Living with an addiction often means feeling like you never know when things might go wrong. By the time that you’ve decided to go to treatment, you might have been kicked out of your current home or fired from a job. You may have even had a relationship end if the person you cared about could no longer cope with your behavior. All of these situations can leave you feeling apprehensive about trying anything new. No one likes to feel like a failure, and you might be worried that you can’t stick to a commitment that involves following a lot of rules. The fact that you are already wondering about what reasons can you be kicked out of sober living for is actually a good thing. This shows that you have what it takes to care about the other people in your living environment, and you also know that you want your next stage of sobriety to work.
A sober living home is set up with rules that could allow you to be kicked out if you cannot meet the expectations for being a resident. Although it might seem mean to kick someone out if they are not doing well, there is a very good reason for this being a possibility. A sober living environment is only as safe as the people who are staying in the home. If someone starts bringing in drugs or alcohol, then this can quickly lead to other people having a relapse. In many ways, knowing that you could get kicked out for failing to meet the expectations can also help you decide to stay sober.
What Kinds of Rules Do Sober Living Homes Have?
If you went to inpatient treatment, then you may already be familiar with some of the rules that sober living environments have in place. For instance, you might be asked to respect other people’s boundaries by staying out of their room unless you have permission to enter it, or you may need to follow a curfew. You might also find these rules at a sober living home.
- Do not bring drugs or alcohol onto the property
- Don’t arrive home from work or other outings high or drunk
- Respect other people and their property
- Follow the rules regarding visitors and curfews
- Do your part to contribute to household chores
- Maintain a job or volunteer position
When you think about it, all of these types of rules are very reasonable. In fact, you may even need to follow similar rules in any type of living situation even if they aren’t outlined on paper. Each house rule is designed to make sure that everyone is comfortable living in the home and that each person holds up to their responsibilities.
What Happens If You Break a Rule?
The consequences of breaking a rule can vary from one house to another, and they will likely depend upon which rule you broke. In most sober living homes, the easiest way to get kicked out is to bring prohibited substances onto the property. You could also be kicked out if you engage in violent or emotionally abusive behaviors that hurt the other residents. Keep in mind that even when you are kicked out of a sober living home, the process is gentler than you might think. In most cases, you will meet with a counselor or mentor to plan for a more suitable living arrangement as you continue on with your sobriety.
Breaking other rules might not be considered worth kicking you out the door. For example, you might accidentally break a curfew for a good reason such as having a ride show up late. Or, you might forget to do a chore if you were distracted. These kinds of infractions are usually treated with empathy and compassion. No one is perfect, and these are learning opportunities that can help you be more responsible in sobriety. If you break a minor rule, then your housemates might choose to hold a meeting to talk about how to help you do better in the future. Or, you might be asked to recommit to following the rules.
How Does a Sober Living Home Help You Stay Sober?
Each rule in a sober living home has a reason. Following a curfew and staying sober helps everyone to thrive in the group living environment. You may also be required to go to school or hold a job so that you continue to make progress in life that helps you one day live on your own. If you don’t understand why a rule exists, then just ask. Your sober living companions can help you understand the rules so that they are easier to follow.
Are you worried about finding a place to live now that you are sober? If so, then give us a call at (833) 922-2653. We’ll help you find a safe and supportive sober living home where you know you can follow the rules.