Tyler’s son, Ian, is a recent graduate of the Turnbridge Men’s Program.

Tyler’s son, Ian, is a recent graduate of the Turnbridge Men’s Program. Since his son’s arrival at Turnbridge in the summer of last year, Tyler has witnessed Ian’s profound growth and maturation into the responsible young adult he is today.  Ian recently celebrated the important milestone of one year of continuous sobriety.

Originally from New Jersey, Ian saw his struggles begin when he entered high school. After attending a private school for his elementary and middle education, which had less than 10 total people graduate, Ian transitioned to a public high school that maintained a student population of about 2,000. “I don’t think Ian was ready for it,” Tyler, stated. “He was nervous but excited.”

Tyler described the difficulty of “not knowing what is going on in a teenagers life, addiction or not.” Tyler believes Ian’s first use was around 9th grade, where he experimenting with alcohol and pot. “I think Ian began to regularly use in 10th and 11th grade,” said Tyler.

“I don’t know when he was using or how much he was using, I wish I had known sooner. Alcoholics can be very sneaky,” Tyler said. Having seen alcoholism in his family before, the behaviors were not completely foreign to Tyler. Ian would get caught smoking, get grounded, wait out the time, and then go back to his usual activities. “I think all teenagers lie to some degree, and I certainly know that all addicts lie.”

During his senior year, Ian was caught intoxicated at a school-sponsored sporting event. His consequences were either a suspension or participation in an intensive outpatient program. Ian decided to attend the IOP program for 12 weeks. The night following completion, Ian resumed drinking and smoking.

Following high school, Ian went off to a large University in the area where his downward spiral picked up steam. “There was a fair amount of substance abuse and Ian was not doing well,” said Tyler. Ian’s parents decided to withdraw him from the university and send him to a community college. “He was clearly not focused, and to send him back was not the best decision.”

Ian’s use escalated to prescription painkillers, and his parents would soon become aware of this. Ian began participating in another IOP program. “I don’t think he really wanted it,” Tyler said. Ian would complete the program, but his drug and alcohol use persisted. As Ian’s progression continued and his financial resources began to run dry he would eventually begin using heroin, a cheaper alternative to prescription painkillers.

“There was a lot of lying and stealing going on,” Tyler said. “In the summer of 2015, his mother and I intervened and gave him an option to go to treatment. We were very firm with this option, as it was the only one.” Ian accepted help, and enrolled in a primary treatment program. “They did a great job, but Ian was nowhere near ready to go back out into reality or come home to the same people, places or things,” said Tyler. “30 days is not enough. You need to have a long stretch of time where you focus on yourself and your own sobriety.”

The option of Turnbridge was put on the table, and again was the only option, and Ian accepted. “Ian struggled with [Turnbridge] and what they asked of him, but he had no other option,” Tyler stated. “We let him know it was Turnbridge, and getting better, or he was on his own and would have to go find a job, a home, a way of transportation, without our assistance.”

“Ian was 22 when he entered, but had the maturity of 16 or 17 year old,” Tyler said. “Turnbridge made him face these challenges and responsibilities. He had stopped maturing when his use began. You grow when you’re sober, facing challenges and facing yourself.”

Ian slowly began to progress. There were plenty of ups and downs, but Ian slowly began to embrace the help that was being offered to him. “Turnbridge gave him the structure, environment, accountability but pushed him to create a sober network and reach out and work on himself,” Tyler said. “Turnbridge gave him the tools to succeed, and Ian used them.”

Earlier this month, Ian successfully completed the program and moved into a local sober house. Last month, Ian celebrated 1 year sober. “He is happy, working hard and has made lifelong friends in New Haven,” Tyler said. “It is the hardest work he has ever done and ever will do, it is a lifelong process.”

Trauma Informed Care Giving

It is difficult to treat individuals in recovery without acknowledging the existence and impact of traumatic stress and events. There are very few suffering from addiction, both in our program and in the larger cohort, that do not have trauma in their past. As such, Turnbridge programs have worked diligently to be a source of Trauma Informed Care Giving.

To understand the impact of Trauma, one must be able to identify it as such. A widely accepted definition of Trauma has been put forth by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration); “...experiences that cause intense physical and psychological stress reactions...can refer to a single event, multiple events, or a set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically and emotionally harmful and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.

Trauma is one of the most uniquely individual aspects of a client’s mental health treatment. A shared moment by two individuals will be experienced and interpreted very differently. This difference is largely connected to the individual's current/existing coping skills and past experience with trauma. The previously referred to ‘moment’ can range from being yelled at by a teacher to being in or witnessing a terrorist attack.

When a trauma occurs, the moment becomes imprinted on the brain. Depending on the size of the trauma, emotional development and coping can be stunted at that moment. This is often the underlying reason for parents’ frustration that their son or daughter acts immaturely in crisis moments. It is also often the catalyst for maladaptive choices for coping, such as substance use. Substance abuse becomes a substitute for actually processing and handling the emotions that arise from traumatic events.

With all this being said, Trauma Informed Care at Turnbridge involves looking at behaviors as symptoms; as information. The adage of “what is the client trying to tell me by doing this?” Aside from substance use, behaviors seen as stemming from trauma include: excessive temper and outbursts, inability to connect to peers or adults (for example a sober network), hyper-vigilance (such as being easily startled or jumpy), wetting the bed, night terrors or avoidance of sleep entirely, and self-harming thoughts or actions.

The backbone of our Trauma Informed Care incorporates three Rs. We Realize the widespread impact of trauma, Recognize the signs and symptoms, and Respond by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into our policies and practice. Through this approach we enforce peer support, safety, and empowerment within our clientele.

Trauma can be a daunting hurdle in the path to recovery for many, but is one that must be conquered in order for sustained sobriety. It opens a door to self discovery, understanding and most important of all; healing.