Sober living homes in Memphis, TN exist to help people continue their journey to life-long recovery. Leaving rehab isn’t easy. You may be faced with unexpected triggers, challenges, and uphill battles. The good news is you can stay sober and continue growing if you live in a safe, supportive, and sober environment. But, how do you know which sober living home is right for you? We can help you decide.
Find The Right Location
First, you can narrow down your options by considering the location you want to be in. If you have already established a support system in Memphis and have your friends and family here, you may want to stay nearby for sober living. However, if the only connections you have in the area are your drug dealers or drinking buddies, you may benefit from going to sober living further away.
Other questions to ask yourself to help you decide on the right location are:
- How far away is it from your work, school, home, and/or family?
- Are there plenty of grocery stores nearby?
- If you need a job, are there places hiring in the area?
- Is it home close to your favorite recovery meetings? If not, are there recovery meetings nearby?
- If you don’t have transportation, can you make it to your meetings and therapy sessions from the home?
- Is the home located in a safe neighborhood?
- If you have a car, is there parking or storage where you can keep it?
All of these details are important to consider when deciding where you will live, even if your living situation is temporary.
Make Sure Rent is Within Your Budget
Deciding on a location will help narrow down your options quite a bit. But, another thing you need to consider is rent. Sober living homes do not provide therapy, and, as a result, their services are not covered by insurance. Instead, they operate in a similar way as a standard landlord-tenant agreement.
While staying at a sober living home in Memphis, you will have to pay rent on a weekly or monthly basis. Before committing to moving in, you’ll want to be sure rent is within your budget. As the house manager for a breakdown of move-in fees, charges, and rent to make sure you can afford to move in.
Sober living homes operate on a variety of different levels. Some offer more luxury settings and amenities while others are just like your basic family home. While you may be attracted to a more luxurious home, it is better to find somewhere you can afford so you can save your money for your living situation in the future.
Do Your Research
The next step in finding the right sober living home in Memphis is to do your research. Most sober homes are not regulated or monitored by any local or national agency, so it is up to you to do your due diligence to make sure the home you are going to is a good one.
Some things to consider while doing your research include:
- Does the sober home have any accreditation or licensing?
- Do they have a strict no-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol?
- Does the home enforce a list of rules and regulations to keep everyone safe?
- Are residents provided with recovery support services that help them stay sober?
- How do the reviews look online?
- What do previous alumni from the home say about their stay?
Much of this information can be found online on a sober living’s website or local listings, but you can also speak with staff members or previous residents to get a better idea of what the home is like.
Tour the Sober Living Home
Now that your options have been narrowed down to one or two sober living homes, you can begin scheduling tours. It is a good idea to see the home with your own eyes rather than relying on pictures you see on the internet. While touring the home, keep an eye out for things that are unacceptable – such as a rodent or bug infestation, worn-down building, or broken locks and windows.
You can also observe the other people living in the home to be sure the environment is one that is positive. If everyone in the home is fighting, miserable, or intoxicated, you clearly will not benefit from living there and should look elsewhere.
In the end, you have to trust your gut. You know what you would look for when touring an apartment, so apply the same standards to a sober home. You deserve to live somewhere safe, supportive, and, most importantly, sober.
Avoid These Red Flags
Even when you think you have found the perfect sober living home in Memphis, there are some red flags you should be aware of. Not all sober homes operate ethically and transparently. Here are some signs to watch out for that indicate you should run the other way.
- Sober homes that claim to be free or will pay you to live there
- Homes that are rundown on the outside, dirty on the inside, or in an unsafe area
- Facilities that do not require mandatory drug testing or abstinence
- No safety or privacy standards
- No house rules or rules that are not enforced
- Staf that lack ethical standards or training
- No regulatory inspections or admissions requirements
If you notice any of these red flags, the sober home may be a flophouse or operating fraudulently. Instead, let one of our addiction specialists help you find the right sober living for you.
Find The Best Sober Living Home in Memphis, TN
Early recovery can be a confusing time. It almost feels like your early teenage years, when you have a newfound dose of independence combined with the fear and unknown of the future. However, finding a reliable and trustworthy sober home can make the recovery process immensely easier and rewarding. To find a sober living home in Memphis or to get help for your addiction, pick up the phone and contact one of our dedicated treatment providers today.