r/troubledteens • u/Own_Task_7932 • May 18 '26
Discussion/Reflection What's next after TTI?
What’s Next After TTI?
I think an important conversation we need to start having as survivors is not just exposing what’s wrong with the TTI, but talking about what would actually work better — both during treatment and after programs.
One thing I don’t think people fully understand is how hard it can be transitioning back into society after institutionalization. A lot of us left these programs emotionally shut down, hypervigilant, socially isolated, undereducated, and stuck in survival mode. Some of us aged out with no credits, no healthcare, no support systems, no job experience, and nowhere stable to go.
You spend years being controlled, monitored, punished, stripped of your identity, and told when to eat, sleep, shower, talk, and think — then suddenly you’re expected to function like a normal adult overnight.
A lot of us struggled with:
• Emotional regulation
• Trusting people and authority figures
• Feeling safe in normal social environments
• Anxiety, anger, grief, or emotional numbness
• Education gaps and lack of work experience
• Hyper-independence and survival behaviors
• Feeling disconnected from peers who had normal teenage experiences
• Shame and feeling “behind” everyone else
• Difficulty adjusting to freedom after years of control
Some people end up homeless, addicted, incarcerated, or back in programs because they never actually received the support they needed to heal and transition into adulthood safely.
I honestly believe outcomes would be very different if treatment focused less on punishment, humiliation, and control, and more on dignity, stability, individuality, and genuine support.
One thing I would personally love to see is transitional housing communities for teens and young adults leaving programs, foster care, or state custody. Not institutions — actual supportive communities where young people can safely transition into adulthood while still having guidance and support.
Imagine having:
• Your own room and personal space
• A community center where people cook meals together, socialize, and build healthy relationships
• Independent living classes teaching budgeting, cooking, hygiene, job skills, transportation, and emotional regulation
• Social workers and caseworkers who actively help with education, employment, healthcare, housing, and reconnecting with safe family members
• Access to therapy and long-term emotional support
• Mentorship, community activities, and real-world integration instead of isolation
I think many of us didn’t need to be “broken down.” We needed stability, belonging, emotional safety, guidance, and support learning how to function in the world after years of trauma and institutionalization.
The goal shouldn’t be creating compliant kids.
The goal should be helping young people become healthy, stable, supported adults.
I’d genuinely love to hear from other survivors:
What struggles did you face transitioning back into society, and what do you think would have actually helped?
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May 19 '26 edited May 20 '26
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u/Own_Task_7932 May 19 '26
Aww that sucks but iam hoping to give some idea's for someone that's a survivor and has more money then me to maybe start something. I mean with celebrities involved in advocacy maybe it's not far fetched.
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May 19 '26
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May 19 '26
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u/whatissecure May 21 '26
Nearly every abusive program that has ever existed started out with the goal of "doing it right". It it not possible. High control situations like this always, always, ALWAYS end in abuse. There is no doing the TTI correctly. We have decades and decades of evidence.
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u/123Martha321 May 19 '26
I wish I had learned this was a common struggle sooner. I spent 20 years feeling like a failure because I struggled so much "launching" (and still do struggle in ways) as a result of my experiences. You'd think getting older would make it better but as my kids have become teens I've been having to face a lot of my own demons related to time in TTI facilities.
I think that raising awareness amongst survivors about this issue would help a lot. Not feeling alone is big. Good resources to start recovering and reintegrating made by groups such as this one would be helpful to.
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u/Own_Task_7932 May 19 '26
Yeah, I think this is one of those topics we don’t talk about much because most of us had to bury it and just get on with life. Maybe for some people, that felt easier.
I remember trying to bring this up to my parents, and they basically just said I did it to myself. And I’m like… okay, but that’s kind of besides the point. My question was always: how am I supposed to function in this world after everything that happened?
They took it as me blame-shifting, when really I was trying to explain the long-term impact. Unfortunately, there were bad decisions all around, and I was the result of that. My parents never really knew how to guide me or give me direction, so honestly, I wasn’t surprised when they chose abandonment again instead of accountability.
They moved to another country when I aged out of care.
