Family plays an integral role in addiction recovery for young adults and teens in transitional living programs. We help families achieve mutual healing and growth by encouraging them to participate in recovery through family therapy and other services. Family and social support assist young people in maintaining long-term sobriety. Alpha Behavioral Health offers a compassionate and structured environment to ensure every young adult in transitional living has the necessary support to maintain sobriety. We understand how to meet young adults where they are today and give them the tools to heal from the effects of substance use disorder (SUD).
The Fine Line Between Support and Independence
Supporting young people in recovery provides additional accountability. However, support must also allow for independence. Young adults in rehabilitation and transitional living programs gradually gain more freedom and independence as they build the necessary skills to cope with challenges in recovery. Family members should give young people the space and time to reintegrate into the community through working or volunteer opportunities, community activities, social engagement, support groups, individual therapy, and other recovery resources. Transitional living programs offer the ideal balance between structure, support, accountability, and independence.
Understanding Transitional Living: A Bridge to True Independence
Transitional living provides teens in recovery with a safe, welcoming, and substance-free space where they gain experiences and life skills. Some families are unaware of what transitional care entails and the many potential benefits. Staying in transitional housing can significantly improve the quality of life for young people with SUD.
Transitional living at Alpha Behavioral Health offers teens in recovery the following:
- Individual therapy
- Private rooms
- A gym membership and education on proper health
- Peer support and positive social engagement
- Skill development
- Case managers
Young adults can work, attend school, and strengthen relationships with family caregivers and other loved ones while going through the transition process. The setting promotes resilience and offers a nonjudgmental space where teens receive advice and emotional support. Therapy sessions and other services also help young adults create relapse prevention and crisis management strategies to ensure they feel confident overcoming setbacks in recovery.
What Transitional Living Is (And What It Is Not)
Transitional living is a form of recovery housing. According to the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment, “Recovery residences go by a variety of different names and can provide a range of services, but they generally refer to alcohol- and drug-free living environments that provide peer support for those wanting to initiate and sustain recovery from alcohol and other drug (AOD) disorders.” Transitional housing offers people in recovery a place to live that reduces exposure to triggers, distractions, or temptations.
Young adults taking advantage of transitional living at Alpha Behavioral Health must adhere to the following:
- House rules and behavioral guidelines
- Abstinence from alcohol and drugs
- Mandatory therapy sessions or other treatments outlined in service plans
Transitional living is not the same as a rented apartment or other space where young adults have free reign to bring home whoever they want or act however they please. The housing arrangement is explicitly designed to support sobriety and foster self-accountability.
Why Young Adults Need This Step
Young adults recovering from chronic substance abuse or dual diagnosis benefit from spending time in a controlled environment where they have responsibilities. Transitional living allows them to practice setting boundaries, coping with symptoms of SUD, building life skills, and preparing for ongoing recovery.
Young adults are especially susceptible to peer pressure and everyday stressors during early recovery. Transitional living arrangements reduce the risk of peer pressure and lower stress by providing young adults with a safe, substance-free place to return to each night. Living with others who share similar goals and life experiences also improves treatment outcomes by reducing feelings of loneliness or social isolation. Peers mutually empower and uplift one another as they move through aftercare or outpatient programs.
The Emotional Rollercoaster: What Families Experience During This Transition
Caregivers often go through an emotional rollercoaster during the transitional period. Young adults in aftercare or outpatient treatment may have difficulty coping with stress or avoiding unhealthy behaviors. Some families struggle to accept the need for transitional living despite the many proven benefits. Stigmas and misinformation can cause families to feel uncertain about recovery housing.
Some of the most common concerns families have during the transitional period include:
- Lack of control over their loved one’s day-to-day schedule
- Reduced communication with their loved one
- Unrealistic recovery expectations
We understand family engagement is essential to ensuring teens feel comfortable embracing a sober lifestyle. According to the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment, “Both empirical and developmental research indicate that families are powerful resources for enhancing treatment and recovery success among youth with SUD.” Families must learn when it is appropriate to provide support and when to give young adults space to develop independence. Transitional living programs offer young people and their families the opportunity to grow and heal together while reducing the risk of relapse and potential complications.
