Drug addiction is a cancer affecting the entire family. Whether the affliction has taken hold of one or multiple members, the suffering is one experienced by all. Addiction is a family disease that places strain on home, health, finances and personal relationships. Without proper help, long-term addiction can devastate the family foundation and dynamic in a very real and harmful manner.
Unfortunately, no family is naturally blessed with all the skills and understanding needed to combat a family member’s substance abuse. Most require extensive education and daily practice to ensure a successful outcome. However, with the support and guidance of our addiction counselors, a complete family recovery is within reach.
Why Do I Need Help If I’m Not The Addict?
Perhaps the biggest challenge facing our families is the belief that everything will turn around once the addict is “fixed”. After all, “he’s the one in need of treatment, not me!”
It is crucial for family members to understand the importance of their own recovery – separate from their addicted loved one. Addiction within a family strains relationships, causing mistrust, anxiety, fatigue and hopelessness. Because addiction negatively impacts the entire family, it is essential that individual and group solutions be set in place to restore functionality.
Family Engagement In The Recovery Process
Active and constructive family engagement throughout the recovery process is essential to success at The Dunes East Hampton. Staying informed about rehab news and the addiction process can benefit families in a number of ways. In order to move forward and beyond the struggle, family members will require information, support and skills in the form of:
- Education on addiction and the family
- Communication skills
- Support groups
- Responsibility
- Learning new behaviors
- Engaging the children
- Resilience building
- Relapse education and prevention techniques
- Sober family activities
Dunes patients recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, their children, and their families are often able to enjoy an optimum level of functionality and health. However, this achievement is commonly measured in years rather than months, weeks, or days.
Throughout the recovery process, families gain strength through levels of increased intimacy and communication. With enough time, the recovery process can even help families reach an entirely new level of happiness and trust!
Call Us Now To Begin The Process Of Family Healing!
