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.

The Oxford House Model provides a community based, supportive, and sober living environment.

• The average stay is about a year, but many residents stay three, four, or more years.
• Propagation, or spreading the word, of the Oxford House concept is given the highest priority by the members of Oxford House.
• House officers have term limits to avoid bossism or corruption of egalitarian democracy.
• He was also an alcoholic whose drinking would eventually cost him his job, his family and his home.
• Each individual recovers from alcoholism or drug addiction at a different pace.
• The Oxford House Model provides a unique and successful system of operations that differs from traditional sober living homes and halfway houses.

“An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the A.A. heroin addiction name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest Problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.” Every Oxford House member attributes his sobriety to Alcoholics Anonymous and/or Narcotics Anonymous. Each Oxford House member, as an individual, considers himself a member of AA and/or NA. Each Oxford House should be autonomous except in matters affecting other houses or Oxford House, Inc., as a whole.

Oxford Houses work because they are:

Oxford House is built on the premise of expanding in order to meet the needs of recovering alcoholics and drug addicts. This principle contrasts sharply with the principle of providing the alcoholic or oxford house traditions drug addict with assistance for a limited time period in order to make room for a more recently recovering alcoholic or drug addict. Other members were asked to leave half-way houses in order to make room for a recovering alcoholic or recovering drug addict who was ready to move into a half-way house. During our drinking and drug use years, and even before, many of us found it difficult to accept authority. Many individuals in society are able to abide by the strict letter of any rule, regulation , or law. Alcoholics and drug addicts seem to have a tendency to test and retest the validity of any real, potential, or imagined restriction on their behavior.

There are over 3,500 Oxford Houses across the United States

House officers have term limits to avoid bossism or corruption of egalitarian democracy. Every member has an equal vote regardless of how long they’ve been there. Our network of houses is only as strong as the community support we receive and the involvement of current and former members. It is inconsistent with the Oxford House system https://ecosoberhouse.com/ of democratic rule to have a professional manager of Oxford House. Repayment from those start-up loans assures the continuation of the revolving fund to enable other new houses to get started — just as repayment of loans to chapters permits the same resources to be used again and again.

• 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.
• Second, an Oxford House must follow the democratic principles in running the house.
• In fact, Oxford House creates an environment whereby each member can more fully realize the benefits available from active AA or NA membership.
• “An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest Problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.”
• Oxford House, Inc., a non-profit corporation, belongs to the residents of Oxford Houses nationwide.
• The rent that is charged the members is determined by the members themselves in a democratic fashion.

Oxford House must always have as its Primary goal the provision of housing and rehabilitative support for the alcoholic who wants to stop drinking and stay stopped and the drug addict who wants to stop using drugs and stay stopped. During early recovery for alcoholism and drug addiction, some members had to leave an institution in order to make room for an alcoholic or drug addict just beginning the recovery process. Other members were asked to leave halfway houses in order to make room for a recovering alcoholic or recovering drug addict who was ready to move into a halfway house. Each individual recovers from alcoholism or drug addiction at a different pace. All too often, an abrupt transition from a protected environment to an environment which places considerable glamour on the use of alcohol and drugs causes a return to alcoholic drinking or addictive drug use. Failure to adhere to any of these three requirements would bring the entire Oxford House concept into question.

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Paul Molloy was a young lawyer on Capitol Hill who had a key role in drafting legislation that created Amtrak and other federal programs. He was also an alcoholic whose drinking would eventually cost him his job, his family and his home. Things that I have learned through AA and Oxford House are an attitude of gratitude, acceptance, love, forgiveness, compassion, and the willingness to take that next step. Oxford House gave me the opportunity to practice the principles and action. The average stay is about a year, but many members stay three, four, or more years. Be honest and straight-forward when sharing the Oxford House concept with others.

• But together we have learned to manage and maintain the house and interact as a family.
• As our recovery progressed, the supervision and dependency on a halfway house created dissatisfaction.
• The legacy of Oxford House is forever secure as long as the concept, Traditions and system of operations is assured by control of its members through participation in an effective democratic system of organization.
• Third, an Oxford House must, in essence be a good member of the community by obeying the laws and paying its bills.