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Addiction is often isolating and can destroy relationships over time. If you are struggling with addiction and do not feel you can reach out to family and friends from the time before addictive behaviors caused harm, transitional living programs can help you find community, purpose and a new way to make life work.
1- Transitional Living is Full of Criminals
There are folks who have had negative interactions with the law while under the influence of addictive substances. It is also possible to have a negative interaction with the law without using an addictive substance.
If you need to spend time each week working with your parole office, transitional living can help you to learn to manage your schedule. During your time in transitional housing, you can also learn
- communication skills
- emotional management skills
- time management skills
to make it possible to manage this on your own when you are ready to move into the world.
2- Transitional House Programs are Dull
Your time in transitional housing will not be dull, but it will be different. Because change can be really hard, you will be given time to process your new experiences as well as goals and targets for new activities and interactions.
Part of enjoying this time is learning to manage your thoughts and feelings. Recovery is most effective when you can move from a destructive situation and community into a supportive and caring community. This may include therapy, working with your case manager, learning to be a productive member of your household, and in general filling positive roles that you have never had to learn to do before. Staying mentally flexible is key.
3- Transitional Housing Fails More Often Than Not
Relapse is not a sign of failure. Instead, think of relapse as practice. If your plans for recovery include the drive to be perfect and never make a mistake, you are setting yourself up for more frustration than any human being can handle.
4- Transitional Housing is Only Open to Those Who Have Hit Rock Bottom
There are lots of folks who have looked around at the unhappiness and unhealthiness of their lives and chosen to enter treatment. You can be at the end of your rope and not hit rock bottom before seeking help. While your family and employer may need to know of this new choice, you can move into better, healthier ways of living with a modicum of privacy before things fall apart.
5- Transitional Housing is All About God
There are steps in the 12 step program that talk about a higher power. However, that doesn’t have to be God in the traditional sense. For some addicts, the idea of going to church actually adds to the stress of life. Your higher power is whatever restores you to sanity. That may be enjoying nature, expressing yourself in group therapy, or meditating in private. Community, not church, is key.
Detoxing is just the top step in the long climb of recovery. The ability to build and celebrate community is what transitional living programs are all about. No matter your life goals, being able to adapt and work with others will serve you effectively for the rest of your life.
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