What is a halfway house?
The terminology “halfway house” has a different definition or meaning compared to what it originally did when the concept first came into existence. In their earlier history, these houses were geared towards recovering alcoholics or recently released prison inmates who were transitioning back into society from the institution they were situated in. Although the premise underlying the concept is still the same, i.e. allowing the individual to re-integrate and transition back into society, the concept now has much broader applications.
Today, halfway houses are more commonly referred to as sober living houses or transitional housing. Additionally, they are not just for recovering alcoholics and recovering inmates. For instance, individuals who have recently completed different addiction treatment and recovery programs (drug, eating, gambling, porn, or video addictions) can move into a halfway house and receive additional support during their personal recovery. For this reason, these facilities play a significant role in the “aftercare” process.
The aftercare phase of the recovery process employs huge support networks comprised of a wide array of individuals who have suffered with addiction issues other than alcohol and drugs. What many people fail to realize is that there are two schools of thought where the recovery phase of addiction rehab is concerned. One group claims that the recovery process will eventually come to a close while the other group claims that recovery never ends once you enter that phase of the overall process.
The benefits of transitional housing
You want to remember first and foremost that a halfway house is a bridge between an addiction rehab center and your home community. Once you have completed that facility’s program and have entered the recovery phase, it is critical that you avoid those potentially harmful situations that got you into trouble in the first place. One of the first things you learn in most halfway houses is relapse prevention so that when you are living on your own, you avoid the people and places that acted as triggers for your addictive behavior.
Another issue involves how confident the individual is in their newfound sobriety or substance-free lifestyle. In some instances, they will check into a halfway house to gain more confidence and strength in order to eliminate the fear of relapsing when they return home to their communities. The average residency in a halfway house lasts from three to six months (according to the Recovery Connection), depending on the depth and severity of the addiction.
Our addiction treatment referral site has access to numerous halfway houses and sober living facilities throughout the US. No matter where you live, we can find a facility that will address your specific needs. Please contact The Rehab Advisor so that we can provide you with the help you need.