Often, when people are battling addiction, they aren’t fighting alone. There are family members and friends in the trenches with them, day in and day out. It’s very fortunate to be surrounded by people who care about you. However, when a person is addicted, sometimes the battle can seem like a losing one. Loved ones may surround the individual to keep them on track and pick them back up when they fall. However, without the support and a stabilized foundation, the ups and downs, and uncertainty of addiction can tear families apart, leaving the person to struggle alone.
If you or your family would like to try a family therapy program in your addiction treatment, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Red Oak Recovery® in Asheville, NC today at 866.457.7590.
Why Is Family Therapy Necessary?
Every family has specific needs and unique issues they face. Just like there is no cookie-cutter addiction treatment, there is no cookie-cutter family dynamic. Ideally, the individual in recovery has a stable support system with no kinks in the chain, but realistically we all know that isn’t the nature of families. Often, the people struggling to help will have their issues to work through, not to mention the ones resulting from their loved one’s struggle with addiction.
There is a possibility that the people who are helping encourage the person in sobriety the most will neglect to care for themselves. They suffer from the turmoil and disappointment caused by addiction. Another family member may be facing mental struggles. However, they don’t realize this until they attend a therapy session for their family member. In a session, a family therapist helps them uncover it.
Spouses and close friends may not have the capacity to support the person in recovery without enabling them. They often want to protect their loved ones from the harsh consequences of their behavior.
How Can a Family Therapy Help?
Therapists trained in family and addiction issues are fully equipped to help guide your family through these possible scenarios. Here are just some ways a trained family therapist can help you in your addiction treatment program:
- They allow substance abusers to understand their responsibility within the family unit and recognize how their behaviors affect others.
- They improve the mental health of the entire family, both as a whole and as individuals.
- They’ll teach communication skills and increase relationship quality among family members.
- They address any codependent behavior that may be hindering recovery.
- They prevent addiction from spreading throughout the family.
- They’ll examine the family issues that may have contributed to the addiction.
Addiction is a chronic condition, so families have to be vigilant to keep their loved one safe and healthy. They should also know what signs to look for that trouble may be on the horizon. With the complications of addiction, there is a higher probability for communication breakdowns and irresolvable issues to emerge. Many people desperately want to help their loved ones but aren’t prepared for the inevitable ups and downs of addiction.
Incorporating a family therapist into your addiction recovery plan can be the missing piece to your puzzle. Many family-related issues can potentially stifle recovery. People are often oblivious to the problems because work or other responsibilities take precedence, especially when the addict cannot contribute.
Do You Need Family Therapy for Addiction in NC?
Addiction rehabs didn’t always incorporate family therapy techniques, but the mechanisms behind addiction became apparent over time. This complex condition is deeply interconnected with the addict’s environment, particularly relationships. Your family might acknowledge the possibility that family therapy could help some families but are struggling with some doubts. In your view, addiction is the problem. Maybe family therapy seems complicated, and you don’t want to add another layer of complication to the situation.
Maybe your family is relatively healthy outside of the addiction struggle, so the family therapy component seems unnecessary. Family therapy can be very beneficial. If you’re even considering it, then you should look into it more seriously. Family therapists draw from different types of therapy in their approach to family treatment. It’s not a one size fits all treatment approach. Some examples of treatment that you may encounter when getting family addiction treatment are:
- Couples therapy
- Solution-focused family therapy
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Strategic family therapy
- Marriage and family counseling
The addition of family therapy has proven to be an invaluable part of treatment. It reinforces families as a whole and as individuals, even for healthy and stable families. Addiction has a way of testing families in ways they weren’t prepared for, so it’s helpful to build up solid skills and communication techniques.
Seek Treatment at Red Oak Recovery® in NC
If you’re looking for family therapists in North Carolina, Red Oak Recovery® Center has a compassionate staff of trained family therapists. We can help you and your loved ones learn to communicate more effectively about addiction and strengthen your family as a whole. Please call Red Oak Recovery® today at 866.457.7590 for more information about our family-focused addiction program.
