The quest for sobriety can be a lifelong journey for most individuals undergoing recovery. It begins from seeking help from detox or rehabilitation facilities, depending on your addiction or disorder type. The facilities aim to help you recover and overcome your problem and attain sobriety as an individual. After your stay in a detox or rehab center, you may long to have your freedom from the restricted environment, but it may not be a smart move for you. You may be afraid to go back to the environment and friends whom they engaged in addictive behavior together as it may trigger relapsing. This can be a stressing factor, and since your care providers are concerned about your recovery, they may suggest going into a halfway house.

What Is a Halfway House?

A halfway house is a transitional living facility that grants you the freedom to start living your life after recovery, and it holds you accountable during your stay. It gives support to individuals committed to living after addiction and is new to the recovery phase. The term ‘halfway house’ is because the residents are living independently, and at the same time, they are also restricted in the behavior by the care providers at the facility. A halfway house enables the residents to familiarize themselves with each other and synchronize around their neighborhood. Some people go to halfway houses after leaving prison, after court orders or due to homelessness. In most halfway houses, individuals take drug screening tests since they need to ensure the safety of the other residents, and also, they are rarely equipped to handle withdrawal symptoms.

Duration Taken While Living in a Halfway House

The time taken by each individual’s stay depends on several factors since people are different, but the majority of the residents stay between three months to a year. This duration allows an individual to get back on track, get a good job, and gain control of their life again. Halfway houses decrease the chances of individuals relapsing back to alcohol and substance use. Some halfway houses encourage residents to get a steady job and pay rental arrears at the facility to enable an individual to acquire a balance between recovery and work and be responsible. Other halfway houses may have a 12 step mandatory meeting schedules, a set of chores or curfews for the residents. Mandatory meeting schedules can be specified according to an individual’s former addiction. For instance, an individual whose former addiction is alcohol is required to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and one whose former addiction is drugs to attend Narcotics Anonymous ones. This is because they can easily associate with those with similar recoveries and thereby makes them feel motivated to achieve recovery.

Is a Halfway House Different from a Sober Living House?

Most individuals in a halfway house are addicts seeking transition while undergoing recovery, and it is sometimes referred to as a sober house. However, there is a difference between a sober house and a halfway house. Some of the halfway houses in the United States may offer treatment alongside rehabilitation, which mostly happens during the day, and it involves individual and group counseling among residents. The costs at the halfway house are halfway catered for by the federal government. On the other hand, in a sober living house, residents are expected to provide for their expenses during their stay. This is because they are owned by an individual or a private entity. Sober living houses have strict rules and regulations, and they don’t tolerate drug and substance abuse or possession. Residents can also have some privacy since the rooms are private and individualized, unlike halfway houses, which are dorms mostly.

Recover Residence Levels

A halfway house may have monitoring levels which are as follows;

• The first level monitoring whereby the residents keep an eye on each other’s well being. There are also no services offered, and there is no paid staff at this level.  It lasts from three months to a few years.
• The second level involves a community-based approach. This level also has close supervision from a member of staff or a senior resident who keeps an eye on the residents and makes sure the guidelines are followed.
• The third level involves a set of life-skills provided to the residents and is best suitable for residents who need higher support levels.
• The fourth level entails clinical programs alongside life skills. The program is conducted by a licensed professional, and it’s majorly preparing a resident for the next step, like living as a person. At times, care plans may cater to this stage if they don’t cater to other phases.

Riviera Sober Living

Riviera Sober Living is a facility for health and wellness that offers services to people seeking recovery from drug and substance abuse, co-occurring disorders, and mental health disorders. Riviera’s sober living has locations in Pacific Palisades, Southern California, and West Los Angeles. The Pacific Palisades house is coed with separate bathrooms for each gender while the Barrington house is an all-male house. We also offer couples sober living services and upscale sober living facilities in Southern California and West Los Angeles. The Pacific Palisades has oceanic views by the Santa Monica Mountains while the Barrington house is close to parks, shops and has a BBQ at the outdoor patio and a cozy lounge area. Being centrally located in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and LAX, residents can go to yoga classes, meditation classes, and museums. Our team of experienced hospice professionals will make sure that your loved one receives personalized care and is comfortable throughout the recovery journey. We have well trained and registered nurses who ensure and guide an individual through the emotional turmoil that may be encountered during the period of recovery. The nurses have access to on-call doctors whenever required to facilitate a smooth recovery for you.

Conclusion

Addiction is a disease, but the good news is that it’s treatable and manageable. Once you are ready to go back into society, you may require a set of guidelines to maintain your sobriety. This can be through the help of your house care providers who will avail an after-care plan suitable for you.  After leaving the facility, it’s important to keep track of your network of support to boost each other’s morale and remind each other of recovery by engaging in activities that keep you from addictive substances. Ensure that you have proper nutrition daily and have some rest too to aid your inappropriate decision-making ability. Regular exercising is essential also, as it enables the brain to release endorphins that give a ‘feel good’ state in a person’s body.