True Family bonds are incomparable to any other bond.
A family is a group of individuals united, related, connected, or associated with each other through birth, marriage ties, blood, or adoption, to name a few. This group of persons must have a common belief, interest, and value in heart to be regarded as a family.
In other words, your best friend whom you share all your life struggles with is regarded as family, your mentor with whom you discuss all your dreams and seek advice could be called your family, and so on. The family can be seen as the people who stick with you no matter what.
The National Council on Alcoholism And Drug Dependence describes addiction as “A family disease that stresses the family to the breaking point, impacting the stability of the home, the family’s unity, mental health, physical health, finances, and overall family dynamics.” When addiction affects one member of the family, it affects the entire family. So, tell me why the family should not be involved in any addiction recovery process.
As a family member, it is your responsibility to seek out addiction treatment centers or rehab centers for any family member who has become a victim of addiction and needs recovery. Addiction recovery centers are located across the United States, including in the ‘ground zero’ of the Opioid Epidemic. To find them, you have to look in the right place.
When it comes to addressing Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in the United States, ohio recovery center are known for providing quality care and treatment. These centers play a vital role in raising awareness and supporting individuals and families throughout the addiction recovery process. From coast to coast, rehab centers across the country prioritize the well-being and recovery of their patients, with Cincinnati, Ohio, being recognized for its reputable rehab facilities. In this city, individuals can find the necessary assistance and guidance to overcome addiction and regain control of their lives. Anaheim, CA drug rehab is another option that provides individualized treatment approaches,
Addiction Recovery means Freedom from a substance use disorder (SUD). According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recovery is “a process of change through which people improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential.”
Someone with an addiction cannot function properly in any aspect of life, whether it be physically, emotionally, psychologically, or even financially. Such a person completely relies on using that substance to survive.
You must understand, Freedom isn’t when you have the liberty to use any substance of your choice at any time. True Freedom is when you attain self-control over any and every substance.
According to the Statistics on Addiction in the United States:
- Almost 21 million Americans have at least 1 addiction, yet only 10% of them receive treatment.
- Drug overdose deaths have more than tripled since 1990.
- Alcohol and drug addiction cost the U.S. economy over $600 billion every year.
- About 20% of Americans who have depression or an anxiety disorder also have a substance use disorder.
- More than 90% of people who have an addiction started to drink alcohol or use drugs before they were 18 years old.
- Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 are most likely to use addictive drugs.
If an addict is caught or seen by society, the first question that pops up is most likely to be: “What family does he or she come from?”
How Addiction Involves the Family
1. The Addict Becomes the Prime Focus
When a family has an addict amongst them, at least 70% of their attention focuses on that addict, seeking means by which they can change, how they can improve, and how they can recover. An addict in a family is like cancer; they disorganize the family ecosystem and eventually lead to catastrophe if not treated.
The Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy defines ecosystems as “an interconnected contextual variable and patterns of functioning.” Ecosystems can be a place, culture, or norm that influences clients (e.g., social locations, boundaries, rules, etc.).
Family members have different roles to perform so as to promote growth and well-being in the family. But, the presence of an addict in the family diverts their attention from their responsibilities to focus on finding a way to help the addict recover.
2. Emotional Distress
An addict can never be emotionally stable. They must be suffering from either stress, anxiety, depression, and fear for their life and future. Most of the time, you find out that an addict may want to recover but does not have an idea of how to go about it. This often leads to emotional struggles causing him or her to seek help.
Family members who tend to shoulder the responsibility of taking care of an addict in their midst also get emotionally distressed when they find out that the addict isn’t recovering, and it ends up affecting their social life, and psychological well-being, which will lead to mental breakdown, frustration, and depression.
3. Financial Difficulties
Of course, you don’t get to use drugs for free; you must pay for them.
When a person becomes addicted to a particular substance, they will want to get it no matter the cost. They even end up borrowing money and not paying back, piling up debts, and this is where the family comes in.
There is always someone in the family who is willing to take responsibility for all the damages caused by an addict. They try to cover up for the addict by paying off the debts and making peace with whoever the addict has offended. Such individuals are often regarded as the heroes of the family.
If an Addict Is a Parent
Parental substance abuse has a profound effect on children since the family serves as their primary socialization agent. Socialization is a process of social interaction through which people learn the acceptable norms and values of society. Children imitate their parents.
Having an addict as a parent may lead to physical, mental, and emotional health challenges. The children are often exposed to sexual assault, poverty, and violence. The parent no longer cares about their children; they rather spend all their income on drugs which make most of their children resort to pilfering or begging in order to survive. Sometimes, a child would distance himself or herself from peers to avoid being questioned. This leads to envy, jealousy, and disassociation with peers.
How Family Can Aid Addiction Recovery
Family importance should never be underrated when it comes to addiction recovery. The family becomes drowned in worry, care, and concern for the addict in their midst. All they are interested in is putting an end to substance use disorder (SUD) no matter what it takes. The family experiences hopelessness when the addict shows no signs of improvement. However, there are various ways a family can aid addiction recovery.
1. Admitting There Is a Problem and Seeking Help
The first stage of addiction recovery is when the addict and the family admit that there is a problem rather than trying to cover it up and be pretentious about it. Acceptance encourages the family to seek help in the appropriate way.
2. Family Counseling
As mentioned above, addiction is a family disease; thus, when there is an addict in a family, it becomes a family problem. Not only the addict needs recovery, but family members as well need it.
Family counseling, in this case, helps families with an addicted member address communication issues, take accountability, and foster effective growth and change. It involves identifying the strengths and weaknesses of family members, trying to understand each member of the family, and engaging in peaceful interactions to promote the effective well-being of the family. This family therapy can lead to educating and creating awareness in the life of the addict concerning the consequences of his or her addiction and proffering solutions to the problems.
3. Al-Anon Group
According to Wikipedia, “AL-Anon Family Groups, founded in 1951, is an international mutual aid organization for people who have been impacted by another person’s alcoholism.” In case parental substance abuse has effects on the children, they could seek help in such a group to support them and aid their recovery from addiction.
According to data from the Association of Intervention Specialists, the success rate for interventions is in the range of 80–90%. More than eight in ten individuals choose treatment following an intervention.
So, are you still having doubts about the extreme and necessary importance of family involvement in Addiction Recovery?
Never underestimate the power of family in addiction recovery, it goes a long way in improving the addict, and it brings about proper change and development in the family.
