By: Lakeview Health
Many people underestimate the role of the family in long-term sobriety. This role includes learning more about how the family communicates with each other, enables addiction, fears losing one another and can grow to support each other in greater wellness throughout their lives. The role of the family in long-term sobriety starts with positive interactions about addiction treatment.
The Role of the Family in Long-Term Sobriety Starts Before Treatment
When one member of the family needs substance abuse treatment, the entire family is actually broken. Recovery is not just a solo effort or something one person can maintain. The entire family unit needs to recover. This recovery starts with conversations about getting treatment for addiction. Many families have used interventionists to push individuals toward treatment for addiction. But open and loving communication can work to get loved ones into treatment, too. However, the family member abusing substances gets into treatment, the most important thing is for the rest of the family to understand the role of the family in long-term sobriety. Everyone has to work and recover together, utilizing treatment-provided therapies and education programs to their fullest.
During Treatment: Role of the Family in Long-Term Sobriety
While a loved one is in a residential program or other type of treatment, the role of the family in long- term sobriety becomes more clear. Lifelong recovery does not just fall on the shoulders of the person who abused substances. Instead, every person in the family either played a role in, enabled or was adversely affected by the substance abuse. Quality treatment programs provide family therapy sessions. These may be by telephone or in person. Regardless of how they are executed, these therapies must be utilized for full benefit. Educational sessions can provide insight into dual-diagnosis and addiction, as well as other subjects specifically centered around that family’s particular needs. Families should participate in ways the treatment program encourages them to join their loved one for the best possible outcome. In the process, all members of the family can heal, gain better understanding of each other and progress into recovery as a unit. An aftercare plan for the whole family will be one aspect of care provided by a quality rehab center.
Role of the Family After Treatment
When treatment is over and the loved one in recovery returns home, everyone needs additional support from outside the family. Stress of recovery does not just affect the patient. Entire families feel this stress, as do friends and even coworkers. The aftercare plan should include support group meetings for the family, continued therapy or other aspects of family recovery to strengthen toward long-term sobriety. Lakeview Health in Jacksonville, Florida provides family programs for during and after their loved one’s treatment. Like patients themselves, families are never without support and guidance for the best possible chance of their loved one’s life long sobriety. Call Lakeview Health now at 866.704.7692 to learn more about family involvement in your loved one’s treatment and ongoing recovery. By getting help now, the entire family can come together and strengthen again for the brightest possible future.
