2 Ways Addiction Impacts Families

It goes without question that addiction is a horrible disease. However, there are many people who overlook the fact that addiction is a disease that impacts more than just the person that is suffering from the disease. The physical and psychological consequences of addiction are far-reaching and can also impact the life and well-being of the family members of the person who has an addiction. Therefore, it’s critical to have an understanding of how addiction affects families as well as the steps that you need to take to put your family back together again. Here are just a few ways how addiction affects families:

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— Resurgence Behavioral Health (@RBHRecovery) November 9, 2022

1. Financially
   Financial stress associated with addiction is something that can be potentially crushing to every member of your family. When you’re dedicating money toward your substance abuse, you put yourself in a position of taking away from other aspects of life. It’s not uncommon in extreme cases for a person to use funds that should go to rent or important bills for drugs or alcohol.
   
2. Emotionally
   There is an obvious emotional stress that impacts the family members of a loved one who is struggling with addiction. There is not a family in the world who will want to see a loved one struggle with addiction. Not only that, but until a person is ready to commit to treatment, their family members have to wait and suffer in their own way watching the outcomes of addiction. 

When a loved one is finally ready to face how addiction affects families, the team at an addiction treatment center will be able to provide them with the tools that they need to develop that understanding. Something that you may want to take advantage of during your time in treatment is family therapy. During family therapy, you will be able to expand on your understanding of addiction and how addiction has impacted not only yourself but their family. Keep in mind that family therapy is something that will only happen when you come to a point in your recovery where you’re ready for it. 

As a family member, another tool that you can take advantage of is an Al-Anon or Nar-Anon support group. These groups are specifically designed for the family members of individuals who have struggled with addiction. These support groups follow the same format, in many ways, as an Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous group, however, the focus will be on the family members and helping them to process the issues that they may have experienced in their life as a result of their interactions with a family member who has suffered with addiction. 

How Addiction Impacts Young Children 

Addiction is something that can have a direct and immediate impact on young children. When a child is around a toxic and addictive environment, there is a stronger possibility that they may think that this type of behavior is normal. Children who have been exposed to addiction are naturally more predisposed to develop an addiction on their own later on in life. Further, the emotional consequences of having a family member struggling with addiction could also cause children to have issues in school or develop other important relationships in their life. 

The Impact of Addiction on Teenagers 

Witnessing addiction at the hands of another family member is something that could have an incredibly detrimental impact on a teenager. If they were brought up in this type of environment, they may be more prone to engage in addictive or risky behavior. Part of being a teenager is learning more about yourself and experimenting. Unfortunately, there are several patterns of behavior that have proven that when a teenager is exposed to substance abuse, they are more likely to experiment with these potentially dangerous and deadly substances. 

Steps You Can Take to Get Treatment for Your Addiction 

When you have come to the realization that you need to get help to address your drug addiction or alcohol addiction, there are several steps that you can take to get the help and care that you need such as: 

• Reach out to a treatment facility that offers detox
  Depending on the extent of your substance abuse, one of the healthiest things that you can do is to begin your addiction treatment in a detox program. On average, detox is something that will last seven days. The premise of detox is to provide you with the safe and sober environment that you need during the time that you’re experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms begin to happen within the first few hours and days of your sobriety. It’s important that you get the professional care that you need during this time to ensure that you remain in good health and help to set yourself up for success in general addiction treatment.
  
• Decide which treatment option is best for you
  It’s important to understand that successful addiction treatment is not something that comes in a one size fits all box. Instead, it’s imperative that you partner with a treatment facility that will offer you the personalized treatment that you need and deserve as you begin to make these important changes in your life. In order for you to make the most out of your time in treatment, Resurgence offers individualized treatment programs which will help you to dig head-first into the events in your life that may have contributed to your substance abuse. These treatment programs come in the form of an inpatient or an outpatient program. Inpatient programs are ideal for a person who feels as though they need to remove themselves from the people, places, and things associated with their addiction. If you work or go to school, however, the better option may be an outpatient program which offers more flexibility.
   
• Engage in an aftercare program
  Although an initial treatment plan is important, remember that you can relapse at any time if you become lax in your recovery. Therefore, we always encourage our clients to take advantage of an aftercare program. Aftercare will provide you with a continued level of support not only from our staff but also from other people who have also gone through their own treatment program. In addition to aftercare, you should always take advantage of participating in other support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous which will provide you with the reinforcement that you may need as you continue on in your recovery journey.
  

Let Resurgence Assist You and Your Family 

At Resurgence, we understand the impact that addiction can have on families. We have years of experience helping not only individuals but their families to navigate through the ins and outs of the process of recovery. Our intake team is available around the clock to provide you and your family with the support and understanding that you all need as you begin to make changes in your life. If you are a family member of a loved one struggling with addiction, our team is always happy to speak with you about the opportunities that your loved one has. If you are ready to begin your own addiction treatment, we encourage you to get in touch with us today so that we can set the wheels in motion to help you.

David Rofofsky
After growing up in New York, David chose to get help with substance abuse in California because of the state's reputation for top-tier treatment. There, he found the treatment he needed to achieve more than nine years of recovery. He's been in the drug and alcohol addiction rehab industry for eight years and now serves as the Director of Admissions for Resurgence Behavioral Health. David remains passionate about the field because he understands how hard it is to pick up the phone and ask for help. However, once the call is made, someone's life can be saved.

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