How Long Do People Typically Stay in Sober Living Homes?

In the 2024 comedy film Sweet Dreams, a relapsing alcoholic played by Johnny Knoxville coaches his fellow sober living home residents to win a local softball tournament or face eviction. As a wacky feel-good sports comedy, Sweet Dreams ticks all the Hollywood boxes, particularly the underdog team of unathletic misfits coming together to overcome a high-stakes situation. Director Lije Sarki wrote the screenplay based on personal anecdotes he embellished for comedic effect. One of them features comedian Bobby Lee playing Cruise, a quirky resident who tears up when he remembers all the years he has lived in the house. Although this isn’t how sober living works, we can use some of Cruise’s comedic tropes to understand how long transitional treatment lasts.

How Treatment Determines Your Sober Living Period

Not everyone who enters sober living comes from the same place. Some residents have court orders, while others come from detox or rehab. What they have in common are treatment plans with recovery goals and recommendations. Residents with court orders may have mandatory stays, but the treatment plan may have shorter or longer recommendations based on clinical and social work assessments. In Sweet Dreams, we never learn about Cruise’s treatment plan, so we can’t speculate about why he has been in sober living for years, something no case manager or mental health professional would recommend.

Dynamic and Flexible Sober Living Stays

Recovery treatment plans don’t have to be set in stone. Transitional recovery strategies can be flexible and dynamic because they’re multidimensional. If your case manager and counselor determine you’re making significant progress in meeting recovery goals, they may recommend you transition back to the community “ahead of schedule.” Likewise, if your recovery goals include moving into a new place, your stay can be extended so you can get a stable housing situation. The transitional recovery dimensions include mental health and social stability. They’re important factors that determine how long you should stay.

Average Sober Living Periods

Unlike Cruise in Sweet Dreams, sober living residents don’t stay at a house for years. This exaggeration pokes fun at his charismatically aimless personality. The softball coach, on the other hand, checks into sober living for 90 days, which is the period recommended by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. According to a public health research study published in 2010 by the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, the average stay at California sober living homes, such as those that provide Encinitas men’s sober living housing, was longer than 100 days. Most residents transitioned to outpatient care within six months, and the minority stayed longer.

What to Expect during Your Sober Living Stay

Upon entering a sober living home, you’ll be expected to follow house rules as you work through the treatment plan. Depending on individual needs, you may have to secure employment, reestablish family connections, and prepare to rejoin the community. The house routine will provide the treatment and structure you need to facilitate sobriety. Your stay will be a learning experience to develop sober life skills as you continue to get treatment through group therapy and counseling sessions. If you or someone you love is addicted to alcohol or drugs and needs help, call on the compassionate team at Casa Pacifica. Along with providing Encinitas sober living housing, we work with our individual residents to develop customized plans that integrate treatment, aftercare, and recovery support. Our services include sober companionship, coaching, and mentorship for those who are recovering from addiction to alcohol and other drugs. For more information about our sober living facilities, call us today.