Addiction is something that affects the struggling individual, as well as everyone around them. It can be painful to see a loved one struggle and change for the worse. Having a supportive and open family environment is crucial to long term recovery. This is where family therapy for addiction can sometimes be necessary.
Family addiction counseling can be extremely beneficial when it comes to addiction therapy. Studies have shown that treatment that implements family therapy is more effective than when it’s not. Addiction is something that can affect home and family life for the addict and the household. It’s never too late to get the help you deserve, for yourself and for your loved ones.
It is said that addiction is a family disease. It immensely affects those who use substances and everyone around them as well. It can be a crippling situation for everyone involved. Living with someone who is abusing drugs can be unpredictable, unsettling, stressful, disruptive, and sometimes even scary. This can cause a lot of issues for siblings, parents, and spouses.
To cope with the situation, family members may adopt destructive behavior while trying to deal with the situation. The entire family can become dysfunctional and fragile during the entire process. This sort of environment only helps fuel substance abuse and addiction.
Children are most affected by addiction in siblings and parents. Substance abuse can cause disruption in a child’s regular development. Which can lead to a higher risk of mental, physical, and emotional problems down the line. These stresses and disruptions can result in poor performance in school and can lead to learning disabilities and problems with authority (skipping school, suspensions, etc.). Alarmingly, children are almost four times more likely to become addicted when living in a home with someone suffering from addiction.
There are a number of negative effects and issues addiction can have on an entire household. It is not a normal environment to live or grow up in. This not only affects the household in the present but in the future as well (especially if children are involved). Household life is negatively affected in the following ways:
Families will often fall into certain unhealthy and enabling behaviors. These only continue the vicious cycle of addiction and stress. Looking out for these before and after family addiction counseling can make a world of difference.
Codependency happens when someone has to adapt to a dysfunctional family lifestyle. What tends to happen is, family members will put the addict’s needs and desires first. Family members may set aside their goals and lifestyle to fully focus on the individual struggling with addiction.
Signs of possible codependency include:
Enabling behaviors can be extremely unproductive and dangerous for addicts. Enabling occurs when you remove the consequences of drug use for a loved one. Some people may be trying to help but are actually enabling further drug use. It’s important to be aware of the signs and make sure you are not enabling a loved one and their drug use.
Behaviors that enable family members include:
These behaviors, even though may seem helpful, actually encourage drug use. By getting rid of the consequences, a loved one has no reason to stop using drugs and alcohol. This is where family therapy for addiction can make a difference.
Family therapy can make a world of difference in a treatment setting. Family therapy for addiction allows the members of a family to heal and recover as a group. After all, drug addiction is something that affects everyone in the family. Family therapy provides a safe and open environment that allows for productive and emotional healing. This is not a confrontational approach but rather a positive exchange with each family member.
Family therapy usually has a substance abuser and a family member (usually one) during the therapy session. This is usually a spouse, sibling, or a close family member. This is to ensure a safe and open environment for change. Regardless of who it might be, there is always room for change and recovery from the chains of addiction.
There are a lot of different studies that show family therapy as a great option for helping a loved one recover from drug addiction. Talking about the problem and confronting addiction head-on in a positive manner can be the key to long term recovery. The benefits of family therapy for addiction treatment include:
Family therapy utilizes a number of techniques and a positive mindset to work towards recovery. By healing and working as a family, each member can come to terms with the situation and actively help the person overcome their addiction. Let’s take a look at some of the things that are included in family therapy for addiction:
These tools and skills can make a huge difference for the addict and the family as a whole. Family therapy is also useful in treating cases of co-occurring disorders. Co-occurring disorders are cases where a person is struggling with an addiction and a mental illness at the same time. These cases can be intense and extremely stressful for all parties involved. Family therapy can be beneficial during the process (where both the disorder and addiction are treated separately).
At Create Recovery, we are passionate about our role in your life. We know addiction can be hard and we know the effects it can have on a family. Family therapy for addiction may just be the key to long-term sobriety (along with other treatment options). Contact us today to learn more about our treatment options and addiction resources.