The Role of Families in Addiction Treatment

When a person struggles with drug or alcohol addiction, it affects the entire family. An addict and families in addiction treatment have to work extra hard to change their family dynamics. They struggle with anger, resentment, and fear. 

These emotions are natural. While an individual’s struggle has a far-reaching effect, the family can also play a critical role in healing. The toll that an addicted family member takes on the rest of the family is called a “family sickness.”

How can families positively impact sobriety by attending family addiction support groups, support for family therapy addiction for recovery, social support, and knowledge of relapse prevention? Read on to find out.

The Effect of Addiction on Children

According to NIH research, children whose parents are addicted may suffer emotional and behavioral problems. These problems shape children’s development into adults. For example, they are at a greater risk of developing a substance use disorder (SUD). A parent who suffers from a substance use disorder is three times more likely to physically or sexually abuse their child. 

 

Abused children can develop externalizing disorders such as rage, violence, inappropriate behavior, and behavioral issues. In contrast, neglected children are more likely to develop internalizing disorders (depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, poor peer relations). 

Children in families suffering from addiction have both short- and long-term consequences of the following:

• Isolation from the outside world.
• Fear of those in positions of authority
• Fear of furious individuals
• Suffering from criticism
• Feeling excessively responsible for the emotions of others
• Expression of emotions is a challenge
• Anxiety about abandonment
• Self- and other-judgment.

The Family’s Role in Addiction and Recovery

Family therapy is critical to a patient’s effective recovery from addiction. Spouses, children, parents, and siblings of addicts are all impacted by their loved one’s substance misuse. Similarly, these individuals affect the development of addiction, either positively or negatively. When someone you care about struggles with drug or alcohol abuse, the instinct is to want to do all possible to assist them in overcoming the problem.

 

While the intentions are almost always genuine, it can be difficult to distinguish between assisting and enabling. In a nutshell, assistance is doing something for someone unable to do so on their own. Enabling is performing something for someone capable of and should complete the work independently.

How To Assist Your Family In Addition Treatment

While the intentions are almost always genuine, it can be difficult to distinguish between assisting and enabling. In a nutshell, assistance is doing something for someone unable to do so on their own. Enabling is performing something for someone capable of and should complete the work independently.

Avoid Enabling

Enabling takes various forms and encompasses any behavior that protects a substance abuser from confronting the consequences of their actions. While it may appear as though you are assisting your spouse by covering for him when he is absent from work due to excessive drinking the night before, you are encouraging him to continue abusing alcohol without fear of severe consequences.

 

By preventing the inevitability of drug or alcohol abuse, you encourage your loved one to continue down the wrong path. Often, the aim is that by shielding the substance abuser from job loss, financial devastation, poor academic performance, and other negative consequences of addiction, they would finally recognize their error and choose to change. The difficulty with this line of thought is that these consequences frequently motivate substance addicts to seek therapy.

Help Them Now, Not Later

Watching your spouse, sibling, kid, or parent fight an uphill battle with addiction can be stressful and upsetting. It can become overpowering in many circumstances, causing close family members to lose hope and withdraw from the addict. “If he doesn’t care, why should I?” is a common sentiment in similar situations.

 

At this point in life, your loved one requires your assistance more than ever. Alcoholism and drug addiction nearly usually worsen if left untreated. Regardless of how angry you are with your addicted loved ones, abandoning them is never the answer.

Participate in Treatment Process

While your family member is undergoing treatment, they may arrange for you to visit them at designated times. Take advantage of these possibilities if your family member is receptive, and avoid expressing your displeasure about past events. Demonstrate your support and pride that they are receiving the assistance necessary to overcome the disease of addiction’s hold on their lives.

Make Use of Support Group

Supporting a family member through substance abuse treatment might feel like a full-time job. You must obtain the necessary help to be present for your family, easily accessible through addiction support groups.

Addiction support groups aid close family members who walk alongside someone battling addiction. These group-based settings can help families heal from the emotional burdens they frequently carry. Generally guided by peers who have walked in your footsteps, these family support circles will provide you with connection and meaning.

 

If you or someone you care about is battling substance abuse, now is the time to seek treatment. There is no reason to shoulder the entire weight alone when you may receive the competent and caring assistance your family deserves.