Many elements must come together to get the most out of rehab. One of the most critical factors is that an addiction treatment program helps family members as well. After all, addiction affects not only the users but also everyone in their families. For that reason, our family therapy program for substance abuse is beneficial for long-term addiction recovery.
The role of the family in addiction recovery is an essential part of addiction treatment. Healthy support from the family is vital to treatment success. It also helps address damaged relationships, rebuild trust, and reduce the risk of relapse.
Before learning about the relationship between addiction and family counseling, people need to understand family therapy. It’s a type of psychotherapy that aims to aid people with addiction and their family members in the healing process.
Many aspects go into this type of therapy. However, the two most essential parts are resolving conflicts and improving communication. Typically with drug abuse, there’s a breakdown of communication between the family members. This specific counseling approach can improve how they communicate.
Why is family therapy so essential for addiction recovery? The main reason is that it works. Finding a substance abuse treatment center that doesn’t offer it is rare. Experts understand how important it is to long-term sobriety and improving the family dynamic.
During family therapy for addiction recovery meetings, people learn about the dangers of codependency and substance abuse. Most of them don’t fully understand codependency. It’s an imbalance in the relationships between those with drug addiction and their family members. Typically, it involves family members taking care of, or covering for, loved ones with addiction.
For example, let’s say that a husband struggles with substance abuse and often misses work. Perhaps his wife usually calls into action for him to give his supervisor an excuse for his absence. In this situation, she covers up the husband’s poor behavior. She allows the addiction to continue because he doesn’t have to answer for his actions.
With that said, codependency can form in many ways. It can even include loaning or giving money to people who struggle with addiction. During family counseling, the family members learn how to spot signs of codependency and the harm that it causes.
The only way that people with addiction can get better is if loved ones stop enabling their behavior. They have to put an end to codependency. Family therapy can teach them how to achieve that.
People have limits, and addiction often pushes them to those limits. In some cases, damage to relationships happens before they seek help. Family therapy can aid them in rebuilding these bonds.
In order for healing to occur, people have to rebuild their relationships. Keep in mind, however, that the bonds don’t restore overnight. It’s an ongoing process and one that therapy can assist.
People have limits, and addiction often pushes them to those limits. In some cases, damage to relationships happens before they seek help. Family therapy can aid them in rebuilding these bonds.
For healing to occur, people have to rebuild their relationships. Keep in mind, however, that the bonds don’t restore overnight. It’s an ongoing process and one that therapy can assist.
Although the effects of substance abuse differ based on family structure, drug and alcohol addiction impacts families in unhealthy ways. Some examples include:
It’s possible that children could develop unhealthy coping skills in response to a substance abuse within the household and the chaos it unavoidably carries. Many children place blame on themselves for a parent’s substance abuse and will aim for perfection to keep balance with the household’s delicate environment. Conversely, children might withdraw for the same purpose.
Children who suffer from emotional, physical, or sexual abuse could develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and experience insomnia, nightmares, and flashbacks. They may withdraw from social activities because they lack social skills or fear that someone will figure out they’ve suffered trauma. They might experience anxiety because of an unstable home environment or losing a parent to addiction.
An extensive collection of research has shown the positive impact family can have on a loved one’s recovery from substance abuse. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has stated that there are many benefits of family involvement during the recovery process, which include:
Families involved in a loved one’s addiction recovery process will improve the chances of long-term success while also boosting their mental health.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has stated that there are two main goals of family therapy for addiction:
One of the ways in which family programming benefits addiction treatment has to to do with education. Learning more about addiction helps the family take on healthy roles and provides them with the tools needed to avoid enabling addiction, including:
Furthermore, family programming can consist of referring family members to special support groups for loved ones of addicts. These support groups can provide insight into how other families are coping with their loved ones’ addictions, what they are doing to help, and how they are taking steps to rebuild relationships with the addict.
Lastly, family counseling and therapy is another essential component of family programming. Family sessions allow family members to learn how to express their feeling and emotions while repairing relationships and rebuilding trust.
Studies from the National Institute on Drug Abuse have stated that family therapy has shown positive results for addiction recovery and co-occurring disorders. This includes depression, unemployment, child neglect, and other family conflicts.
Below is what you can expect if you are enrolled in family therapy for substance abuse:
Family therapy for substance abuse typically starts once a user has gone to treatment and been sober for an extended period. This may take weeks or months as the treatment process usually involves the patient going through rehab with another family member present. This can be somebody from an extended or immediate family, or a loved one who is significantly close to the patient.
During therapy sessions, the counselor will help family members learn new skills and teach them how to apply them. This will help and produce healthy interactions at the household that will improve the overall atmosphere. The counselors will also show the family members how to communicate more efficiently and act in ways that support recovery instead of preventing it.
Another tool taught in family therapy for substance abuse is contingency management, which helps the patient develop behavioral goals that encourage sobriety. This improves development, helps repair damaged relationships, and fixes any underlying issues.
Family members will be required to set goals related to their at-home family roles. For instance, parents set goals in line with their parental roles; siblings set goals in line with their sibling roles, etc. These goals are shared and reviewed during each family therapy session, and members will present rewards when they achieve these goals.
Family therapy programs teach loved ones about addiction. One of the biggest reasons that communication between family members fails is because they don’t understand the disease. They wonder why people with addiction won’t stop using. During counseling, they quickly learn that ending addiction isn’t as easy as stopping.
In some cases, therapy acts as a crash course in addiction. The more that families learn about addiction, the easier it is for them to support loved ones in recovery.
Do you struggle with addiction and need help overcoming it? Has addiction strained relationships within your family? If so, Phoenix Rising can help. We help people just like you begin your recovery from drug and alcohol addiction with family therapy.
Phoenix Rising offers much more than just counseling for families. We take great pride in providing a wide range of services. Don’t settle for a rehab center that only focuses on helping you. Get the most out of rehab with family therapy. Contact us at Phoenix Rising to start your renewal today.
There is a multitude of benefits associated with the comprehensive drug rehab care we offer in sunny California. The most noteworthy of these is living a life free of the harmful physical, mental, and social effects of addiction.
Further benefits of receiving treatment at our drug rehab in Southern California include the following:
These benefits are why our programs lead to successful outcomes for many in recovery. By offering varying levels of care, therapies, and amenities, we have something for everyone in recovery.
