Staying at a sober living home is a great way to continue on the road to recovery even after treatment is complete. Yet, many people have a lot of misconceptions about them. The following list of seven inebriating myths will clear things up once and for all to provide a better understanding of what a sober living home offers its residents grappling with addiction.
Table of Contents
Myth #1: Sober living homes are just rehabilitation centers
Sober living homes are not rehab centers. For example, providers of transitional and sober living in Tampa, Florida, like Clean Recovery Centers, focus on helping individuals enroll into a “clean community” that helps them maintain their sobriety and acquire the skills they need to live free from the strangling fist of a substance use disorder.
Greater sense of freedom
While residents of sober living homes work toward rebuilding their lives, they tend to have a far greater sense of freedom than those who reside at a rehabilitation center. Those enrolled can work and lead their own lives while having the support of other members in the house.
Myth #2: Family members are not allowed
Family members are one of the essential parts of a person’s life, which is why sober living homes are working to become more accommodating. As such, many have begun including family weekend visits as part of their service.
Myth #3: Residents go on extravagant vacations
The stereotype that residents at sober living homes spend all of their time partying and going on fun trips is a harsh one. There’s only a limited number of days in which they may leave the facility. Their trips tend to be far more modest than extravagant.
Residents usually take such trips with other house members to build strong, supportive relationships.
Myth #4: It’s just glorified babysitting
Another common misconception is that sober living homes serve as nothing more than glorified babysitting services. In actuality, residents at sober living homes tend to work full-time jobs or attend classes just as they would outside of the home.
Myth #5: There’s no freedom without drugs
In a sense, living freely is one of the most significant downsides of staying at a rehabilitation center versus a sober living home.
Since residents are not allowed to leave during the early stages of recovery, they spend most of their time engulfed in their recovery process–with very few distractions. Although, rest assured, that there are opportunities to graduate to a more independent lifestyle within the four walls of a sober living home.
Once residents are more independent, they can attend things like concerts or sporting events. These events allow residents to do something they enjoy while still maintaining sobriety.
Myth #6: It costs a fortune
There is an average cost associated with living at a sober living home, typically between $800 and $5600 a month. However, house members have many options that help them better afford their stays, such as grants, scholarships, and even financing.
Myth #7: Residents are forced to work for their place
To maintain a clean, drug-free environment free from temptation, residents are allowed to stay only after proving they can maintain sobriety without the temptation of drugs in their current living environment.
Wrapping up
Sober living homes are not rehab centers. Rather, these recovery-conducive environments are a space to help individuals work towards living a healthy life in sobriety. While each home will be different, it’s safe to say that each provides members with the support they need to feel confident in their pursuit of recovery.
