For those completing treatment, it can be a scary thought to return to normal life. Going from a structured setting to one where you make all the choices can be overwhelming. In the case of addiction, the effects can linger long after treatment is completed. This can leave an individual at risk for relapse. Alumni and those still in treatment may look at their future with uncertainty without continued support.
Transitional living programs are the answer to this problem. By providing a safe and supportive sober living house, clients can get continuous help while also getting used to normal life and responsibilities. Alpha Behavioral Health utilizes a transitional living program for young men in downtown Austin, Texas. This provides an immersive aftercare experience to facilitate the recovery of substance abuse and drug addiction.
Learning more about this critical program outlines our commitment to providing quality and compassionate treatment for young adults. By inspiring young adults and unlocking their potential, they can lead successful and happy lives.
The Critical Step Between Rehab and Independence
Clients cannot simply be tossed into normal society without support once completing a treatment program. Some may even still require treatment, and that is normal for many. Transitioning back into normal lives and responsibilities is hard. Without support, clients are likely to experience a relapse because they don’t know what to do to prevent it. Some may not even know what to do once freed from their addiction and may struggle with important life and social skills. With no direction in life, they may turn to substance abuse once more to cope.
Transitional living programs work to fill the gap between drug rehabilitation and full independence. This prevents relapse by providing critical programs needed for continuous recovery and relapse education. Transition centers provide continuous support by monitoring mental and physical health. As such, they encourage clients to make consistent healthy choices. Clients may also participate in skill training, which helps improve the social skills needed to navigate work, school, and relationships. Peer support is also important, allowing clients to lean on peers who understand what they are going through and provide a means of accountability.
Specialized needs are also met as part of transitional living programs. Extended foster care provides support for foster youth who may be aging out of the system but require additional help. It provides a safe space and environment for particularly vulnerable youth, especially gay and transgender youth. Many of them may not have a safe home to return to after treatment. The value of such safe spaces cannot be overstated or overvalued for those who may struggle to open up. This ability to open up and trust in others is part of another critical component of independence, which is community.
The Importance of Community in Early Sobriety
Humans are social beings and do not do well when alone and isolated. A community protects people by having many hands available to help. This can come in many forms, such as teaching someone how to properly use an oven or providing a caring shoulder to lean on. Alpha Behavioral Health recognizes the importance of community for long-term success in drug addiction and substance abuse recovery. By utilizing several programs designed to help young adults, they become more adept and successful in encouraging and protecting their sobriety.
Building Life Skills for Long-Term Success
Sober living houses are important for traditional living programs because they create a staging ground for learning new life and social skills. These skills range in variety and are designed to help young adults manage their homes, school, work, and relationships successfully. Many young adults may lack critical life skills, which may damage their mental and physical health. Sober living houses allow clients to practice these skills with the help of trained professionals. Some of these life skills include:
- Cooking nutritious meals
- Caring for a home
- Building a resume
- Study techniques
- Stress-relieving techniques
- Communication skills
- Navigating and resisting peer pressure
- Managing finances and creating a budget
Though not a complete list, care is taken to help each individual create a tool kit of skills that they can take with them beyond transitional living programs and sober living homes.
Therapeutic Support in a Transitional Living Environment
Just because a person completed treatment does not mean that they won’t need continued therapy. Therapy and other forms of therapeutic support can be found in a sober living house and transitional living program. With the help of a dedicated caseworker, clients can still participate in these therapies. This ensures that any continuous difficulties are met with comprehensive and quality treatment. Therapeutic support also includes continued aftercare, an example being the Alpha Launch program.
These therapies are designed to promote continuous growth during recovery and help clients deal with the stressors of daily life. This consists of individual counseling and group therapy with fellow housemates. The therapies used in individual counseling vary depending on the individual, but it’s common for clients to utilize psychotherapies and holistic modalities, such as art therapy.
A unique feature of Alpha Behavioral Health is the use of wilderness therapy. This therapy takes young adults into the heart of the wilderness to have exciting sober adventures. Though these activities, such as cliff diving and white water rafting, are fun, they are also therapeutic. They teach young men how to be confident in their abilities, how to trust their fellow peers, and recognize that their choices matter. It’s not uncommon for residents in our sober living program to spend an equal amount of time outdoors as they do indoors.
Navigating Education and Career Goals in Early Recovery
Returning to work or school is an important part of being an adult. Higher education and firm career goals can make the difference between being unsure of oneself and being successful. Alpha Behavioral Health, as a result, helps clients reach the goals they set for vocational or academic endeavors. This can include life and social skills, such as practicing for interviews, networking with others, and receiving academic and career counseling.
Sober living homes are great in that regard because they allow clients to participate in a career or return to school. Afterward, clients return “home” where they can get further peer support and help. Both school and work can be highly stressful and can trigger a relapse. Having a robust support network and professional oversight helps clients practice caring for themselves before they move on from sober housing.
Accountability and Responsibility in Transitional Living
Peer support is essential to the recovery process. Much like how peers can play a role in forming an addiction via peer pressure, so too can this force help someone recover. It’s difficult to recover from a condition like substance abuse and drug addiction. Such conditions are heavily stigmatized and isolating for many youths, especially marginalized groups such as foster youth and transgender people. Having fellow peers nearby who may also be part of these groups and have gone through similar life experiences can be comforting. They know what it’s like to need therapy, to undergo detox, and to struggle with continuous recovery.
This understanding means that they are the best source of accountability and encouragement of responsibility in transitional living. They’ve undergone similar experiences, but they still take care of the home, go to work, or study for school. Seeing people accomplish goals you thought were impossible for yourself can be freeing and inspiring. This does not mean that sober living in a traditional living program is easy. Peers will expect each other to maintain a healthy and supportive living environment and watch each other for signs of struggles. Once a problem is noticed, you can be sure that a peer will immediately be there to help.
