Adulting 101 at Laguna Shores Recovery
When addiction begins in adolescence, adults may never gain essential life skills that prepare them for a life without a caretaker. Life skills are abilities that allow individuals to effectively solve problems in a timely, cost-effective manner. Gaining an adequate amount of life skills can prepare individuals for a sufficient life on their own.
Living in American society requires a certain amount of responsibility from adults. Life can throw many challenges and curveballs like replacing a spare tire, cleaning out the gutters, and financing a house. These types of challenges can become overwhelming. Additionally, with mental health disorders like addiction, individuals may not know healthy coping mechanisms for this excess stress. Learning critical life skills that help prepare individuals for those challenges allows them to approach each one with confidence and ease.
At each stage of residential treatment at Laguna Shores Recovery in Mission Viejo, California, clients learn essential skills that will improve their lives in recovery. That is why we offer Adulting 101, a class centered around building a toolbelt of life skills. Our classes range in subject matter each week, and we take suggestions from our clients on what to educate them on next.
What Is ‘Adulting?’
Adulting is a relatively new phrase that refers to tasks adults complete. Adulting could mean deciding to buy an air filter for the furnace instead of going out to a movie with friends. These tasks are not typically much fun, but they are highly rewarding and bring a sense of self-sufficiency and independence. Such decisions and skills benefit individuals in the long run and bring them a sense of stability rather than temporary fun.
Practicing these skills can be fun while relieving the stress and pressure of graduating from treatment for drug or alcohol addiction. From learning how to change a tire to folding a fitted sheet, adulting classes can prepare clients for challenges in recovery.
The Benefits of Life Skills in Addiction Treatment
Laguna Shores Recovery understands the importance of being self-sufficient in recovery. The transition from treatment to returning home can be incredibly overwhelming and intimidating. That is why we offer Adulting 101 to all of our clients to better prepare them for the challenges life may bring following treatment.
By learning essential life skills through Laguna Shores Adulting 101 classes, clients will:
- Be better prepared for their lives in recovery following treatment
- Have increased confidence as they gain independence
- Be less likely to become overwhelmed and tempted to relapse
- Be able to offer a helping hand to loved ones
Who Needs Adulting Classes?
Anyone who wishes to learn crucial life skills such as balancing a checkbook, cleaning a kitchen, or budgeting a remodel could benefit from adulting classes.
More specifically, young adults ages 18 to 25 are more prone to participate in adulting classes because they may feel overwhelmed with the onset of responsibilities of becoming an adult and living independently.
Adults or adolescents that suffer from substance use disorder themselves or have experienced it in their home may also benefit from adulting classes because they may have missed out on learning essential life skills in childhood. Once an individual has entered treatment for substance use disorder, they often will begin to learn skills like cooking, exercise, and cleaning to instill a sense of sufficiency and purpose in recovery.
Subjects Covered in Adulting
Many of our life skills classes have a wide range of curriculum that cycle through each session. Participants may choose which classes to attend based on the skills they want to learn or expand on. Each subject will address a different area of adulthood duties that require certain tasks and responsibilities. These classes help prepare students by breaking down these tasks step-by-step.
Subjects taught in adulting classes include:
- Domestic: Subjects taught in domestic courses center around running an efficient home. Skills covered may include cooking balanced meals, sorting and folding laundry, grocery shopping, organizing a home and documents, home improvement, unclogging a drain, changing a fuse, and basic car maintenance.
- Financial: These skills will encourage stable finances through budgeting to prepare individuals for unexpected payments or monthly bills. Specifically, skills taught include balancing a checkbook, opening and maintaining a checking and savings account, opening a credit account, creating a system for paying bills, understanding insurance, or saving money.
- Relationships: Courses taught on this subject could include effective communication skills, knowing how and where to meet people, resolving conflict, increasing emotional intelligence, working through attachment, trust, and commitment issues.
- Employment: Learning job skills can help individuals find jobs, keep jobs, and be treated well at their job. Life skills taught in this subject include resume and job coaching, interview skills, maintaining a work/life balance, email correspondence, customer service skills, and negotiating a raise.
- Other skills: Other than the skills listed already, tips and information on self-care, parenting, time management, study skills, and how to become involved in politics could also be covered in adulting classes.
While the skills taught in adulting classes may vary, the goal is always the same. Adulting classes are held with the hope that individuals will become more self-sufficient, gain confidence, and be able to handle stressful situations when they arise.
Learning life skills while receiving treatment for addiction can benefit clients by preparing them for their lives in long-term recovery, instilling confidence and independence, and building motivation. Laguna Shores Recovery offers Adulting 101 to each of our clients to encourage growth in all areas of their lives. Call us today to learn more about our courses at (954) 329-1118.
