Halfway Homes Provide a Healthy Environment For People in Recovery
Halfway homes have gotten an ill-deserved bad name throughout the years as a place that harbors ex-prisoners, prostitutes, and drug addicts. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Sober living is simply another step in the rehabilitation process and a great way to get more sober time under your belt early in recovery.
What Do Halfway Homes Offer?
The benefit of halfway homes are many. Here are some of the top reasons to consider sober living:
- You are surrounded by other sober people in recovery. As the saying goes, you are the company you keep. In recovery, this becomes especially important because falling in with the wrong crowd can lead right to relapse.
- It gives you accountability. In the begin of learning how to live sober, it’s healthy to have some accountability besides your own. At a halfway house, you’ll have a curfew, strict zero tolerance rules about drinking and drugs, you’ll be required to keep your living area neat and clean, and you’ll also need to look for a job or attend IOP.
- It is a good way to move to a new area and get away from your old habitat. For people who don’t have to return to their previous location, a sober house is a great way to get yourself in a new area, cut the chord with the old, and start new.
- There is structure and expectations. You need to be up by a certain time, you’ll have chores, and like discussed above you’ll be held to specific standards to make sure you are living like a regular, sober adult.
- Living with others prevents isolation and boredom. One of the worst things that can happen to a person early in sobriety is isolation. This is when their mind will start going, and the possibility of relapse is very strong. It’s never a good idea to live completely alone when you first get out of treatment, but it also isn’t a good idea to move in with someone who might be using or getting drunk. Living with other sober people is your best bet.
How to Find a Good Halfway Home
There are a few things to consider when you are looking for a halfway home to reside in. Unfortunately, there are some that just want to take your money, and don’t care much about your well-being, so make sure to do your research and find the best one for you.
Word of mouth never lies, so ask people who have been to that location about their experience and recommendation. You can find out if reputable rehabs recommend them, and talk to the owner and managers. If it feels like a good fit, it probably is. Always trust your gut, and if you end up in a bad situation, make sure to get out as soon as possible!
Dr. Joseph Ranieri D.O. earned his BS in Pharmacy at Temple University School of Pharmacy in 1981 and His Doctorate Degree in Osteopathic Medicine at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1991. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and a Diplomate of the American Board of Preventive Medicine Addiction Certification. Dr. Ranieri has lectured extensively to physicians, nurses, counselors and laypeople about the Disease of Addiction throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania since 2012.