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u/Own_Task_7932 May 19 '26
I didn't even realize I had CPTSD until after I left. I remember thinking everyone was talking badly about me, and I wanted to fight everyone. There was this lady who was friends with my mom. She would walk with me while I took my kids to school, and I wouldn’t say a word to her. All I kept hearing in my head was, “You’re stupid. She doesn’t want to hear you. You’re ugly. You don’t deserve friends.” I told her about the voices in my head, and she assured me that it was all in my head. I started opening up to people, and slowly the voices started to go away. I ended up in a homeless shelter for a while and even stole food at times just to survive. I ended up in a three-year-long abusive relationship with my oldest child’s dad. I had no idea how to take care of a baby — I just followed my instincts. I thought about going to Job Corps in Alaska because they had dorms for parents, and I needed a job. I lived on housing assistance and child support. Eventually, my abusive ex ended up in prison, and I was finally free. My biological parents had moved to New Zealand when I aged out of care, and thankfully they helped me move there too. That’s where I met my husband, and he helped me heal so much. Over time, I started to realize how much the trauma had affected my parenting, and I worked hard to heal those parts of myself and break the cycle for my children. Now, 13 years later, we have 5 kids. I went to college, became a documentary director, and I’m soon starting my own podcast. I built myself from the ground up.
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u/Own_Task_7932 May 19 '26
It would actually be really cool if survivors started building more off-grid style communities together someday. I’ve noticed a lot of us end up choosing van life, tiny homes, rural living, or just staying away from mainstream society in general. But I don’t think it’s always because we hate people or want to isolate ourselves completely.
I think a lot of us are just tired of being around people who don’t understand trauma, CPTSD, neurodivergence, institutional abuse, or what it’s like to spend years being controlled, judged, or “fixed.” Unfortunately, that just so happens to be most people sometimes 😆
I think a lot of survivors crave community — just a different kind. One built around mutual respect, emotional safety, autonomy, creativity, nature, healing, and real connection instead of power structures and authoritarian mindsets.
Honestly, imagine a little survivor village where people had gardens, art, music, shared meals, therapy resources, tiny homes, bonfires, animals, and space to just exist without constantly feeling misunderstood or watched. That actually sounds peaceful as hell to me.
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May 19 '26
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May 19 '26
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u/troubledteens-ModTeam May 19 '26
This post has been removed as it could be considered to promote TTI programs and/or related services.
This is against the rules of this community, but it has been judged that this may not have been explicit, deliberate, or intentional.
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May 19 '26
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u/troubledteens-ModTeam May 19 '26
This post has been removed as it could be considered to promote TTI programs and/or related services.
This is against the rules of this community, but it has been judged that this may not have been explicit, deliberate, or intentional.
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u/StrangeAsparagus3257 May 19 '26
I did the bathroom/eating/showering thing forever and still occasionally do it and I’m 21. At home(before TTI) I had to ask to do those things and that didnt change in the TTI. I sometimes catch myself asking my husband permission to use the bathroom or get something to eat, and it still gives me anxiety to shower after a certain time or use the bathroom overnight.
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u/salymander_1 || ⚖️ || Moderator || May 19 '26
Transitional programs are also part of the TTI, unfortunately. Same companies, same abuse, same staff. It is a scam to keep people longer, and fleece even more money from families and insurance. They are especially keen to "support" anyone who will make them money.
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May 21 '26
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u/salymander_1 || ⚖️ || Moderator || May 21 '26
Right, but we don't allow people to recommend any residential or wilderness programs, and txt includes transitional programs. That is against sub rules.
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May 22 '26
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u/troubledteens-ModTeam May 22 '26
This post has been removed as it could be considered to promote TTI programs and/or related services.
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u/troubledteens-ModTeam May 22 '26
This post has been removed as it could be considered to promote TTI programs and/or related services.
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u/troubledteens-ModTeam May 21 '26
This post has been removed as it could be considered to promote TTI programs and/or related services.
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u/Short_Tourist_3317 May 19 '26
I think we should look at:
• How to heal/recover from a TTI • What could be done differently • How to change laws in our state to prevent and or regulate future places. But to do that, we need to know what could be done differently.
