Family and Addiction
When a family member becomes an addict as a result of substance abuse, alcohol, or other addictions, that person begins to lose interest in family and friends. Most addictions affect how the brain functions or doesn’t function, thus altering the way they think and reason. Addictions separate people from the things and people they once loved.
Their withdrawal from family is the most painful experience that families can go through. The absence of the family member with the addiction is suddenly emotionally and mentally gone, leaving the family with the loss of a husband, wife, or child. With this loss, family members go through a series of emotions that includes depression, the blame game that erodes their self-worth, and anxiety.
Addiction brings mistrust as addicts are known to lie, steal, and become secretive with their family. Unfortunately, the addiction is the addicts closest ally that begins to take over or replace the relationship and love of a family that they once had.
Addiction Recovery Is Close At Hand
Many people who have developed an addiction are unaware that they are causing pain and are being disruptive to the family and themselves. People with addictions are least likely to reach out for help because they don’t see themselves as being sick with a disease that is slowly destroying their well-being.
As for those individuals who know that they need help and want to beat this disease, often believe that they can do it on their own. This is a fallacy. No addiction can be overcome by willpower. At this point, family members must take over the role of seeking help for their loved one who is sick. The good news is that addiction is a disease that can be treated.
Since the CDC and the government see addiction as an illness, there are many treatment services like Sanford alcoholics anonymous. Programs are available with family therapy counseling, intervention techniques, and rehabilitation for the family member who needs help.
Treatment Center Benefits
Many supportive centers are available with customized treatment programs for men, women, and teens. Rehabilitation centers feature a variety of detox modalities that are both effective and which provides a foundation for continued recovery. As in alcoholism, recovering from this disease is dangerous to the addicted person and must be handled with experience and clinical knowledge.
Treatment centers can include long-term and short-term rehabilitation. Individuals are treated with some of the following:
- Respect and friendly care.
- Group, family, and individual therapy sessions.
- Medical check-ups.
- Intensive outpatient services that can involve relapse prevention counseling.
- Exercise, and depending on where you live, outdoor activities.
Recovery treatment programs are designed to replace the addictive behavior that a recovering addict needs with a life choice that feels comfortable and safe for them.
How To Overcome Addictions
Addictions like alcohol or drugs involve a recovery that is a day at a time challenge. In addition to receiving treatments during the process, there are post rehabguidelines that must be followed. For instance:
- Change your friends, especially if they are the individuals which got you hooked.
- Change your environment especially if your addiction is alcohol. You want to stay away from bars and clubs.
- Change your thought processes by admitting that you have an addicting problem.
Remember that you can seek local community help for your addiction by attending group meetings like Alcohol Anonymous. The whole recovery process is about being surrounded by supportive people who understand what you are going through.
