After hearing of the famous US singer, Demi Lovato, spending time at a halfway house after her drug overdose episode, many people wondered what it is all about.
Many of them wanted to know what this house is. Well, it is a facility that helps former drug or alcohol abusers to recover from their addiction within its premises.
Most residents of these houses, whether in New Mexico, or any other US state, stay here for an average of three months. The atmosphere of this place is quite conducive to their recovery and attainment of sobriety.
The Residents
Most halfway houses in New Mexico only allow people who are already through with their medical detoxification process and the mandatory month-long inpatient program. Why this is so is it allows for the creation of an ambience of sobriety, which further encourages residents to continue staying sober.
Many houses are unisex and have ample restrictions in place for residents. However, there are some sober living places that are gender-specific. In case you want to avoid the unnecessary complications that may arise of living in close quarters with members of the opposite sex, you can check for this aspect when searching for a ‘halfway house near me’.
Daily life at these houses
In cases of substance abuse, most treatment programs are quite constricting in nature, to prevent the user from deviating from the weaning process and relapsing into a drug stupor.
These houses are definitely not as restrictive as these.
All residents are expected to:
- Attend school or go to work
- Enjoy socializing with the other residents
- Participate in group meetings
- Attend counseling sessions
- Keeping the house clean and neat
- Helping out with house chores
All of these are aspects of sober living. All drug addicts lose touch with reality over time as their substance of choice slowly takes over their mind and alienates them from their family and work. These daily life tasks equip the former user with the ability to socialize and integrate with society.
Rules of Halfway houses
Many people think of halfway houses as mini-prisons for the drug-addled. They couldn’t be more wrong! While each house has its set of rules and regulations each resident is supposed to comply with, they are definitely nowhere close to being prison-like.
Here are some general rules and regulations most houses, whether in New Mexico, or elsewhere, follow.
- All residents have to subject themselves to random drug and alcohol tests.
- Violence and aggression are not allowed in the house, and anyone indulging in either of these can be asked to leave.
- Residents are not allowed to steal stuff or destroy property.
- Everyone has to adhere strictly to the set curfew.
- Residents have to gain individual financial independence by seeking and securing a job.
Living in a house like this is vital for a former substance user to adjust to a life without the crutch of drug or alcohol abuse, and take the steps towards a life full of wellness and health.