Drug Addiction Impacts the Entire Family
There’s no way around the fact that drug addiction is a family disease. When a person is addicted to drugs or alcohol, it affects more than just the addict alone. It’s often that people hear about what addiction does to the person abusing drugs or alcohol, such as how it affects their body, mind, and life. But how often does anyone really hear about just how much drug addiction impacts the people that are closest to that person? Addiction is a family disease because it deeply affects all of the people closest to the person with the addiction. For this reason, it is incredibly important for parents, spouses, children, and anyone else who is close to get help and counseling for the addiction, and to be a part of the addict’s recovery treatment.
Understanding Drug Addiction as a Family Disease
Treating drug addiction as the family disease that it is plays a critical role in the recovery of the individual who is addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. When an individual goes into treatment for drug addiction, they should be able to work on each of the underlying issues that pushed them to initially abuse drugs and alcohol in the first place. Part of working on the underlying issues of addiction involves taking a look at the family. Did any trauma occur? Is there any tension between the family? How has addiction impacted the family and altered the family dynamic? These are the types of questions that will be discussed with the individual who is receiving treatment as well as the family during family sessions. Family sessions are offered by the best drug rehab centers. Individuals receiving treatment for drug addiction are typically encouraged to share with their family about their treatment and invite them to a family session where they can work together on any underlying problems that may exist with a team of addiction professionals. Family members are also encouraged to be part of the recovery process and support their loved one – but not enable them.
Getting Involved in Your Loved One’s Addiction Treatment
Most rehabilitation facilities like Lighthouse offer these family programs. These programs are designed to help families cope with the trauma that comes along with addiction. We always encourage family members to be a part of the addicts drug addiction treatment. It is strongly recommended that the family participate on family days in-person or via skype if a personal visit isn’t possible and that they seek their own support system through programs like Al Anon or through a family psychologist. It is important to be involved in your loved-one’s treatment so that you can keep tabs on their progress and know what issues are coming up while they are in rehab. You will have the opportunity to speak to their counselor individually and as a group with the patient. As difficult as it may be, it is important to listen to what is going on, be patient, and always be supportive of the addict’s progress.
Seeking Your Own Support
You will need to realize that you have a long path of healing and repair in front of you, so use the time that the addict is in treatment as a time to focus on you. Al Anon and Nar Anon meetings are a great way for loved ones of alcoholics and addicts to get support. These programs are similar to Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings except that they cater strictly to the people dealing with loved ones who are alcoholics and addicts. This may even be a great time for you to begin visiting a therapist as well. They will be able to give you tools to cope with any trauma from the past and anxiety for the future. Remember, the stronger you can make yourself, the stronger you can be for the addict, but you always need to take care of you.
Addiction is a Family Disease But Recovery Can Bring Families Together
When recovery is tackled as a team, it can bring families closer together than they ever were prior to addiction. While no one wants to go through addiction and everything that goes along with it, if there is any silver lining its that with the right support, intervention, and a caring professional team, families can all walk away from treatment knowing much more about one another, and most importantly how they can all help each other live the best drug and alcohol free lives they can. Do you have a loved one in need of treatment for drug addiction or alcoholism? Now is the time to advocate for your loved one and get them the help they need to recovery. Call Lighthouse today at 1-866-308-2090.
