Family Involvement in Addiction Recovery
When it comes to recovery from substance use disorders, family members often want to help their loved one but do not know where to start. An addiction recovery center that involves the family in treatment will not only assist with interventions and getting the loved one the care they need but will also help the family in coping with the stress and strain addiction places on the family as a whole. Addiction affects everybody in the family in different ways, and having professional help dealing with the physical, emotional, social, and psychological issues caused by a substance abusing loved one is valuable to the entire family unit. Family therapy can teach coping skills and provide support to those who need it most.
Involving a person’s loved ones into their alcohol or drug rehab program can make all the difference in their recovery from drug abuse or alcoholism as well. They will be more likely to make long-term changes to habits and behaviors knowing the people closest to them will be there, offering support and care once their time in inpatient drug rehab is complete, or while they are participating in outpatient programs. Family involvement increases treatment entry and is linked to better overall outcomes.
Benefits of Family Therapy in Addiction Treatment
Bringing the family into drug addiction or alcoholism treatment has benefits like:
- Reinforcing and motivating change in the individual and helping them stay engaged in treatment
- The family can provide encouragement and support throughout substance abuse treatment
- Family members can receive support as they learn to adjust their own lives and expectations alongside the person in recovery
- Family members learn that their own actions may influence their loved one’s outcome, and can learn to make positive changes and healthy behavior patterns to help the family heal
- Through family therapy for addiction, past conflicts and communication issues can be resolved, improving relationships, and bringing the family closer together
- Having children and teens involved in family therapy for addiction can help prevent early adolescents’ substance abuse, as addiction can create a stressful environment and can normalize substance abuse in the home if not addressed
How Family Therapy Works
There are many types of family treatment programs and therapies, but they all provide a safe space for family members to work through difficult issues and feelings together, with guidance from a professional family therapist, usually in a recovery center with the entire family, or sometimes only a few members. It can last only a few sessions or go on for months.
Addiction is a family disease, and the goal is for everybody to work together and support one another, improving the family dynamic and helping everybody make the necessary behavior changes to stop enabling behaviors and improve the overall family connection. Common techniques used in this type of treatment includes:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Psychoeducation
- Structural-strategic therapy
With your family therapist, you will talk through challenges, work on family interactions, learn to work together, listen to one another, and better understand each other’s perspective.
Healing From Addiction at Serenity Oaks
At Serenity Oaks rehab, we have several levels of care including detox programs, inpatient rehab, outpatient rehab including our intensive outpatient program and our partial hospitalization program, all of which can be customized to best help each patient overcome their addiction to alcohol or drugs. We provide mental health treatment and family therapy programs, along with other therapy and care including:
- Dual diagnosis treatments for those with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders like bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, or PTSD
- Behavioral therapy and other evidence-based addiction recovery treatments
- Relapse prevention training
- Individual, group and family therapy
- Life skills programs and education
- Alternative and holistic treatments like yoga, meditation, and acupuncture
- Connections to SMART recovery and Alcoholics Anonymous programs
- Sober living home options
If you have a loved one who abuses substances, if you need help quitting drugs and alcohol, or if you and your family are suffering the impact of substance abuse, please call our treatment center today at (833) 720-0708. We can answer questions regarding paying for rehab and what your insurance covers, and let you know how to get yourself or your family member into substance abuse treatment and on the road to recovery now.