This peer support network can transcend transition living programs and become life-long friendships. These friendships will always be there to help and make sure everyone is making healthy choices. Sometimes, knowing that you have a friend to call when times get difficult can make the difference between staying in recovery and relapsing.
Sober Living vs. Transitional Living: Understanding the Difference
Though both terms are used as part of transitional living programs, these terms have specific meanings. Transitional living is an umbrella term referring to any residential environment that provides temporary housing to people transitioning into normal life. Halfway houses for those who have finished their prison sentence and need to adjust to outside life are an example of transitional living. Transitional living accommodations can take many forms, such as dorms, apartments, and communal homes.
A sober living house is a transitional program specifically for people recovering from addiction. These homes are almost always affiliated with a specific mental health or addiction treatment center. Those who manage a sober living house are often specialists in the mental health care and addiction treatment field. Sober living, as a term, is also highly specific and refers to a person changing their life to cut addictive substances and drugs out of their lives. Transitional living is a much broader term and can include the learning of life skills that help a person remain in recovery, focusing more on helping an individual function in society.
As a result, many addiction transitional living programs utilize sober housing as well as teaching essential life skills. Combining both gives clients the greatest chance of continued growth and success.
A Safe Space for LGBTQIA+ Young Adults in Recovery
Everyone deserves compassionate and quality addiction treatment. This includes members of the LGBTQIA+ community. No matter who you are, there is always a safe place in Alpha Behavioral Health’s transitional living program. With a zero-tolerance policy for harassment and bigotry, great care is taken to ensure that every client has a comfortable experience. In a world that can be hostile, having extra help can make a difference in the lives of those who are struggling.
The Role of Family and Loved Ones in the Transition to Independence
Family and other loved ones play a significant role in the recovery process. Utilizing family resources and family therapy helps spread understanding and fosters positive change. Those in transitional living need a source of understanding and love that is different from peer support. The unconditional love of a parent, a sibling, or another loved one can help improve mental health and help clients stick with treatment. However, care must be taken to not enable unhealthy behavior and allow the client to grow into a person.
Family and loved ones can still help. Teaching a client how to change a tire on a car or how to dress well for an interview are important and teachable life skills. In the case of foster youth, loved ones can be foster parents or foster siblings who are close. By working closely with their families, clients can transition faster out of a sober living house and into sober living in general.
Overcoming Common Challenges in Transitional Living
Transitional living is not easy. It has a learning curve that takes some time to grasp. You must live with fellow peers in a house. Together, you are responsible for maintaining that house as well as caring for yourself. Striking a proper balance between societal, home, and treatment responsibilities can be hard. There may be times when it’s hard to get along with others or when you become frustrated with treatment. However, there are some ways to manage these feelings and promote a healthy and supportive environment.
Managing Stress and Emotions in a Supportive Setting
Self-care is an essential part of addiction treatment. This is because substance abuse is usually a response to pain, often caused by stress and trauma. Learning how to manage and let go of stress helps prevent relapse, as well as promote harmonious living. At Alpha Behavioral Health, clients are encouraged to manage their stress and emotions by:
- Participating in group therapy and support
- Eat good food and get plenty of rest.
- Utilize emotional management tools, such as breath work or journaling.
- Move the body via exercise or as part of wilderness therapy
- Communicate with peers respectfully and helpfully
- Find and practice a hobby that reduces stress
- Utilize professionals on staff to help manage conflict and find resolutions
- Express oneself in a creative way, such as at therapy or music
- Practice mindfulness techniques, such as meditation
- Participate in emotional regulation therapies if needed
Together, these techniques reduce conflict and foster proper communication with fellow sober living peers. By managing stress and practicing emotional regulation, getting along with others becomes much easier. Of course, if you are still struggling with stress or your emotions, professionals are always standing by to offer further assistance.
Why Location Matters: Austin’s Sober Living Community
The Austin area is full of support for those recovering from addiction. It’s a place full of rich culture and heritage, instilling pride in those who live there. By working closely with addiction treatment and mental health care facilities like Alpha Behavioral Health, alumni and current clients have access to an entire city of sober living and support. There are plenty of places dedicated to sober living and promoting sobriety. It’s not difficult to find support groups and networks waiting to take in those in need.
Austin is also located in Texas, a state well known for its splendid and varied landscapes. It makes it easy to go on wilderness adventures to places rarely seen by average people. These adventures can be humbling when a client interacts with the majesty of the Texan wilderness. In the face of the healing power of nature, some problems seem smaller than before. It’s a unique environment that promotes healing, courage, and spiritual renewal. Paired with the various sober living groups and support networks, Austin is one of the premier locations for addiction recovery.
Taking the Next Step Towards a Thriving Future
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, the best time to get help is today. At Alpha Behavioral Health, we are always happy to answer questions and provide information about our transitional living program and sober living centers. Staffed by caring professionals, we are committed to helping individuals find the treatment they need and deserve to recover from addiction and substance abuse. If you’d like to learn more about Alpha Behavioral Health, contact us through our website or by calling our center number.
There is always a solution. So don’t wait; let us help you and your family forge a better tomorrow today.
Transitioning to adulthood is not easy, especially for young men who are struggling with their mental health. Drug addiction, mental health disorders, and circumstances at home can all greatly impact a person’s ability to smoothly transition into a healthy adult. That’s why at Alpha Behavioral Health in Austin, TX, we utilize a transitional living program for young men who need a secure and supportive environment for recovery. This program is not just to help young men overcome addiction; it’s also designed to give them the tools needed to form healthy relationships and succeed as adults. To learn more about how our transitional living program can help you or your loved one, call (833) 257-4218 today.
