Getting Sober Through a Halfway House System
Drug and alcohol abuse and addiction issues are at an all-time high in the US. We know that the majority of people that become addicted to substances suffer from a co-occurring mental health disorder. Unfortunately, most of these people either continue to suffer because they don’t know where to turn for help, don’t know that they have a mental health issue, or are ashamed of it. Drugs are a way to self-medicate and for them to treat their mental illness.
Most people have to hit rock bottom before they decide that they’ve had enough and are ready for treatment. There are different types of treatment that people use, but outpatient treatment has become increasingly more popular. Here is the only issue, people attempt to stay clean outside of the treatment environment, but going back to the same environment they left triggers them, and they slip up. An estimated 80% of people who enter treatment end up having a relapse before they achieve long-term sobriety.
Halfway Houses & Long-Term Sobriety?
The National Institute of Health Journal of substance use “Eighteen Month Outcomes for Clients Receiving Combined Outpatient Treatment and Sober Living Houses” says,
Over the past several decades, treatment for addiction problems in the U.S. has transitioned from services delivered primarily in an inpatient or residential settings to services delivered in outpatient programs. While outpatient programs have the advantage of containing costs and enabling clients to continue activities (e.g., work and school) that can support recovery, there are disadvantages. Relapse rates are high for clients who do not live in environments that support recovery, and in some cases, clients live in environments that actively encourage alcohol and drug use. For these individuals, the progress they make while attending outpatient programs can be undermined by characteristics of the social environment where they live. This issue is particularly prominent in low-income areas where there are higher crime rates, heavy drinking, and illicit drug use. Studies in the U.S. have shown that publicly financed programs in urban areas treat large proportions of clients who reside in destructive living environments that do not support recovery. (NIH)
This is where a halfway house is beneficial. Halfway houses are transitional care facilities to help addicts and inmates prepare for going back out into the real world. After receiving substance abuse treatment, many people either aren’t comfortable going right back out to normalcy or don’t have any place to go. It is so important for a recovering addict to have a safe place to go at the end of each day. Halfway houses are a safe environment free of drugs and alcohol that help addicts maintain sobriety while transitioning back to a normal everyday life. This removes the fear many have in early sobriety about re-entering society.
What Kind of Recovery Halfway Houses Provide?
Halfway houses provide accountability which typically helps stop slipping into old behaviors long before a relapse occurs. Most of them provide group therapy which allows residents to share what’s on their mind and makes them feel less lonely because others are going through the same things! Halfway houses motivate individuals to be responsible. Each place has its own set of rules that tenants have to follow. This provides discipline and promotes positive habits. Homes provide a sober social circle, so individuals have a set of sober friends they can turn to for support.
Halfway houses provided the level of care and added support necessary for a person new in recovery to obtain long-term sobriety.
Halfway Houses for Addiction And Alcoholism
If you or someone you love is looking for a premier, co-ed halfway house, New You Sober Living can help. New You Sober Living treats everyone with dignity and respect. We will help get you on the path to leading a successful long-term recovery because we have been in your shoes. Our facility is beachfront, so you can relax and find your inner self in a peaceful, serene, and beautiful environment. Our team of specialists is available around the clock to assist you and would love to hear from you.
