Residents of a halfway house are required to pay a portion of their income toward their rent. The costs of halfway houses vary depending on the number of services and amount of privacy offered. Rather than jail time, some individuals opt for a halfway house, which is most likely funded by the state government. Thus, halfway houses are the less expensive option, although amenities provided by halfway house facilities are often and most times lacking. Sober living, halfway homes and transitional living — at first glance, these terms seem like they could be synonyms of one another.

Talking to others in the recovery community and the clinical program could save you time and trouble of weeding out what the best options are for yourself. The terms halfway house and sober living house are often loosely interchanged, there are differences. A halfway house is usually less structured and allows for its residents to have more personal freedoms while they maintain the necessities of sobriety to live in the house. Halfway houses are often the last step before moving out on your own. A sober living home is often for those that are still in some aspect of clinical treatment, like an IOP or OP program. While most people in sober living homes have been in treatment, sober living offers recovery beyond the context of treatment.

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The same way there are misconceptions about addiction, there are a lot of misconceptions about recovery housing programs. Many people use the term sober house and halfway house interchangeably, but the two are actually not the same thing. Although sober house some sober living facilities provide possibilities for peer support group meetings, they do not provide ‘formal’ addiction therapy. Residents must still see their therapist, doctor, or treatment center to stay on track with their treatment plan.

Where you live and how you feel in your environment are essential for functioning optimally in everyday life. Your environment significantly contributes to your mental health and your ability to cope with difficult situations. Having a safe space where you feel supported, strong, and secure is crucial in early recovery from substance abuse. Sober living is encouraged early on in the sobriety process, after treatment, but before returning home. Sober houses on the other hand only host individuals that are newly recovered from substance addictions.

What is a Sober Living House?

Additionally, both advocate and require residents to abstain from alcohol or substance use. The resources that either one provides are invaluable to the individual who is brave enough to start their recovery journey. Sober living facilities got their start in the early 1800s when they were largely run by religious organizations, such as the Salvation Army. Today, sober living programs are homes run by a wide range of community organizations, and they differ from halfway houses in many ways. Some of these homes are funded by the state, while others receive private funding.

halfway house vs sober living