After going through addiction treatment, many are not yet ready to go home or take a roll of the dice in losing their sobriety.  A sober house NJ is able to fill the gap in between rehab and living by yourself, but there is a catch: These places have many rules, which begs the question: what might happen to you if you relapse while you are staying in a sober house?

What is a sober house?

A sober house is a group home for recovering addicts.  Many of these centers are owned privately, though some might be owned by businesses or charities.  A sober house doesn’t offer addiction treatment, but is instead a place that you can live while you are new in recovery.

These homes usually have many rules, and also mandatory drug testing.  Other rules that you may encounter while you are in a sober home include agreeing that you will pay rent, being enrolled in education or having a job, doing chores, and not causing problems with the other people living in the sober house.

How effective is living in a sober house?

Sober living environments seem a great idea when you are first sober, and this is backed up by evidence.  Researchers analyzed the outcomes of 300 people who live in sober houses and published the results in a journal.

The study showed that a sober house NJ can provide support, and the risk of relapsing is diminished in a period of sober living.

How does staying longer in a sober house prevent relapse?

Sober living houses require that the people living there have complete abstinence.  Generally, the longer than a person stays abstinent, the lower their chance of relapse will be.  Relapse rates for addiction are high, at around 40 to 60 percent, and sober homes can help to prevent relapse with peer support and encouragement to go to twelve step meetings on a regular basis.  These groups also promote abstinence to those who attend.

People who stay abstinent for at least a year have much lower relapse rates than those who do not.  People who are abstinent for less than a year relapse around two thirds of the time, while people who are sober for a year relapse less than half of the time.  

People who are abstinent from drugs and alcohol for a period of five years or more avoided relapse around 85 percent of the time.  This goes to show that obtaining lasting sobriety is important, and that it can get easier the more time that you are in recovery for.

Benefits of sober living include:

• Having social support.  You can live and bond with people who are new in recovery, which is a great way that you can make new friends and a support system.
• Twelve step groups.  Many sober houses mandate that you participate in a twelve-step fellowship, which is a great way for you to build support in your recovery.
• Developing sober skills.  A sober living house helps you to develop skills, like getting on with other people.  It also allows you to practice practical skills like cleaning and cooking.
• Provides structure.  Sober houses provide the people living there with structure, as you must follow a long list of rules.
• Drug testing.  Sober living offers individuals accountability though substance testing, meaning that you will be in serious trouble if you relapse.

What happens if you relapse while living in a sober house?

If you are using drugs or alcohol when you are living in a sober house, you are in clear violation of the rules.  Depending on how your sober house is run, you might or might not be asked to leave.  

When you are serious about your recovery, it is important that you admit mistakes and are as honest as possible.  If you relapse and then attempt to cover it up, the sober house will learn about it eventually and will likely show you the door.

Your best chance of being evicted from your sober house is admitting to using as quickly as possible.  You might be given a short suspension from the sober house and then be permitted to go back after you are clean and sober.  

Whatever happens, do not give up on your recovery.  Use the lessons that you have learned in treatment and afterwards to help build yourself a strong program of recovery, so that you may avoid future relapses.