This is where the current system fails. When a person is in detox or residential treatment they are in a controlled environment, free of triggers, life stressors and reality. They have made a commitment to change and beat the addiction, every aspect of their time is scheduled on that premise. They have had time away from reality to get better, they have learnt life skills in a controlled environment, they have made amends. They should be able to simply move on and make it. That just isn’t true. Issue 1. They have made amends from their perspective, family members continue to fear an impending relapse and avoid bringing up past wounds. They are constantly watching for warning signs. Result: Inauthentic relationships, the person still feels like an outsider and never quite belongs, they aren’t the person you call to share things with or lean on with struggles. Cautiously optimistic, and untrusting with underlying fear of causing a relapse. This pushes the person towards the relapse, without stable connections. Issue 2. No opportunities or path forward. Anticipated stigma stops a person from trying, these people have been judged in the past and that assumption creates the anticipation of further stigma, demotivating the person to attempt to join society our of fear of rejection. Result: When they do attempt to seek employment they are also judged for past transgressions, and history and discriminated against. So a why try attitude is developed. Issue 3. Employment Opportunities. We do a great job selling recovery capital as reason to employ recovering addicts. We have spoken to a lot of businesses that have tried this approach and had a bad experience. Social and Life skills in a controlled environment do not translate into real world experience. They don’t address stigma, discrimination or the maladaptive cognitions. Businesses make employment decisions based on ROI (Return on Investment.) When these skills are not mastered, or the person has not addressed the maladaptive cognitions (subconscious thought patterns.) We set them up to fail. Result: The person loses hope, is not shown compassion, decrease self-worth and solidify the discrimination against that vulnerable population. Issue 4. The rejection from society, creates isolation, low self-esteem, lack of confidence and this person is then left to ponder previous choices and still does not have a path forward. Result: Re-traumatization, and this person still does not have stable healthy connections to lean on. The lack of confidence in themselves and perceived stigma (the stigma they attach to themselves regarding previous actions, or addiction,) leaves them disconnected and hopeless. Issue 5. Institutionalization; we see this in jails, hospitals, mental health units and every long term care program. This begins as early as 4 months. Despite learning various life skills, and social skills in the controlled environment (treatment center,) every aspect of life was programmed. The bills were managed by someone else, the schedule was determined, example group at x time, therapy at x time etc. These actions destroy a person’s autonomy (the ability to think and act independently.) Result: In the real world when they are supposed to “make it” they have lost the ability to think and act independently. They have had someone to co regulate with, to handle their life responsibilities. We end up with people that move from one system to another because they can no longer function on their own, they believe that they cannot make a decision for themselves. That level of responsibility suddenly becomes debilitating. When am I supposed to wake up? Then what am I supposed to do? How do I get food to make food? Where is the money coming from. There is a multitude of things we take for granted, autonomy is one of them. Without it you cannot cope on your own. Issue 6. Belonging is a fundamental human need so strong that we put ourselves in dangerous situations just to have that need met. Result: Noone in society let them belong, not the employers, family, old friends, or landlords. We just validated the anti-social behaviors and moral disintegration and justified why it is okay for them to do what they were doing before. They know exactly where they will be welcomed and those are the connections they will turn too because no one else gave them a whole chance. This is not an exhaustive list there are multiple more barriers that we also address in Revive and Thrive