There are many obstacles that addicts face when it comes to getting sober. The first obstacle, and in some ways the most difficult, is simply recognizing that they are addicts in the first place. After that, it is rarely smooth sailing. Addicts often spend years trying to get sober through willpower alone. The second obstacle is finding an affordable sober living home.
This is rarely effective, since addiction by its very nature weakens willpower and motivation. The only solution is to seek outside help. For some, this is as simple as attending 12-step meetings and seeing a drug and alcohol counselor on an outpatient basis. For others, a more structured and peer focused kind of approach is necessary. For these recovering addicts, a recovery residence is often a good idea.
Types of Recovery Residences
Detoxes
Detoxes are institutions that addicts usually stay in for fairly short periods. A residence at a detox usually lasts no longer than the amount of time it takes for an addict to finish withdrawing from the substance to which they are addicted. For anyone with a physical dependency, attending detox is usually a crucial first step. Medical professionals and counselors can supervise the process of detoxing and ensure that there are no mishaps or risks to health.
Rehabs
Detoxification is rarely sufficient, however. Early sobriety is a trying time for a number of reasons. Even after physically withdrawing from drugs and alcohol, recovering addicts are extremely vulnerable to relapse. Rehabs work to address the psychological, social, and behavioral aspects of drug addiction.
Counselors at rehabs can also work with recovering addicts on separate but related issues that might fuel drug-seeking behavior, such as mental health problems. Generally people stay in rehabs longer than they do in detoxes, sometimes up to several months.
Sober Livings
Sober living houses serve an important role, existing in a sense as a bridge between intensive inpatient treatment and “the real world.” Addicts in early recovery often go straight from rehab or detox to a sober living home. Stays in sober living homes can sometimes last even longer than a year.
Sober housing tends to vary in the services offered, but the vast majority of sober living homes aim to prepare recovering addicts for a normal life. They help with employment, school, and implementing other important structural changes in the addict’s life. In the meantime, they ensure that recovering addicts remain connected to a program of recovery, such as Alcoholics Anonymous.
By grouping many sober recovering addicts in the same home, they also give peer support. Multiple studies have demonstrated that a sober living environment decreases the chances of relapse in early sobriety.
How to Finance A Sober Living Home
Health Insurance
Many forms of health insurance will pay for drug treatment. The best course of action is usually to talk to your primary care physician. Your doctor will most likely diagnose you with substance use disorder and will discuss treatment options.
Detoxes, rehabs, and other residential treatments take health insurance. Design for Recovery and other sober livings do not take insurance. Many drug and alcohol counselors also take insurance. By going this route, you can avoid taking on debt and get into an inpatient treatment as soon as possible.
Grants
Grants are also available for low-income addicts who are seeking recovery. Grants are generally given by charitable organizations. This is money that you do not have to pay back. Most grants require some form of application.
Some require you to be below a certain income threshold. Others might be intending for even more specific demographics. To look into what grants are available to you, check out the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s website.
Credit
If you are not eligible for grants or find that the gift money is insufficient to pay for your stay in a sober living, it is also not unheard of for addicts to apply for loans. This can be as simple as asking family for help. It is also possible to take out bank loans or to use a microloan or peer-to-peer financing.
While it may be stressful to take out a large loan to pay for recovery, it is ultimately a good investment, since you’ll likely make far more money in sobriety than when you were spending hundreds a week on drugs and alcohol.
Employer
The National Business Group on Health issues recommendations to employees about how to deal with employees with substance abuse problems. They suggest that employers work with their employees on developing a treatment plan. In years past, stigma might have made this impossible, but these days it’s not unheard of.
Chances are, your boss wants you to be doing your best work. This likely involves being sober, so it’s in their best interests to help you out. See if your company is willing to work with you to pay for recovery services.
Affordable Sober Living Homes
Design For Recovery is a sober living home in Los Angeles that is committed to helping addicts get sober on a long term basis. Even for those who feel that the above-mentioned financing options are impossible, Design For Recovery is willing to look at your unique circumstances and help you find a way to pay for the services you need. As always, the first step is reaching out. Contact Design For Recovery today!