How to Support a Young Adult Without Enabling
Enabling behaviors are common among families struggling to overcome substance abuse. Parents, siblings, and friends often cover for young adults experiencing SUD in an attempt to protect them from the consequences of their actions. However, enabling behaviors can significantly interfere with the recovery process. Families and close friends must learn to offer support without enabling maladaptive behaviors.
Some of the ways people support loved ones in recovery without enabling them include:
- Actively listening
- Providing emotional and practical support
- Being honest about the effects of SUD on family dynamics
People show support in many different ways. Young adults often face unexpected challenges in their day-to-day lives, and relying on a steady support system can help them cope and reduce stress.
Communication Strategies That Can Strengthen Your Relationship With Young Adults
Healthy, open, and honest communication is key to repairing relationships and building positive social connections. Young adults recovering from chronic substance abuse learn to communicate more effectively during treatment and aftercare. Therapy and other support services give young people the information and tools they need to develop better communication skills.
Some communication strategies individuals use to strengthen relationships include:
- Active listening
- Acknowledging other people’s feelings with empathy
- Using “I” statements
- Respecting personal boundaries
- Developing conflict resolution skills
- Showing appreciation
- Validating the other person’s thoughts and feelings
- Practicing acceptance and forgiveness
- Giving the other person space when necessary
- Being adaptable and open to compromise
Therapists and other members of the care team at Alpha Behavioral Health help clients and their loved ones develop effective strategies for open and honest communication.
How to Keep Open and Healthy Dialogue With a Young Adult
Young adults with SUD or co-occurring mental health issues may struggle to feel comfortable communicating with friends, family members, and authority figures. Keeping an open dialogue requires the normalization of discussions about mental health and addiction recovery. Parents and other loved ones can repair or strengthen their relationship by reaching out and initiating conversations. Showing an interest in everyday activities and providing emotional support during challenging moments may help young adults become more open about their concerns.
An open and healthy dialogue allows young adults to lean on their support system during setbacks in recovery or stressful moments throughout the day. Alpha Behavioral Health teaches clients essential communication skills to ensure they have the tools to maintain sobriety and positive mental health during the transitional period.
Navigating Difficult Conversations With a Young Adult
Normalizing conversations about addiction and mental health often means navigating difficult conversations that young adults may rather avoid. A few ways to explore these topics without causing tension, conflict, or other negative responses include:
- Using open-ended questions to encourage dialogue
- Sharing personal or relatable stories to humanize the topic
- Using popular media such as movies, books, or TV shows as a neutral starting point for more challenging discussions
- Making it clear the conversation is judgment-free and a safe space
- Acknowledging the topic is difficult and gently continuing with it anyway
- Using evidence-based resources to provide factual and stigma-free information about the topic
- Respecting boundaries and not forcing young adults to have conversations until they feel ready
- Modeling healthy conversations by practicing honesty and respect
Difficult conversations should not be used to force young adults to feel shame or guilt. The goal of these discussions should be education, providing facts to help teens grow and heal from the effects of substance abuse.
Setting Healthy Boundaries: Love With Limits
Young adults need healthy boundaries to become independent and self-sufficient. Some adults may struggle to let older teens set their own limits. A desire to protect them from any emotional harm may cause some people to ignore boundaries in the name of love. However, controlling or overbearing love will only cause more problems in the long run. Young adults build trust by having their boundaries acknowledged and respected.
Personal boundaries provide essential support for long-term sobriety and improve family relationships by encouraging self-accountability and establishing clear limits in relationships. Transitional living allows young adults to develop healthy boundaries with family and friends. Families can use this time to educate themselves and build more meaningful relationships with young people.
The Role of Family Therapy in Long-Term Healing
Family therapy supports parents and young adults by ensuring they communicate in a healthy and mutually beneficial way. Studies have shown that family dynamics “greatly influence the treatment of any illness, including SUDs.” In addition, “Family involvement on any level can:
- Motivate individuals facing addiction to receive or continue treatment.
- Improve overall family functioning.
- Foster healing for family members affected by the consequences of addiction.
- Reduce risk in children and adolescents of being exposed to violence and of developing SUDs/mental disorders.”
