Living alone is not only more expensive, but it also lacks the most important aspect of sober living: responsibility. In a sober living home, such as Real Deal, there are in-house managers whose sole purpose is to manage tasks, meetings, and residents. This creates a sense of community action, where people work together towards a common goal. Transitional long-term residential housing with therapy for adult men and women is available in Chicagoland, and those with dual diagnosis are welcome.
Sober living homes provide an environment of peer encouragement, camaraderie, character development and responsibility for residents. Most of the time, these houses are paid for privately through rents and other fees paid by the residents. They live together as a family to develop the tools and strengthen their character in order to live free from substance abuse. It is not always necessary to have attended formal drug and alcohol treatment before residing in a sober living home.
The tools people learn in intensive rehabilitation programs can set them up for more sustainable success in a sober living home. Fees are calculated on a sliding scale and residents stay in the house for 3 to 6 months on average. An average sober living house is unlikely to have many amenities, and the person who rents a room there must provide their own food, medicine and income. In most cases, people who live in sober households have to follow certain house rules and contribute to the household by doing household chores.
Some sober living homes have exercise equipment, fitness areas, recreational spaces, swimming pools, and cooking areas. People who reside in sober living centers can usually come and go as they please as long as they follow certain rules. Insurance must cover at least a portion of ongoing addiction treatment, such as therapy visits, which residents continue to participate in while residing in a sober home. If the person is using money from friends or family, he or she may be encouraged to find part-time employment to offset costs, go to classes, or find other ways to improve himself. A Safe Haven Foundation in Chicago is a treatment center, a sober living and long-term rehabilitation home for men and women, including women with children.
In a sober living home, you'll never come home to find alcohol in the kitchen or drugs on the coffee table, roommates who are intoxicated or house guests who are loaded.
