One of the most important parts of the addiction recovery journey is family counseling. Addiction is a family disease that affects everyone from parents, to spouses, to children and friends. Crestview Recovery understands this aspect of the recovery process is crucial, and we want to help. If you have a loved one who is coming into treatment, we want to make sure you’re involved in the process.
We offer support groups to help you or your loved ones who are going through the withdrawal process. These sessions provide a safe and supportive atmosphere for those struggling with addiction. We understand how difficult it can be to cope with a loved one’s addiction, and we want to make sure you know that we’re here for you as well.
Crestview Recovery’s main purpose is to provide you with the tools needed to be helpful, supportive and understanding of your loved one throughout the recovery process. We are available for you whenever you need us, so please call us at 866.262.0531 for more information about a family therapy program.
Family Counseling and Education
If you’ve ever wondered why your loved one doesn’t choose you over alcohol or drugs, you’re not alone. Most families of people who don’t have an addiction don’t understand why a person can’t just stop. This seems to defy all logic, which is one of the reasons why there’s often so much turmoil in the family of a person with an addiction. An important part of the process is educating the family about the disease of addiction so you can begin understanding.
People who don’t have an addiction are able to resist their cravings for alcohol or drugs because they don’t have that same strong, chronic physical need. They can often stop drinking for years at a time with no problem. However, the cravings in an addiction are so strong they can cause relapse even when someone is incredibly motivated to quit, has all the tools necessary to do so, and is in a good environment. The need is so great that it’s still difficult for them to stop, even after years of practice.
During the education portion, you’ll begin to understand what’s happening in the brain of your loved one. This should help answer many questions that you have about why your loved one can’t stop drinking or using. However, this isn’t to give your loved one an excuse for any harm he or she has done while in active addiction. Instead, this education helps you begin to realize that your loved one isn’t a bad person, but a person with a legitimate disease.
The Toll That Addiction Takes on Families
Families of addicted individuals often experience a wide range of emotions, from fear and guilt to helplessness and shame. They may also feel overwhelmed by the person’s addiction, frustrated by their inability to help them, and possibly even resentful for being put in such an uncomfortable position. Families can be deeply affected psychologically, emotionally, and financially due to their loved one’s addiction. They may have to take on additional responsibilities, such as caring for children or managing finances.
Additionally, family members may experience social stigma due to their loved one’s substance use disorder, with friends and neighbors avoiding them out of fear or prejudice. All of these factors can cause considerable stress, leading to depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. Fortunately, there are a number of resources available to help families of addicts cope with their situation.
Learning to Support Recovery in Family Counseling
Families who have a loved one in addiction treatment programs always want to know how they can be supportive. The addiction experts at Crestview Recovery will teach you how to support your loved one without enabling him or her. One way to help your loved one stay sober after treatment is to continue healing yourself. Part of your healing is going to be learning how to help yourself before trying to help your loved one, but you can do it together.
One of the biggest issues family members have is codependency, and the signs of codependency are:
- Lacking trust in yourself
- Poor self-esteem
- Obsession with approval
- Taking care of another before yourself in an unhealthy way
- Strong fears of abandonment
When you struggle with these types of issues, it makes it very difficult to help your loved one or yourself. While remaining codependent, you may enable poor behaviors of your loved one, which leads him or her to relapse. By learning how to overcome your codependent behaviors, you can support him or her better. The boundaries you learn to set will help your mental health as well as your loved one’s recovery.
Family Therapy Program in Portland
There is a variety of family systems, and we’ll help you begin to understand more about your own. Many family members have misconceptions about what addiction treatment is, which can lead to discord. In certain family systems, the loved one with an addiction may be the head of household or primary breadwinner. He or she may need to slow down to support recovery, but the family can sometimes be impatient.
A big misconception is that when a person comes out of treatment, he or she will be a completely different person. While many people go through radical changes in treatment, they’re still suffering from an addiction. After years of drinking or using drugs, it’s an unrealistic to expect that he or she will completely change. Learning patience, tolerance, and understanding with your loved one will help you as well as them.
Get Help From Crestview Recovery
Families can find the help they need for themselves. To find out more about the addiction therapy services at Crestview Recovery, call us now at 866.262.0531.
