Sober Living in New Jersey

After completing an addiction treatment in New Jersey, many people wonder: what’s next? Equipped with the new skills and clarity gained through the many therapeutic interventions offered in therapy, those in recovery are free to return home full-time. However, only some individuals in recovery may have a sober and stable home environment to return to. That is not the case for everyone. When individuals in recovery need an environment that continues their healing, sober living in New Jersey is available.

What is Sober Living Housing?

Sober living housing is a way for individuals in the early phases of recovery to maintain a sense of independence. All while maintaining sobriety. In sober living housing, residents live together in groups. In these groups, they follow a set of guidelines. These are put in place to help them stay on the road to long-term abstinence from alcohol and other drugs.

Sober living in New Jersey functions as a safe and transitional space between addiction treatment and an individual in recovery living and managing their substance use disorder (SUD) on their own. You may have heard them referred to as any of the following supportive environments:

• Halfway houses
• Recovery homes
• Recovery residences

If you are finished with or about to complete treatment and believe you would benefit from sober living in New Jersey, it is important to take the steps to do so. This type of housing can help you along the stages of recovery. Further, sober living housing leads to higher rates of sustained sobriety. They are also connected to successful transitions into community living after drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

Who Benefits from Sober Living Housing?

Sober living housing benefits many different people in different situations after they have completed an addiction treatment program. When your home environment cannot offer you the same balance that was available in addiction treatment, sober living is there to help. On the other hand, those in recovery who simply need the extra assurance that they will not relapse after treatment also benefit from sober living housing.

Recovery is a life-long journey. The goal is to manage addiction, its symptoms, and the desire to use substances while gaining stability, balance, and emotional wellbeing. Sober living housing is ideal for individuals recovering from a SUD who need a structured home environment to make that happen.

Sober living in New Jersey is available for those who have completed either inpatient or outpatient addiction treatment programs. After completing detox, abstaining from drugs or alcohol, and engaging in an addiction treatment program, some individuals are not ready to return to a drug-filled society. Sober living provides the opportunity to hone the skills learned in treatment while facilitating new skills that can further prevent relapses.

The Benefits of Sober Living Housing

Sober living homes provide many benefits to help you successfully recover from drug or alcohol addiction. From providing a safe living environment for residents to offering continued education and support after addiction treatment, sober living in New Jersey can become a valuable part of your recovery journey.

Guidance and Support

While in a sober living environment, residents receive guidance and support. These can help prevent returning to daily abusing drugs or alcohol. Often, sober living provides additional counseling. This can help residents break the thinking patterns they developed while abusing drugs or alcohol.

Residents of sober living homes also have access to medical and employment assistance if needed. It is helpful to know you have a support system in place for when problems arise, especially while living on your own.

Transitioning Back to Everyday Life

The greatest benefit of sober living housing is the ability to slowly transition back into everyday life. After spending time in a treatment environment, the world can seem daunting as it is full of substances and situations we cannot control.

Having a sober living home to return to in the meantime is a great way for individuals in recovery to start feeling comfortable with themselves again. It also reassures individuals that they have people who want to help them, and it’s okay to need help. Sober housing homes also give residents the time and space they need to get back on their feet if they need to acquire a job or enroll back in school.

Healthy and Sober Relationships

In the throes of addiction, many people associate with others who are also doing drugs or with people who enable them to abuse drugs and alcohol. Sober living arrangements, instead, provide the opportunity to create healthy relationships. Each individual in the sober living house will have committed to abstaining from drug and alcohol use and can be a reliable source of support to others going through the same situation.

Healthy Living

Without having to worry about finding drugs or alcohol, sober living housing offers an opportunity for residents to focus on their health. The environment allows individuals to reduce stress, promote physical well-being, and maintain emotional stability. Residents are encouraged to get enough sleep at night, engage in activities during the day (which can include physical activities such as sports), and may even learn valuable health skills such as healthy cooking.

Preventing Relapse

The main goal of sober living housing, in New Jersey or otherwise, is to prevent relapse. This is achieved by transitioning individuals slowly back into everyday life. Studies show that newly sober individuals in early recovery (within one month of quitting drinking or using drugs) are much more likely to relapse if they live with active users. However, when recovering addicts and alcoholics live in sober living housing, where other residents have similar goals of maintaining sobriety, the risk of relapse is greatly reduced.

How to Decide if Sober Living is Right for Me

Sober living homes are found in many communities throughout the country. This includes sober living in New Jersey and in other states. However, every sober living facility is different. Therefore, it’s important to know what to look for when choosing sober living housing. There are several things you should look into before making your decision, such as:

• The location of the facility
• Treatment options available at the facility
• Security measures in place at the facility
• Staff training and experience with addiction treatment

By visiting a sober living housing center, you’ll have a chance to talk to current tenants about their experiences. Ask them what they feel they would improve upon if they were in charge of operations. You also tour the facilities to see how the living arrangements are structured. Then you can decide whether you will be happy attending a sober living housing program there.

What to Expect in Sober Living Housing

Sober living, in New Jersey or otherwise, generally prescribes a structured daily schedule. These include three meals, eight hours of sleep, and recreational activities. Additionally, you can expect counseling sessions, peer support groups, and other sober social events during the week. However, no sober living housing is the same. Similar to how no addiction treatment program is the same. 

Most sober living homes follow a set of guidelines to support their residents. While in sober living housing, it is likely that you can expect:

• Regular drug tests
• House meetings where tenants share their thoughts on the home and may be provided with the opportunity to suggest changes
• Drugs and alcohol not being allowed in the facility
• Residents have to sign contracts agreeing to abide by the rules of their lease 
• Curfews that require residents to return to the sober living facility at a certain time each evening
• Accountability, such as being responsible for messes you make

The rules that govern a sober living house are put in place to provide structure and support to its tenants. While living in a sober living house may seem inconvenient due to strict guidelines, it is often the best decision for those trying to get their lives back on track after recovering from alcohol or drug abuse. Enrolling in a sober living housing program can help people achieve long-term sobriety, allowing them to maintain their new lifestyle without compromising their sobriety.

Costs Associated with Sober Living in New Jersey

The expenses for a sober living house generally run between $450 and $750, but this depends on the location, amenities, and other factors. The cost can potentially also include security deposits, rent, and utilities. However, some programs include utilities in the total cost of the monthly rent.

People who attend sober living housing are usually able to work while they are going through treatment. Many patients use a portion of their income to cover some living costs while staying in a sober living home. In addition, some homes offer scholarships for individuals who are not able to afford sober living out of pocket.

Additionally, sober living homes may require that you buy your own groceries and medications. With a combination of insurance and wages from working, most people can easily afford sober living arrangements.

Achieving Sobriety with Achieve Wellness and Recovery

Before sober living housing, comes addiction treatment. Here at Achieve Wellness and Recovery addiction treatment facility in new Jersey, we offer addiction treatment programs for those who are ready to break the cycle of addiction. Through addiction treatment, we believe that individuals who suffer from a SUD can achieve long-term sobriety and the balance in life that allows them to abstain from drugs and alcohol.

If you’re ready to commit to recovery, we can help. Contact us today to learn more about the treatment programs we offer.