How Addiction Impacts Family | Family Therapy for Addiction

Addiction doesn’t just affect the person addicted. To effectively treat and beat substance use, you must consider the other people involved, including spouses, children, parents, or others close to the addicted individual. Addiction may have affected all of these people, and the effects can ripple outward as time goes on. A family therapy program, like the one at Crossroads, can help women struggling with addiction and their entire families find their way to a successful recovery. To learn more about how this treatment can benefit your family, contact Crossroads today at 877.978.1667.

Addiction Is a Family Affair

No matter what laymen might tell you, addiction affects the entire family, not just the person battling the addiction. Therefore, the recovery process should include the whole support system. It can be traumatizing for family members who have to experience a loved one’s addictions firsthand. The individual may have broken promises or lied to their loved ones in order to sustain their addiction. Family members may not trust what the person using substances says due to them failing to fulfill responsibilities. It can be more than some can endure. A structure of support is necessary to help the family cope with these life-changing moments. Even if this is not the case, loved ones may need to learn how they can support their loved one’s newfound sobriety.

Addiction impacts a family in a number of ways, such as:

Strained relationships
Financial strain
Withdrawal symptoms that occur when someone hasn’t used the substance in a short while
Performance at work or school
The need to manage the reckless behavior of an addicted individual they live with
Finding money stolen to support a family member’s habit
Parental grief

A previously loving home environment can quickly turn to chaos and struggle with the strain of dealing with a loved one’s drug or alcohol abuse. Though it was once rare, conflict may become an everyday occurrence. Trust between family is tested, and people become more on edge dealing with the aggression brought on by addiction. Communication between family members is more complicated and, in some cases, ceases altogether due to frustration. Marriages can end, and relationships can be irreparable because of addiction.

Family Therapy Works

Group therapy for addiction is important, and it’s also helpful for people affected by a loved one’s addiction. At Crossroads, we offer a 4-week educational series calledThe Effects of Addiction on Friends and Family. We’ve designed this program for anyone who has a loved one with a substance abuse problem, male or female, who may or may not be in treatment. People affected by addiction will also find this series helpful. The 4-week series covers:

The Basics of Addiction
The Effects of Addiction on the User & Family and Friends
Relapse and Recovery
The Do’s and Don’ts

We offer these sessions in the evening so that family and friends can attend.

Contact Crossroads to Learn More

Are you or someone you love struggling with a substance abuse problem that is impacting your relationships? If so, it may be time to get professional help at our women’s addiction treatment program. If you’re a family member of someone battling addiction, it’s essential to know that you’re not alone. The team at Crossroads can help you craft a customized therapeutic approach that works for the individual battling addiction as well as the entire family support system.

In addition to family therapy, we offer care approaches that include: