Areas of the country where a dense population of sober living homes have opened up have a lot of corruption. Addicts and alcoholics who are suffering and are desperate to find a solution to their addiction are vulnerable and susceptible to the tactics of manipulative companies who exploit sick people for profit. This is an unfortunate truth in addiction and recovery against which many professionals, organizations, and local governments are fighting. Still, these homes have populated by the dozens and shutting them all down is a task. Slowly but surely, action is being taken to ensure those in need of recovery have safe, structured places to live.
Reading the news and getting sensationalized horror stories about these corrupt houses, most people never see the brighter side of addiction and recovery, or the true need of sober living homes. Such people cannot see addicts and alcoholics as people in need of safe living environments in order to transition safely back into independent life as part of society. Instead they are seen as a burden and a menace, threatening neighborhoods and local culture.
There is also a lot of shame and stigma
Part of the reason people are so misinformed about addiction is because of the shame and stigma which surrounds it. The preconceptions people create about addiction from whatever information sources they have are sufficient to them- they don’t need to find out more. Relying solely on the shame and stigma laced perspectives, they aren’t able to see the truth of how important addiction recovery is. Addicts are not bad people in search of becoming good but sick people in search of becoming well.
People don’t understand what sober living homes are for
Sober living homes are not drop offs for addicts and alcoholics. Most often, they are an earned privilege after treatment. A sober living home enforces abstinence through regular accountability like urinalysis, breathalyzer, and required attendance to support meetings. Residents in a sober home often have to have a job, go to school, or be enrolled in a treatment program which takes them out of the home during the day.
Currently, there are no federal regulations for sober living homes. Cities and townships are individually tackling the subject, creating new rules and regulations as they go. Lakehouse Recovery Center offers a single transitional living home and a single sober living home for our small group of clients. Our intimate treatment settings encourage attentive therapy and healing of mind, body, and spirit. For information, call us today at: 877.762.3707