Is your whole family struggling to cope with the impact of substance abuse?
Over 31 million Americans over the age of 12 used illegal drugs in 2018. Moreover, the number of drug overdose deaths reached 700,000 since 2000. Thankfully, there are rehab centers that help addicts turn away from substance abuse.
However, there is one integral part of rehabilitating an addict effectively: family therapy. It’s a form of counseling that aims to resolve any conflicts between the member who is battling addiction and the rest of the family. Drug addiction and family often don’t mix well, and this helps bridge the gap between the parties involved.
Since this sounds too broad, what are the more granular benefits of family therapy? Continue reading below as we discuss why it is essential in the rehab process.
Improves Communication
One of the key symptoms that a person is deep in substance addiction is avoiding family members. The drug-dependent member may bar his parents or siblings from entering his room. He will become more secretive in his actions and will do his best to hide his addiction from his family.
Thus, improving communication lines can solve this problem concerning addiction and family relations. Family therapy will help improve the way family members communicate with the person who has an addiction and vice-versa.
A family therapist can help assess and dissect your family’s communications habits. He can pinpoint the areas that need improvement. Moreover, the therapist can provide exercises, suggestions, and customized tools to address these communication concerns.
With improvement, the family will have a better understanding of the drug-dependent member. It will also reduce the instances of negative interactions. Additionally, you can help other family members who feel neglected or overlooked.
Sets the Treatment Goals Straight
One of the main benefits of family therapy that’s crucial in the success of the drug dependent’s recovery involves goal-setting. Family therapy helps set and identify specific personal and collective goals.
Dealing with drug addiction can disrupt the focus of the family. Stress can get the best of everyone, leaving them to look at the addiction as the problem and nothing more.
However, family therapy can help you dig deeper into the root cause behind the addiction. From there, the family can set clearer goals that will help the family member recover faster.
They can work on resolving unaddressed concerns in the past that will help bridge the gap that substance abuse fills.
Gives a Better Understanding of Addiction
As you go deeper into the struggles of the drug dependent, you will have a better understanding of addiction. You will know how it affects the behavior of your loved one.
From there, the rest of the family can do some introspection. They can revisit the way they treat the struggling family member. They can become more caring and understanding.
Also, you will see how addiction affects other family members. Your parents or siblings may be coping the way you do. Through family therapy, everyone will be more open concerning their ways of coping.
From there, you will be able to support each other more effectively.
Regaining and Rebuilding Trust
One of the biggest things addiction takes away from users is their trust in their family. As we mentioned earlier, they will prefer to do certain things in secret. They will choose to spend more time alone instead of interacting with relatives.
As their relationships erode, so does their trust go out of the window. Through family therapy, you can regain and rebuild this trust with the struggling family member.
Regardless of the type of substance abuse, the family member is going through, family therapy sessions can help re-establish trust. It can help foster acceptance and forgiveness en route to genuine healing.
Improves Family Behavior
Unfortunately, some families approach addiction in the wrong way. Some families live in denial that one of their members is going through addiction. Others enable the member’s actions that only put the latter in a deeper hole.
Sometimes, codependency develops within the family. When this happens, the members adapt to the dysfunction that’s happening. In turn, they begin to obsess about the needs of the struggling family member.
As a result, they begin to neglect their own needs. They also become irritable about things concerning addiction. They develop misplaced anger that tends to burst out on children.
In some cases, they become enablers of the addiction. They protect the member’s addiction. They even go to a point where they justify the addiction. Thankfully, family therapy can help correct these errant behaviors.
Restructures the Family
Family therapy can also help restore the structure within the family. When a family member gets deep into the addiction, it compromises the dynamics of the family.
Parents begin to lose their authority over their children. Sometimes, the family already lacks structures and boundaries from the start.
Regardless of the situation, family therapy can establish a structure within the family. Therapists can help remind everyone of their roles and duties in the family.
Moreover, they can help create a safer environment at home. They can help everyone share their feelings openly without judgment.
Promotes Wellness of the Whole Family
Last but not least, family therapy helps promote the health and wellness of the entire family. For starters, each member begins to build their emotional wellness.
They can slowly accept the wounds and scars of addiction. They can take the first step and move forward.
As for the drug-dependent member, he will learn self-care techniques. He will start to see his value as a person.
Let Us Help With Your Addiction and Family Problems Today
Understanding how addiction and family relations affect one another is crucial in treatment. And now that you know the benefits of family therapy, the next step is to find a trusted addiction treatment center.
Here at Wisdom, we use a people-centered approach toward addiction treatment. Connect with us today and learn more about various treatment options. We follow the highest ethical principles and professional standards in our treatments.
