Substance use disorders exist within several social contexts, one of which is the family. Each addict has a family, a family history, and a family story that plays a significant role in the addiction and recovery. Many addicted persons come from substance-using families and have been raised with alcohol or drug use as part of their lives. In addition, the family often has significant substance use, psychiatric problems, and/or dysfunctional behavior patterns that negatively impact the success of an addict’s recovery process. Addressing these issues are a part of an addict’s recovery.
The primary goal of involving families in the recovery process is to increase their understanding of substance use disorder / addiction as a chronic disease with related psychosocial components. Other reasons for involving the family in the treatment and post-treatment aspects of recovery are to:
It is a key point to note that the most successful addiction treatment outcomes are found in addicts whose families who are involved in supporting the addict’s treatment and recovery processes. Sustained recovery outcomes are found even more with families that recognize the importance of seeking out their own family support, therapy or other recovery services, while supporting loved one.
Family Therapy: There are a wide-range of therapeutic approaches used that share a theoretical base in family-level assessment and intervention. The belief is that a family is a system, and in any system, each part is related to all other parts. Consequently, a change in any part of the system will bring about change in all other parts.
Therapy approaches based on this perspective use the strengths of a family to bring about change in a range of diverse problem areas, including substance abuse. Family therapy addresses the dynamics in the family that encourage substance use, and offers support for changing these dynamics. Family Therapy emphasizes that the family as a dynamic system, not merely through inclusion of members in treatment, is the hallmark of family therapy.
Individual Family Therapy: This type of therapy helps family members to look at their interactions and identify the factors — within the family — that contribute to substance use disorder. Family members are encouraged to restructure negative patterns of behavior and communication into interactions that are more conducive to recovery for everyone. Through Individual Family Therapy, adults and children express to the client how behavior has affected them, and how new coping skills now are affecting their lives. The client has the opportunity to use new skills learned in treatment and receive constructive feedback from family members in a safe environment. During these sessions, families address issues such as irresponsible behavior, indebtedness, substance use in the home by other family members, availability of alcohol on special occasions, and how to reveal treatment and recovery to others.
Family-Involved Therapy: Family-involved therapy is used to educate families about the relationship patterns that contribute to continued substance abuse. In Family-involved therapy, the family is not the primary therapeutic grouping, and there is minimal focus on addressing the system of family relationships. Most substance abuse treatment centers utilize this type of family educational approach.
When it comes to addiction, it is a family disease that affects not only the person addicted to drugs or alcohol, but those most involved in the life of the addict, as well. Regardless of what the addiction is, the symptoms of addiction affect everyone involved – children, parents, spouses, siblings and friends. Family members often experience profound health concerns, including chronic stress, physical problems, sleep difficulties, anxiety and depression, when a loved one is involved in active addiction. It is important to recognize that family recovery is an essential part of effective addiction treatment.
Family Recovery allows family members to gain clarity on their loved one’s addiction and learn strategies and approaches to help the addict through their recovery process. It also provides family members the needed support and information, so they can begin to take care of themselves, too. Even if the person suffering with addiction/substance use disorder never makes a change, the family deserves and needs distinct support to deal with their issues.
Structured Family Recovery: Structured Family Recovery is a therapeutic program of action that is not therapy. Structured Family Recovery (SFR) is a recovery management program that supports Twelve Step recovery for alcoholics, addicts, and the family members. SFR provides a framework for healing that supports families that have been fractured by the emotional upheavals caused by addiction. SFR is a systematic approach used to repair the damage caused by addiction. Through weekly family conferences, the family learns to communicate about the pain that addiction caused them. As the addict is involved in treatment and recovery practices, the family is guided through a parallel process of Twelve Step Recovery. It is designed so that every member of the family learns to contribute to preventing relapse, creating opportunities for healing, and re-establishing broken family bonds. SFR is a way for families to work their way out of the darkness that active addiction brings and move into the light that recovery has to offer.
SFR addresses the underlying behaviors, attitudes, and coping mechanisms of family members that are directly related to and caused by addiction. SFR requires that each family member focuses on individual actions, thought processes and behaviors, for the purpose of identifying the ways that addiction affected behaviors and created dysfunctionality within the family. Structured Family Recovery allows families to talk about themselves and their own strengths, limitations and needs. And by focusing on themselves rather than on everyone else, they begin to understand the effects of addiction, regain manageability and stability, and begin to live healthier, more productive and peaceful lives.
While Family Therapy models address the underlying issues that a family may be unable to identify without the help of a therapist or other clinical practitioner, Structured Family Recovery takes the examination process a few steps further. SFR, based primarily in the Twelve Step Model, addresses addiction, family of origin trauma issues, character strengths and deficiencies, family communication, and mutual plans of action to work through the process collectively. While each family member addresses his or her individual concerns, they also learn how to break old patterns, eradicate barriers, communicate needs, expose truths, and demonstrate love, trust and courage to the other family members. SFR propels a family forward through the individual and collective work that is done. SFR is based on family recovery theory, and leads the family on a more dynamic journey of introspection, discovery, recovery and healing.
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.
