Sober LivingSober Living Halfway Houses for 12 Step Recovery

Halfway houses in Florida have been designed to help recovering addicts maintain long term sobriety.  Relapse can often be determined by the environment a recovering addict is exposed to.  In order to remain drug or alcohol free, many addicts choose to change other aspects of their lives.  This can include a job change, change in living environment, and even a change in relationships with others.

Addicts face many challenges when adjusting to everyday “real” world life after treatment.  A halfway house offers a friendly environment for them to put into practice what they have learned in treatment.  Early recovery is particularly difficult and many addicts are so fragile that even the smallest trigger will cause them to relapse.  A halfway house offers the security of a supportive environment each day.  There is nothing that quite compares to the support of another addict.

In the past most halfway houses could only be found in the most fun down and poor parts of town.  Today they can be found in many of the treatment facility areas and in a place that’s conducive to helping recovery.  Most often addicts go directly to a halfway house following treatment.  Thus those located near these facilities are extremely convenient.  Every “house” maintains its own set of guidelines and rules.  Unlike some treatment centers, the admission and discharge is completely voluntary.  Most people stay an average of three to six months.  Many will charge a monthly fee which is discussed before admission.

Halfway houses are not treatment.  They are only a place for the addict to go to continue their recovery.  If they are still using, they should be back in treatment.  If an addict comes onto the property while under the influence, most halfway houses will discharge them from the property with forfeiture of any security deposit.

Halfway houses in Florida have spawned some negative feelings by others in society.  This is because there are also halfway houses for convicted felons or the mentally ill.  The purpose is pretty much the same as those for recovering addicts.  That is to help the individuals reintegrate into society while maintaining a higher level of support.

Sometimes a halfway house may offer continuing drug treatment in conjunction to a required social conduct and other aftercare programs that are offered.  The degrees of treatment at a halfway house vary.  Some will offer no additional therapy but will have requirements that all halfway house members must follow.  These could include, but are not limited to, gainful employment, curfews as well as random drug testing.  The majority of houses do not require a particular length of stay and inhabitants can leave whenever they choose.

Halfway houses can be either non profit or profit organizations.  The benefits of choosing to be in a halfway house after treatment vary from person to person.  It allows an addict to “test drive” their new life of sobriety without giving up complete control.  Also research has shown that long term sobriety for those who choose to live in a halfway house after treatment is significantly higher than those who do not.