One of the greatest threats to the sobriety of a recovering alcoholic or drug addict is loneliness. At a time when we acquired a serious desire to stop drinking or using drugs, many of us had lost our families and friends because of our alcoholism and/or drug addiction. Too often, newly recovering alcoholics and drug addicts are faced with the necessity of living alone and of relying solely on contacts with Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous to stay sober. Some are able to keep from drinking in spite of the loneliness with which they were faced.
A tribute to our late co-founder and CEO, Paul Molloy
For more than twenty-five years, a DePaul University-based research team has been involved in studying Oxford Houses in order to better understand the role they play in substance abuse recovery. The national scope of Oxford House and its long history makes it the only recovery house system that has been the subject of so much independent research. Our network of houses is only as strong as the community support we receive oxford house sober living and the involvement of current and former members. Before spreading the word, an individual Oxford House should make certain that it is sufficiently established to undertake public discussion of it goals and mission.
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It is not easy to spread the word of a new concept or an old concept with a new twist. Propagation, or spreading the word, of the Oxford House concept is given the highest priority by the members of Oxford House. All Oxford Houses have been careful to avoid undo dependence on government or other outside funds. In deference to that tradition, Oxford House has never sought nor obtained sponsorship from any AA or NA group.
- Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie will reportedly not be at Sandringham this year, with both having accepted invitations to spend the holiday with their in-laws.
- Within the estate is Sandringham House, a Jacobean-style private royal residence that dates back to 1870.
- By 1988, the number of individual Oxford Houses had become so great that it became difficult to have a meeting at which everyone would get a chance to speak.
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However, the members of Oxford House have found only by being active in AA and/or NA have they found comfortable, long-term sobriety — for themselves and the Oxford House in which they live. Oxford House should rely on democratically-chosen leaders, but the leaders must always be but trusted servants. The opportunity for a house to democratically function requires periodic meetings within the house — at least once a week. Such meetings should be used to resolve any operational or personality problems facing the house. Oxford House should remain forever non-professional, although individual members may be encouraged to utilize outside professionals whenever such utilization is likely to enhance recovery from alcoholism.
For those of us who had been in institutions or half-way houses, resentments against authority were common. Those who have benefited from an Oxford House have acquired enthusiasm for the Oxford House concept. In their enthusiasm, they have been anxious to share Oxford House with any recovering alcoholics and drug addicts who want to establish an Oxford House in their community.
The Oxford House Model provides community based, supportive, and sober living environment.
The alcoholic or drug addict alone begins to compare himself to those members of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous who still have family and friends. Loneliness and self-pity soon lead such individuals back to alcoholic drinking or drug use. With Oxford House there is no need for a recovering individual to live in an environment dominated by loneliness. Oxford House https://ecosoberhouse.com/ grew out of the need for many of us to begin a new life without fear of backsliding because of loneliness or renewed dependency on former drinking companions.
Each Oxford House should be financially self-supporting although financially secure houses may, with approval or encouragement of Oxford House, Inc., provide new or financially needy houses a loan for a term not to exceed one what is alcoholism year. It was the first step in a nationwide movement, now almost 50 years old, that has been credited with helping thousands of people overcome addiction and lead productive lives. For a couple of months in 1975, he found himself living on the streets and begging strangers for money before he entered a rehabilitation program. He moved to a county-run halfway house in Silver Spring, MD, to recover but soon learned that the facility was about to close. With passage of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, expansion of Oxford Houses exploded. During the early 1990s dozens of communities sought to close Oxford Houses located in good neighborhoods because local zoning ordinances restricted the number of unrelated individuals that could live together in a single-family home.
- At the Oxford House World Convention held annually, Oxford Houses throughout the country vote for representatives to the World Council.
- A house full of sober, recovering alcoholics and drug addicts invites informal AA or NA “meetings after the meeting” and each day finds many informal AA or NA meetings before individual members each go off to their regular AA or NA meeting.
- The members of an Oxford House assume full responsibility for the operation of the House.
The third factor affecting us both in the rehabilitation facilities and the halfway houses was the realization that the duration of our stay must be limited because space must be made for others in need of help. During the last days of our drinking or using drugs, most of us ceased to function as responsible individuals. We were not only dependent upon alcohol and/or drugs, but were also dependent on many others for continuing our alcoholic and/or drug addicted ways.
- They are one way to solve the problem of keeping combined groups of houses small enough to permit each house to share its experiences, strengths and hopes with other houses.
- Propagation, or spreading the word, of the Oxford House concept is given the highest priority by the members of Oxford House.
- This not only helps those individuals to become more involved in AA or NA, and thereby reap greater individual benefits, but also helps to build strong bonds between local AA and NA groups and Oxford House.
- The line between an Oxford House of recovering alcoholics or drug addicts and an Oxford House of active alcoholics or drug addicts is a thin one.
There are over 3,500 Oxford Houses across the United States
- Residents democratically make their voices heard through the individual houses, the Chapters, the World Council and the Oxford House, Inc.
- Today Oxford House has more than 20,000 residents at more than 3,500 homes across 47 states and several foreign countries.
- The example of Oxford House members going to AA or NA meetings on their own is contagious.
- Neither can an Oxford House function if some do not pay their fair share of the costs.
- Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous provided a framework for us to change physically, mentally, and spiritually.
- It was the first step in a nationwide movement, now almost 50 years old, that has been credited with helping thousands of people overcome addiction and lead productive lives.
Every year, members of the British royal family gather at Sandringham House, the monarch’s country estate in Norfolk, England, to celebrate Christmas. The concept and the standardized, democratic, self-supported Oxford House system of operations itself are far more persuasive than any individual. It received a boost after Mr. Molloy successfully lobbied for passage of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, which established a fund to help provide start-up loans for groups opening residential recovery locations like those of Oxford House. Instead of being left to their own fates, Mr. Molloy and other residents decided to take over the house themselves, paying the expenses and utilities, cooking the meals and keeping watch over one another’s path to recovery.