After treatment for substance abuse, whether by prison, hospital-based treatment programs, or therapeutic communities, many patients return to former high-risk environments or stressful family situations. Returning to these settings without a network of people to support abstinence increases chances of relapse (Jason, Olson & Foli, 2008). As a consequence, alcohol and substance use recidivism following treatment is high for both men and women (Montgomery et al., 1993). Alternative approaches need to be explored, such as abstinence-specific social support settings (Vaillant, 2003). Self-governed settings alcoholism symptoms may offer several benefits as they require minimal costs because residents pay for their own expenses (including housing and food).
Rediscover Life at Valley Spring Recovery Center
Each member has one vote, no matter how long they’ve been there. It doesn’t matter if they’ve been living in the house for one day or for multiple years. Oxford House members share the house responsibilities and pitch in to do the chores. Oxford House has enabled peer-run, self-sustaining, and substance-free housing since 1975. Find documents, templates, and everything residents need while living at an Oxford House.
What is it Like to Live in a Halfway House?
“We found that participants assigned to a communal living Oxford House compared to usual care condition had significantly less substance use and criminal involvement and, significantly better employment outcomes.” In 1975, Montgomery County, Maryland decided to close a traditional halfway house because of a lack of funds. However, the men living in that halfway house, including Oxford House’s founder Paul Molloy, were not ready to leave.
Oxford Houses work because they are:
- Limited research, however, is available regarding how Oxford House settings compare to other treatments.
- First of all, no Oxford House may permit individuals to remain as members if those individuals are drinking or using drugs.
- This mutual accountability fosters a sense of responsibility and commitment to recovery.
Oxford Houses are self-sustaining, democratically operated sober living homes for individuals recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. These residences are characterized by their self-run structure, ensuring a drug-free environment where each resident contributes to the management and upkeep of the home. As described by Oxford House, Inc., a non-profit organization, this model promotes recovery by fostering an environment of mutual support and responsibility. The Oxford House concept is to sustain self-run and self-supported recovery homes for men and women in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. An Oxford House is a sober house democratically run and financially supported by its residents alone.
Addiction Recovery Without Quitting Your Job
- I had 60 days at Harbor Life Recovery Center and, when I left Harbor Life, I walked into Oxford House to stay clean and sober and live with others.
- When someone is rebuilding their life after addiction, stable housing is more than a roof.
- However, if a majority of residents believe that any member has had a recurrence of use of alcohol or other illicit drugs, that person is immediately expelled.
- Substantial reductions in recidivism rates have been found when in-prison Therapeutic Communities (TCs) are combined with community transition programs (Hiller, Knight, & Simpson, 1999; Wexler et al., 1996).
- I learned how to budget money and separate the needs from the wants.
I was placed on probation and given the opportunity to fix my life. I completed White Sands and moved on to the next step for iop because I knew I needed more help before I went out there. So, I spent 7 months there, then found a family called Oxford and there I found the oxford sober living feeling of being a part of something and a family of unconditional love.
- Each Oxford House member, as an individual, considers himself a member of AA and/or NA.
- More than 80 percent of Oxford House residents remain clean and sober for the long term even though many of them come from backgrounds that have included lengthy alcohol and drug use, periods of homelessness, and incarceration.
Endorphins: Definition, Functions, Production, Release, Role in Addiction and Recovery
Sober living homes offer a structured, substance-free environment for individuals recovering from addiction, facilitating the transition from intensive treatment settings to everyday life. Sober Living Homes (SLH’s) are designed to be a transitional space from residential treatment to mainstream society according to Korcha RA, Polcin DL, Mericle AA, Bond J. This type of housing residence provides a supportive, structured environment where individuals recovering from substance use disorders can continue to heal while reintegrating into everyday life.