Family Program and Services

Importance of Support from Families for Addiction Recovery

It can be difficult to accomplish any goal in life when you don’t have the support of those closest to you. Unsupportive family members in recovery can impact the individual’s progress and even contribute to a relapse. If you’re the loved one of an addict, there are several ways of providing help and support during treatment and recovery.

The strategies you employ will differ depending on the circumstances or the type of drug treatment your loved one seeks. Programs also vary in policies and procedures, such as rules concerning phone calls and visiting hours or about sending care packages and letters.

Some things we would like you to remember are:

• Your participation and support can make a big difference
• You’ll need to be patient while your loved one adjusts to sobriety
• Acknowledging your loved one’s successes and milestones can make them feel supported
• Make sure you have your own support and make time to care for yourself.

The role of family in addiction recovery cannot be overstated, as it plays a pivotal role in the journey toward sobriety. The unconditional love, understanding, and encouragement that family members offer create a foundation of strength for the individual struggling with addiction. In times of relapse or hardship, the family's unwavering support can be a powerful motivator, inspiring the individual to persevere and stay on the path of recovery. This presence, or lack thereof, can be even more clear when the family is unsupportive of their loved one in treatment.

Furthermore, family involvement fosters open communication and helps in addressing the underlying issues that may contribute to addiction. Family therapy and counseling sessions can create a safe space for both the individual in recovery and their family members to explore the dynamics that may have contributed to the addiction. By understanding and addressing these issues collectively, families can heal together, reinforcing the recovering individual's commitment to a substance-free life. In essence, the power of family lies not only in their ability to support but also in their capacity to contribute to the overall healing process, creating a stronger, more resilient foundation for sustained recovery.

Understanding Family Roles in Addiction

The members of families that have been impacted by addiction will often adopt certain roles or dysfunctional behavioral patterns to cope with their loved one’s substance abuse. There are six common addiction family roles that family members will assume, often without realizing it:

• The Addict: This person is the focal point of the family. They are the source of the family’s conflict, as everyone else must deal with their behavior and choices.
• The Caretaker: Also known as the enabler, this person often covers up the addict’s mistakes and will make excuses for them to keep everyone happy.
• The Hero: This person is typically seen as over-responsible and self-sufficient. The hero attempts to restore the dysfunctional home life behind closed doors.
• The Scapegoat: This person is usually known as the “problem child.” Through acts of defiance or hostility, they divert attention from the addict’s behavior.
• The Mascot: This person is usually the comedian of the family, using humor and silliness to reduce the stress caused by the addict’s behavior.
• The Lost Child: This person is the quiet one of the family, flying under the radar while other family members play more involved roles.

Enabling and codependency are common problems in relationships affected by drug and alcohol addiction. Enabling occurs when one person does something the other person is perfectly capable of doing themself. It’s also characterized by taking responsibility for or trying to cover up another person’s mistakes or actions. Enabling prevents the individual with the problem from accepting the consequences of their behavior, inhibiting them from learning any real lessons.

Codependency is an emotional, behavioral condition that prevents a person from having a healthy and mutually satisfying relationship. People with codependency often form or maintain relationships that are one-sided, emotionally destructive, or abusive. Examples include spouses staying with addicts who are abusive or parents relying on being caretakers of their addicted children.

Based on these roles, it’s understandable why addiction is considered a family disease. Addiction impacts all those who are involved with and care about the addict rather than just the individual.

Are Addictions Genetic?

While addiction undeniably has a genetic component, it is a complex disease influenced by psychological, environmental, and hereditary factors. Research, including studies on twins and adopted individuals, shows that identical twins, who share all their genetic material, are more likely to both develop addiction if one does, compared to fraternal twins who share only 50% of their genes. This indicates a genetic predisposition to addiction, though it is not a guarantee, as environmental factors are also crucial. Specific genetic variations in dopamine receptors and neurotransmitter transporters linked to the brain's reward pathway may increase susceptibility to addiction. Nonetheless, environmental factors like parenting, exposure to substances, social networks, and stress levels significantly impact the likelihood of developing addiction, highlighting that genetics alone do not fully explain the phenomenon.

Family Programming for Veterans and Their Loved Ones

Our family program is designed to educate the people closest to our veterans about the disease of addiction and the road to recovery. It can be difficult, if not impossible, for a person to recover from addiction without the support of their family, so we make every effort to include them in the recovery process. Group family meetings, along with the Family Addiction Education and Support Groups, give veterans in addiction recovery and their families a chance to repair the bonds that were damaged by addiction – and build new, positive relationships that enhance the lives of everyone. Our individual therapy sessions also enable those in recovery to explore the dysfunctional family dynamics that may underlie some of their substance abuse or mental health issues – and address them in a new way.

Finding Family Therapy Near Me

Our family therapy for addiction is offered to the family members of and clients in our treatment programs. Once the individual is medically stable and undergoing individual therapy, our team incorporates family services at each facility as an option to aid recovery.

For more information about our other options for addiction treatment for yourself or a loved one, contact Banyan Treatment Centers today. Call us at (855) 908-0663 to get started.