Family Therapy
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The impact of addiction is rarely limited to the person who becomes dependent on alcohol or another drug. Parents, children, spouses, partners, and close friends can all be affected. These individuals can also play an important role in a person’s efforts to end their substance use and achieve long-term recovery. For these reasons, Creekside Recovery Network offers family therapy for substance abuse at several of our locations.
What is Family Therapy?
Family therapy is a form of group therapy in which all participants are either related or otherwise close to each other. Sessions may be led by a counselor, a therapist, a social worker, or another qualified professional.
Family therapy sessions may be conducted for a variety of reasons. Some people seek family therapy because they have been having problems in their relationships. In other cases, family therapy may be part of a person’s comprehensive treatment for substance abuse (addiction) or a mental health disorder.
In the case of family therapy for substance abuse, sessions typically include the individual who is receiving treatment and a small group of people who are significant to them. This may include their parents and siblings, their spouse or partner, their adult children, and others who play an important role in their life.
If the person who is receiving addiction treatment has younger children, family therapy sessions with a professional who specializes in working with children and adolescents may also be beneficial.
How Does Family Therapy for Substance Abuse Work?
Family therapy sessions typically include a small number of participants and one professional. These sessions may be focused on education, skills development, processing emotions, or other matters.
During a family therapy session, participants typically sit in a circle or in another arrangement that allows them to easily see, speak with, and listen to everyone else. The professional who is leading the session may begin by reviewing what occurred in the previous session, asking participants to share their thoughts and feelings, or introducing the day’s topic.
The topics that are addressed in family therapy for substance abuse may vary depending on what is most relevant to and appropriate for the individuals who are participating in the session. In general, family therapy for substance abuse often focuses on matters such as:
- Providing information about the disease of addiction, the treatment process, and the challenges of recovery
- Allowing participants to discuss and process how they have been affected by their loved one’s struggles with substance abuse
- Identifying and correcting maladaptive behaviors that family members have adopted as a result of their loved one’s substance abuse
- Healing rifts that have occurred in participants’ relationships with each other
- Developing more productive communication and conflict-resolution skills
- Learning how to better support the individual in treatment and each other
Creekside Facilities That Provide Family Therapy
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Benefits of Family Therapy for Substance Abuse
As is the case with the topics that are discussed during family therapy sessions, the specific benefits that a family receives from therapy will depend on factors that are unique to each group. With that in mind, the following are examples of common benefits of family therapy for substance abuse:
- Professional guidance: Family therapy sessions are led by skilled professionals who can keep participants focused on the topic at hand, prevent the discussion from descending into an argument, and ensure that everyone conducts themselves in a respectful manner.
- Honest communication: Addiction is often sustained by lies and other forms of deception. Family therapy provides a supportive forum for loved ones to have open, honest, and productive conversations about important matters.
- Skills development: After identifying challenges such as interpersonal conflicts or maladaptive behaviors, the professional who leads the family therapy session can help the participants develop the skills they need to resolve the problem and move forward in a healthier manner.
- Recovery support: The support of family members and close friends can be a vital component of successful recovery. Family therapy sessions can empower participants to provide the most meaningful support as their loved one works to achieve a drug-free future.
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Is Addiction a Family Disease?
Addiction is often referred to as a family disease. But what, exactly does this mean?
Identifying addiction as a family disease is a way of calling attention to the following:
- A person’s struggles with substance abuse and addiction can have a negative impact on the people who care about, support, or depend upon them.
- Certain genetic traits and inherited characteristics can increase a person’s risk for addiction.
- Dysfunctional family relationships can push a person into substance abuse, which can lead to addiction.
Here’s how the family aspect of addiction was described in a 2013 article in the journal Social Work in Public Health:
“Each family and each family member is uniquely affected by the individual using substances including but not limited to having unmet developmental needs, impaired attachment, economic hardship, legal problems, emotional distress, and sometimes violence being perpetrated against him or her. For children there is also an increased risk of developing [a substance use disorder] themselves.”
When a family is impacted by addiction, it can sometimes cause members to adopt dysfunctional roles such as the following:
- The Dependent (or The Addict): As the person with the substance use disorder descends into the downward spiral of untreated addiction, they often become the focal point of the family. Other family members find themselves forced to adapt their behaviors in response to The Dependent’s actions.
- The Enabler (or The Caretaker): This person tries to cover up or make excuses for what The Dependent does or doesn’t do. The Enabler is often motivated by a desire to maintain the illusion that the family is a healthy and happy unit, even when this is clearly not the case.
- The Hero: This individual is an overachiever who is committed to boosting the family’s image through diligent efforts and impressive accomplishments. The Hero’s desire for control and perfection can be a source of considerable stress, which can easily lead to burnout.
- The Scapegoat: Since family members often fear antagonizing or calling attention to The Dependent, they may redirect their anger toward The Scapegoat. In addition to being blamed for their own mistakes, The Scapegoat may also be held responsible for The Dependent’s self-defeating behaviors.
- The Mascot: Similar to The Hero, The Mascot works to divert attention from The Dependent. Unlike The Hero, The Mascot attempts to accomplish this through humor. Students who are class clowns in school may be The Mascot when they return home.
- The Lost Child: This family member is a quiet, unassuming person who spends a significant amount of time alone. To endure the dysfunction that has been brought on by The Dependent, The Lost Child may attempt to escape into books, hobbies, or fantasy worlds of their own creation.
Begin Family Therapy for Addiction Near You
Several locations in the Creekside Recovery Network offer family therapy for substance abuse. We understand that helping people develop a healthy support network is an important part of effective addiction treatment. Family therapy can be a vital part of this effort. To learn more about family therapy for substance abuse, or to get additional details about any other aspect of our addiction programming, please visit our Admissions page or contact us directly at your earliest convenience.