Addiction recovery is not something you can achieve alone. Addiction affects the family in different ways. When you start the journey to recovery, you need the help and support of your family. There are different feelings family members harbor towards the addict. This can hinder the recovery journey. There is need to have the family on the same page so they can all start healing together. If there is no support from the family, you can easily find yourself relapsing.
Families play an important role when it comes to addiction recovery. Here are ways they can help their family members who are struggling with addiction.
1. Families understand that addiction treatment will not fix everything.
There is no quick-fix solution when it comes to addiction. The recovery of an addict is a long process that can take even years. Addiction has long-term effects and they cannot be resolved by in-patient treatment. There are things that might have happened while the family member was struggling with addiction. These include the following:
- Health problems
- Lack of trust due to the addict’s behavior.
- Looking for an extra source of income through seeking and keeping a steady job.
- Rebuilding the family’s finances and recovering from any debt incurred as a result of the addiction.
It will take time for the family to get back to the position they were in before the addiction came between them. When it comes to health issues, they might or might not recover depending on what the medical condition is. Trust will also take time to rebuild. Family members understand that going through rehabilitation treatment will not solve their problems. However, it provides a good starting point. You can also check about rehabilitation on Outpatient Rehab Program.
Recovering from addiction is a very long and hard journey. Luckily, if you have family there to support you it makes the process a lot easier. If you are enrolled in an inpatient drug program then set up visits from your family members. This will help you keep a clear goal and it will also help by boosting your morale.
2. They support their loved one.
After completing the rehab, the family member will have to go home. They need the support of the family so they do not relapse. They were used to having a structured life where everything is planned for them. Going to the real world can overwhelm them. Families need to support them as they try to adjust.
They can also help by creating drug-free environments at home. If a person is recovering from alcohol addiction, it will be beneficial not to have alcohol in the house. That way, they will see their home as a safe place where there is no temptation and you can encourage them to go for their Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. It also reduces their chances of rehab. Sobriety starts at home and family support is essential to recovery success.
3. They find support for themselves.
Living with an addict is challenging and can drain you physically, mentally, and emotionally. As much as you are supporting your loved one, you also need to get help for yourself. You need to get into a support group where you can talk about the challenges you are going through living with an addict. You need to take care of your physical, mental and emotional health.
You also need to go for therapy sessions with the addict so you can air your issues. There is a lot of anger and resentment that needs to be let out. You can only start healing and accept the recovering addict back to the family after you have sorted your issues. You should not blame yourself for the addiction, as it is not your fault. You can also try doing some activities that can help you relax like boxing, running, listening to music and anything else you enjoy doing. They will help you cope with the stress you had to endure during the addiction and even in recovery.
4. They understand stress factors that can trigger relapse.
Stress is a major trigger when it comes to relapse. You need to sit with a counselor and find ways you can reduce the stress the recovering addict goes through at home. This will reduce the chances of relapsing. You can also learn the factors that increase the chances of the recovering addict relapsing. By understanding them and learning ways you can help the recovering addict to cope online on sites like huffpost, you will be better equipped to support them.
It will also help you understand how the addict functions when exposed to certain triggers. You will be in a better position to help them improve their lives that will be beneficial for all of you.
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