Sober living houses are a common solution for people who are struggling with addiction.  However, you may think to yourself: are they safe?

While there are some sober living houses that could not be considered safe, most of them are safe and helpful places that wish to see their residents succeed in life.  Each of them has the goal of helping people to stay clean and sober.

If you are looking for a sober living house, how are you able to tell if it is safe and secure?  There are some signs that you might look for which will show you that the substance abuse treatment program at the sober living NJ is legitimate.

One of the most important components of a sober living house is, of course, the building where you are situated.  Make sure you look around at the home, to see what the condition of the house if, and see if there are signs that it is in disrepair.  Such signs include rundown furniture, broken applicants, cracked windows and a stained carpet.

You should be cautious if the sober living house does not allow you to tour the home.  This may indicate that there is a problem with the interior of the house.

Another sign that the recovery home has a structured program is that it has meetings and activities for the residents of the house.  Examples of these include specific times for activities such as:

• PHP programs

• Meetings

• Meals

• Gym

• Free time

• Waking up

• Going to bed

If this is the first time that you have looked at a sober living house, it may seem like the sober living NJ is a restrictive environment.  However, it means that the program is dedicated to assisting you with your recovery accountability.

If the sober living home that you visit lacks structure, this may be risky for your recovery, and it may mean that you struggle to remain sober.

Most sober living homes work hard to create the community that is present.  So that they maintain status quo, it is normal to hold interviews to see if the sober living house candidate will fit in.

Another reason for there to be requirements for admission is to make sure that the candidate will not have a toxic influence on the other people in the house.  If a house accepts a candidate who is not right for the house, it may jeopardize the progress that individuals in the house have made.

A sign that you should think about looking elsewhere is if a sober house is willing to accept anyone who applies to the house, regardless of whether the person has detoxed.

As a way to increase safety and privacy in the sober house, rules are put in place.  Programs that take time to develop and enforce rules are the ones you should consider, as it means that they are serious about the people in the house.

Rules to look for in the sober living house include: 

• No tolerance for weapons

• Making sure that resident information is kept safe

• Having bathrooms and bedrooms for different genders

• Keeping a drug and alcohol-free environment

Take notice if there are not any house rules.

While the paperwork is a mundane part of the process at a sober house, it is one of the most important aspects.  Making sure that sober living houses keep good records, submit to inspections regularly, and accept your insurance are all vital parts of the process.

A red flag is if the sober living house offered you a free stay, did not require paperwork, or did not check for insurance.

During your journey of recovery, your safety is vital.  Keep an eye out for signs of potential danger when you visit a sober house, so you can be sure that your path to recovery will have as few stumbling blocks as possible.

If you are already staying in a sober house and something untoward happens that makes you feel like your safety is threatened, then speak with the manager of the sober house.  If they do not take what you say seriously, then consider moving to another sober house that does take the safety of its residents seriously.