Oftentimes, people view addiction as a personal experience that only affects the individual struggling with substance abuse. Addiction does cause devastating effects to the user’s health and overall quality of life, it also affects their family members. When a person is struggling with drug addiction, their behavior will change radically. This can create tension and division in a previously loving and healthy household.
To continue, when there is an addiction present in a home, the other members of the family begin to take notice. They may watch their addicted loved one lose weight, begin to behave erratically, and turn into a person they no longer recognize. This creates an atmosphere of fear and extreme worry for everyone’s safety. Situations like these can cause the individual’s family members to develop trauma, leading to unhealthy coping mechanisms like codependency, enabling, and even substance abuse.
Because of this, the entire family needs to receive treatment from a professional recovery guide. Programs like structured family recoveryⓇ help the individual struggling with addiction and their family members recover simultaneously. This approach helps a divided family function as a team again, while replacing negative coping mechanisms with healthy ones.
With that being said, let’s take a look at the symptoms of addiction, how drug addiction affects the family, and how families can find help.
The symptoms of addiction differ depending on the type of drug being abused. For example, prescription pill addiction may cause an individual to doctor-shop, while alcohol addiction causes frequent blackouts and hangovers.
However, there are a few general drug abuse symptoms that are common among every type of addiction. These include:
If an individual is displaying any of the aforementioned drug abuse symptoms, it may be time to schedule an intervention with a drug recovery coach. To determine whether someone is truly dealing with an addiction, contact a recovery guide for a consultation.
When someone struggles with a prescription pill addiction, alcoholism, or any form of a substance use disorder, their behavior can become erratic, confusing, and worrisome. This takes a toll on the entire family, as they are worried for their loved one’s health and their personal safety. Addiction can cause many devastating effects on a family unit, including division, mistrust, strained relationships, and even abuse.
There are many ways that drug addiction can impact a family. However, the most common and serious effects of addiction in the family include:
Another impact of addiction is referred to as failure to launch syndrome. Failure to launch syndrome is characterized by young adults being unable to take care of themselves. For example, they may struggle to have a job, move out on their own, and be self-sufficient. This is common among young adults who struggle with addiction, as their substance abuse prevents them from developing the skills to function as an adult in their everyday lives. Failure to launch syndrome must be treated by a professional drug recovery coach or structured family recoveryⓇ guide.
Structured family recoveryⓇ guides are trained to provide the entire family with the healthy coping mechanisms they need to end the cycle of addiction. SFR is a form of ongoing addiction recovery care, making it beneficial for families who have been affected by a substance use disorder.
Michael Herbert, The Recovery Guide, has more than 30 years of experience working closely with individuals and families dealing with addiction and recovery issues. He is a seasoned Coach and can help you and your family establish long-term goals and access the tools you need for continued abstinence and recovery for the entire family. Get in touch with Michael today at 561-221-7677 to schedule an appointment.
