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Life After Rehab - Living in a Halfway House

What to Expect when Entering a Long Term Living Facility

May 1, 2009 Susan Beam

Re-entering life after a treatment facility can be scary. However, a long term, recovery focused, living situation, such as a half way house, can be very benefical.

According to choosehope.com, entering a long term rehab facility after initial treatment can improve the chances of long-lasting recovery. Not only does it ease the transition back into normal society, it also allows the recovering person a chance to address unresolved issues and change behaviors while in a safe environment with other recovering people and counselors.

What to Expect

Often, a recovery house or halfway house has rules. While they may change slightly from center to center, the following rules are fairly common to any facility.

Attend 90 meetings in 90 days of AA or NA. This allows a recovering person to get a support group and become comfortable going to meetings. Often, a halfway house will provide a ride to meetings, or at the very least, will have meeting directories of what is available in the area.
Get a sponsor. A sponsor is someone who can guide you through the 12 Steps of a 12 Step Fellowship, as well as offer support in recovery.
Get a Homegroup. A homegroup is a specific meeting of a 12 Step Fellowship that the recovering person makes a committment to attend each week. Also good for service positions in a 12 Step Fellowship.
Get a Job. Often, addicts or alcoholics have not worked a job sober in a very long time. This allows them to support themselves, learn how to handle a job sober, and learn money management skills.
Do their Chore. Often, a recovery house or halfway house will have a chore list that changes each week. Everyone must pitch in to make a clean, sober living environment. Chores usually include cleaning, cooking, and outdoor work.
Participate in Outpatient or theraputic counseling. Often, residents are required to attend counseling sessions with an outside counselor.
Participate in house meetings. Everyone is expected to contribute to their living environment.
Obey curfew/outside stipulations. Residents are expected to be in the house at a certain time, or sometimes, residents may not leave the living situation without another resident with them.
Avoid relationships with the opposite sex. Often, an addict needs time alone to focus on their recovery, rather than starting a new relationship or fixing a battered one.

While it may sound difficult, chosing to come to a halfway house or recovery house after time in a treatment facility may mean the difference between an addict remaining sober or returning to the drug or drink of their choice. Often, that choice is the difference between life and death.

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