Therapy helps all family members acknowledge and heal from the effects of SUD. At Alpha Behavioral Health, we use family therapy to guide clients and loved ones through treatment and prepare them to maintain healthy relationships during ongoing recovery.
Community, Peer Support, and Long-Term Success
Preparing to maintain sobriety independently takes time and a commitment to maintaining healthy lifestyle changes. Community and peer support is crucial in ensuring social recovery continues to progress despite occasional setbacks. Alpha Behavioral Health has created a thriving sober community where clients and their loved ones make life-changing social connections. Support networks give young adults a place to turn for practical guidance, accountability, motivation, inspiration, and encouragement. Transitional living makes it easy for young adults to develop deeper relationships with sober peers who share the same recovery goals.
The Power of Peer Support in Transitional Living
Transitional houses have private rooms where young adults take the time to practice self-care and develop healthy routines. The group living environment makes it easy for clients to ask for help, seek peer support, or create healthy social bonds. Peer support often provides additional accountability by encouraging young adults to avoid unhealthy behaviors. Not wanting to disappoint friends or be a bad influence on others going through recovery can motivate young people to make better decisions. Peer support in recovery also offers a safe space for young people to share their successes and worries without fear of judgment or criticism.
Stay Involved in a Healthy Way With Your Young Adult During Early Recovery
Everyone recovering from substance abuse has different needs and challenges they may encounter during early recovery. Family members who offer consistent and compassionate support to their loved ones in recovery often develop deeper relationships.
A few ways family members stay involved in recovery include:
- Frequently reaching out through text, phone, or in-person to chat and offer emotional support
- Reassuring young adults that love and support are not reliant on their recovery
- Avoiding unrealistic expectations and setting achievable goals
- Being empathetic and understanding
Providing support without enabling unhealthy behaviors is a delicate balance. Alpha Behavioral Health can help families navigate their relationships with young adults in early recovery to ensure they provide the best support to meet their loved one’s needs.
Helping Your Young Adult Build a Future Beyond Transitional Living
The goal of transitional housing is to prepare young adults for independent sobriety — community, peer, and family support foster resilience, self-efficacy, and self-confidence. Young adults learn the necessary skills to build the foundation for a sober future. Family members support these goals by showing their love and staying connected.
Some of the other ways families help young adults build a future beyond transitional living include:
- Encouraging continued participation in individual therapy, support groups, and other recovery services
- Supporting further education and career development
- Gradually shifting responsibilities to foster independence
- Providing stable housing options
- Encouraging structure and healthy routines
- Teaching budgeting, saving, and other essential financial skills
- Offering consistent emotional support
- Acknowledging and celebrating small and large milestones in recovery
Family members benefit from joining support groups, attending family therapy, and taking other steps to create a more supportive environment for young adults transitioning out of rehabilitation programs. Alpha Behavioral Health offers various services to clients and their families to help them grow closer and develop healthier relationships that support long-term sobriety.
Supporting Growth Without Holding Your Young Adult Back
Personal growth is part of becoming an adult and maturing. Family members must learn to accept that young adults will reach a point where they need to strike out on their own and live independent lives. Families with a history of substance abuse may find it more challenging to support personal growth without creating stipulations to avoid potential self-destructive behaviors. Loving someone involves letting them make their own decisions while offering support and guidance.
Young adults in recovery have the tools and resources to avoid falling back into old destructive habits without needing their loved ones to control their daily activities. Transitional living allows young adults and their families to see how independence works in the real world while ensuring individuals in recovery have access to continued support and structure.
Family engagement in the recovery process allows young adults and their loved ones to heal and grow together. Family dynamics play a critical role in long-term sobriety. Addressing unhealthy dynamics and repairing or strengthening relationships reduces the risk of relapse by providing young adults with additional support. Transitional living at Alpha Behavioral Health offers young adults the opportunity to grow in a nurturing environment, develop healthy personal boundaries, and find positive ways to move forward in their recovery journey. Families benefit from the time and space provided by transitional living. Young adults become more independent while parents and other family members learn to provide healthy forms of support and guidance. To learn more about our services, call (833) 257-4218.
