What Are Co-Ed Sober Living Homes?

Sober living homes provide a safe, structured, and drug-free environment for those in early sobriety to live in while developing a strong support system and getting stronger in their recovery. The main goals of any sober living home are to help individuals in early recovery learn how to cope, stay sober, and successfully transition back to life in the “real world”.

Sober living homes for the longest were gender-specific, but times have changed. There are now co-ed and couples sober living homes available. Co-ed sober living homes have both positives and negatives associated with them. Let’s first look at some of the positives of co-ed sober living homes.

How Can Sober Living Homes Be Co-Ed?

Positives of Co-Ed Sober Living Homes

Some of the positives of going to a co-ed sober living home can be:

  • You can learn how to communicate successfully with both genders.
  • You can get different perspectives on situations.
  • You can develop companionship or a “sibling”.
  • Learn how to stay focused on recovery despite the temptation to develop a relationship.

Co-ed sober living homes allow addicts to develop relationships across genders. When a person is in recovery, having a big support system and people that you can go to from both genders when you need to talk helps. Sometimes just having a different perspective on things you are going through can be very beneficial and therapeutic, and it can help you grow as a person. When trying to process past relationships with friends and family and dealing with ongoing issues in recovery, being able to interact with both genders can help a person grow therapeutically.

Negatives of Co-Ed Sober Living Homes

Co-ed sober living homes also have some negative aspects associated with them. One of the biggest is the temptation to get into a relationship. While there isn’t any official policy in treatment programs or the program of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) that specifically closes the door on relationships in early recovery, most programs strongly advise abstaining from romantic relationships in early sobriety. Developing a relationship in early recovery can be a huge distraction and can even potentially trigger an individual to relapse if the relationship doesn’t work out.

One of the other negative aspects of co-ed sober living is the temptation to get involved in short relationships for sex. People in early recovery often use sex to try to fill the void that substances once filled. These relationships aren’t in any way meaningful, and they could also trigger both parties into a relapse.

As stated above, co-ed sober living homes are great for developing non-romantic relationships, across genders, while helping the individual increase their support system.

If faced with the choice of either going to a co-ed or gender-specific sober living home, it is wise to make an individualized decision based on the person’s history. Co-ed sober living homes may be a good option for some while being a terrible option for others.

Co-Ed Sober Living Homes for Men and Women

If you or someone you know is looking for a premier, co-ed sober living home, New You Sober Living is the place for you. At New You Sober Living, we treat everyone with the dignity and respect they deserve. Our co-ed sober living home will help get you on the path to leading a successful long-term recovery. Our facility is beachfront so you can relax and find your inner self. A team of specialists is available around the clock to assist you, so give us a call today at (954) 751-4367 for more information.