Millions of people all around the world are struggling with addiction every single day. It threatens their way of life, their integrity, and their health – physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially. Without the right help, an addict may never truly get over their addiction.
With that said, addiction is a family disease, meaning it has an impact on more than just the addict. It affects the addict’s parents, their siblings, grandparents, and any other family members that play a significant role in the addict’s life. Everyone needs to be a part of the recovery process.
If you or a loved one are struggling with drug addiction, help is available. And while no two people are the same and no two treatments are the same, you and your family could benefit from family therapy – a unique form of therapy designed to help the family grow stronger.
What is family therapy?
Most of us know what psychotherapy is. It’s a form of therapy designed to change an individual’s thoughts, behaviors, and emotions for the better. The same is true with family group therapy – the only difference being that the whole family is involved, not just the individual.
Family therapy generally isn’t a long-term treatment option and doesn’t always include all family members. Instead, it’s usually utilized on a short-term basis, and only those closest to the situation or willing to undergo family support therapy will join. Those that join will heal together.
The main goal of family therapy is to help family members resolve conflicts, understand how certain behaviors affect other family members, learn how to communicate with family members, and how to relate with one another. It’s where family members grow closer.
How Does Addiction Impact Families?
Addiction can impact a family in a variety of ways. For example, it often results in conflict, a lack of trust, arguments, abuse, violence, isolation, and a lack of communication. As the addict continues their behavior, the family grows more distant and may even grow to detest them.
With that said, it can also cause a great deal of worry, sadness, disappointment, and paranoia over what might happen next. Continued drug and substance use can result in legal trouble, injury, or even death – all things that can weigh on the conscience of each family member.
Families are supposed to love each other. They’re supposed to support each other, be there for one another, and help each other thrive in life. All these things start to deteriorate when a family member is addicted to drugs. At the end of the day, all they want is their family member back.
Why is Family Group Therapy Important in Recovery?
While addiction can tear a family apart from the bottom to the top, family group therapy can help piece that family back together. Addiction impacts everyone in the family, and that means everyone needs to learn how to overcome these difficult moments – and family therapy helps.
Let’s take a look at four major elements of family support therapy for addiction:
- Engagement – this usually involves getting the family members involved in the therapy, but most importantly, getting everyone invested in the overall goals of the treatment.
- Reframing – this usually involves analyzing and reframing the relationships between family members. It’s designed to help families understand the motives behind behaviors.
- Behavioral Change – once the motives are understood by each family member, the therapy shifts toward changing those behaviors and introducing healthier habits.
- Restructuring – the final major element involves restructuring the family’s beliefs, premises, rules, standards, and expectations for long-term, sustained success.
Some of the major benefits of family therapy for addiction are the engagement, understanding, education, communication, and support gained on all fronts. Family members learn how to manage emotions or feelings and express those emotions practically and productively.
How to Find Family Support Therapy Programs Near Me
Family support therapy goes a long way in helping a family overcome, recover, and heal from the many downfalls of addiction. It truly impacts each family member differently, and this generally requires a unique and personalized human approach to drug addiction treatment.
At The Last House, we believe in allowing every family member to thrive in life. We provide sober living in Los Angeles and ensure each of our residents has access to the proper therapy, medication, support, resources, and tools to succeed. We also make sure the family has what they need to recover together.
Addiction is a family disease, but family therapy could be the key to a new life for everyone involved – one that’s filled with love, joy, health, happiness, and support for one another. Contact us today to learn more about how The Last House can help you and your family succeed!