Addiction can destroy a family. Family members can argue and fight about how to best address a loved one’s drug or alcohol problem, which can create instability and dysfunction. The impact addiction has on families is why family therapy programs offer so many benefits to those in recovery.
Addiction is a deadly disease that can damage your relationships, family life, and finances. Addiction impacts upwards of 20 million Americans annually, with as many as 10% of Americans developing substance use disorders in their lifetimes. Drugs and alcohol impair your judgment, lower your inhibitions, and make you more prone to making unhealthy decisions. Substance abuse disorders also create ripple effects, meaning that they impact your co-workers, friends, and family members. Finding an addiction treatment center that offers a family therapy program can help you and your loved ones heal.
How Addiction Affects Families
Addiction is a family disease that doesn’t discriminate. Although addiction continues to be extensively researched, there is no known cause of addiction. That means that anyone, regardless of background, social class, race, or religion, can develop a substance use disorder.
When you progress through the stages of addiction, you slowly begin to prioritize drugs and alcohol over other responsibilities and obligations. This can result in you showing up to work intoxicated or neglecting the needs of your family. Substance abuse can impact your finances, mental and physical health, and social life, causing intense strain on your relationships.
If you divert your family’s money to drugs and alcohol instead of bills, that can mean missed mortgage payments and mounting debt. Financial problems are one of the most common things couples fight about. Addiction can quickly destroy romantic relationships and marriages. Struggling with a substance use disorder can also have a profoundly negative impact on your children. In addition, it can increase their risk of experiencing a mental health disorder.
Some of the most common signs and symptoms of addiction include:
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop using drugs or alcohol
- Lying about your drug or alcohol use
- Concealing or hiding your drug or alcohol use
- Needing to increase your use because of your tolerance increases
Family Therapy’s Role in Addiction Treatment
When addiction impacts the family dynamic, it’s important to seek help from an addiction treatment center that offers a family therapy program. Family therapy programs help to heal the damage that’s been done and re-establish trust. In family therapy, you will learn how to:
- Communicate effectively
- Set boundaries
- Express emotions in a healthy way
- Work through conflict
- Forgiveness
- Support one another’s sobriety
What Are the Benefits of a Family Program?
Among the many benefits of a family program is that family programs ensure that your loved ones also have the ability to heal from addiction. Watching a loved one battle addiction can be incredibly emotional, stressful, and heartbreaking. Successful recovery often requires that your family is on the same page during your treatment and recovery.
Helping you create and maintain healthy boundaries with loved ones is one of the major benefits of a family program. Creating an open line of communication with your family also ensures that issues are addressed in a timely manner. This can prevent feelings of resentment and anger from building up and boiling over. Family therapy also can improve your family dynamic and help your family better address conflicts and disagreements.
A few other benefits of a family program include providing relapse prevention education so your loved ones better understand your recovery journey.
Reaching Out to the Best Family Therapy Program Today
When you are battling an addiction or substance abuse problem, your struggles impact your family. Making sure that everyone in your family has the ability to heal is an important way to support your recovery. Call The Right Step Hill Country today at 1.844.675.1628 to find out more about the benefits of a family program and to learn how we can help you beat addiction.