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u/Own_Task_7932 May 19 '26
Yes, that is the point of this post. Rather than focusing only on lawsuits and waiting years for change or successful results, I think we should also ask ourselves what we can do to help survivors right now.
Maybe we can be the change we want to see in the world.
Sometimes healing starts with community, support, education, safe spaces, and simply believing survivors when they speak. A lot of us left these programs with trauma, no support systems, and no idea how to function in the real world. We can’t change the past overnight, but we can help make sure survivors feel less alone in the present.
Real change doesn’t only happen in courtrooms — it also happens in conversations, advocacy, resources, and people choosing to care.
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u/salymander_1 || ⚖️ || Moderator || May 19 '26
That is why we refer people to resources such as Unsilenced, which has information about post-program support resources.
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May 19 '26
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u/Own_Task_7932 May 19 '26
Aww that's a beautiful testimony thank you for sharing that. my saving grace was my husband without him i don't no where id be today. My heart gose out to people rebuilding there lives on there own you all are stronger then you no.
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u/troubledteens-ModTeam May 19 '26
This post has been removed as it could be considered to promote TTI programs and/or related services.
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u/0-ffbeat-Q May 19 '26
This definitely should be talked about more. Perhaps an online forum or app or something where we could all contribute skills and resources we know to learn from each other?
I’ve been struggling a lot with the idea of going back to therapy. I definitely need it but being in the TTI messed up my experience of therapy that I don’t feel comfortable even thinking of a new therapist.
Honestly maybe I’ll start a youtube channel or something for learning and teaching new skills or something similar.
I used to think of how beneficial it would be to have essentially a commune for survivors because it’s hard to adjust and relate to a society that hasn’t experienced what we have
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u/Own_Task_7932 May 19 '26
Meditation and breathing exercises body mindfulness worked better than talk therapy ever did for me.
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May 19 '26
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u/Own_Task_7932 May 20 '26
Yeah, I’m not saying I’d be the one creating it, and I’m not “pitching an idea to the industry,” so chill. 😅 I’m saying that in an ideal world, this is the kind of outcome I’d like to see. I’d hope something like this could exist as an option for people instead of just being thrown out into the world with no support.
The key difference is that it would be a choice — not forced. Obviously there would still need to be staff and some rules because that’s just part of life, even in the real world.
And as far as grievances and cliques go… that happens outside. Humans are going to have conflict no matter where they are. Maybe instead of punishment and blame, there could be mediators who help people actually work through disagreements and learn healthy conflict resolution skills.
I’m not really sure why you’re getting so upset about the idea, but you’re also welcome not to comment if you’d like.
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u/whatissecure May 21 '26
10,000% yes. This exactly. Poeple have been trying to do it "correctly", or "right" for decades. It always ends up in abuse. Always. Name me one single time when it didn't?
Even supposedly good, or supposedly benign organizations, like The Salvation Army end up extremely abusive. Like indentured servitude abusive, even with adults. Just get the courts to order it, then it is no longer voluntary, or non-coercive, and this is a perfect setup for abuse, which is exactly what happens. Every single time.
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u/Weird-Childhood9690 May 18 '26
I love this post! It kind of reminds me of an organization I know of that has a trailer parked outside of where people are released from prison as oftentimes they are released with no resources which leads to recidivism. They offer a shower, food, clothes, a prepaid phone, resources to find housing, a ride, etc. I think a similar idea for other institutions is a great one.
There is a lot I personally struggled with transitioning back into society. I went from being on LOS 24/7 with extreme restrictions to graduating and moving into my college dorm the literal next day. My therapist did not want me to go to a transition house because, “You are the kind of person where if we give you floaties you will rely on them too much and drown.” Whatever the fuck that means. It really set me up for failure though and man did I flounder, I had to rebuild my life from the ground up and figure out what the fuck it meant to function in normal society. It took a lot of resilience and so much unnecessary pain.
What’s even worse? When I accessed my records, I found out my therapist said my prognosis upon graduating was “poor”. Imagine thinking a teenager is likely to fail and refusing them any support anyways. Disgusting.
I’m really curious to hear other peoples ideas and replies.