal and natural emotion, but how you deal with it will make a difference in maintaining your recovery.
• This subreddit is a space for exploring sobriety and mindful consumption.
• Well, for men the established standard is no more than 12 drinks per week, and for women, half that.

If you’re involved in a 12-step program, you likely already know the importance of milestones. In these programs, it’s customary to receive plastic chips as you progress to the one-year mark, at which time you receive a bronze coin. Although these new activities are healthy and productive, they can be a stumbling block to lasting recovery if they become a transfer addiction to fill the void left by the original addiction. Most people who make their way into recovery have left a lot of pain and suffering in their wake. Feeling guilty or ashamed of past behavior or actions during active addiction is natural and healthy. Once you do return to work, it’s important to create a budget and take steps to safeguard yourself as work stress can be a relapse trigger.

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We suggest that efforts to translate research into treatment have not sufficiently appreciated how interventions are perceived and affected by various stakeholder groups (Polcin, 2006a). We therefore suggest that there is a need to pay attention to the community context where those interventions are delivered. Another part of establishing a solid sober relationship is to engage in shared pleasures. Often, a couple begins reasons to stay sober a relationship with such shared pleasures like eating out, hiking, going to the cinema etc, but these shared pleasures tend to fall away as drinking plays more of a role. Intimacy, including but not limited to sexual intimacy, is for most couples a shared pleasure that may have waned over time. For some couples, seeking the assistance of a counsellor or therapist in identifying and building shared pleasures can help in this process.

When things like this happen, find a sober friend or loved one you can talk to for support. And keep your schedule loose enough that you have time for group meetings and other things that can help you through rough stretches. It is generally the first step in a more comprehensive treatment plan. As described by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there is not a one-size-fits-all treatment program for addiction. Therefore, it’s important to ask questions to ensure that the program you want meets all of your needs.

• At admission, nearly all residents are eligible for some type of government assistance (e.g., general assistance or social security disability) and use those funds to pay SLH fees.
• The hope is that you will be ready to resume daily life after treatment, manage stressors and triggers, and stay sober for the long term.
• Detox can occur in a hospital setting or as the first part of inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation.
• The same method is applied to obtain the drug status of the network member; the amount of contact is multiplied by the pattern of drug use and averaged across network members.

These measures were taken from Gerstein et al. (1994) and labeled Peak Density and 6-month abstinence. Peak Density is the number of days of any substance use (i.e., any alcohol or drug) during the month of highest use over the past 6 months (coded 0-31). Six-month abstinence was a dichotomous yes/no regarding any use of alcohol of drugs over the past 6 months. While relatively few individuals or couples reach the severe range, over time many a couple’s lifestyle comes to gradually move into the mild or even moderate range. As this slow process unfolds, the couple’s lifestyle comes to accommodate drinking as opposed to other activities that once formed a strong part of the bond between them.