You may have heard the phrase “addiction is a family disease”, and it is likely ringing true in your own family. When one member of the family is affected by addiction, the entire family unit is affected. This can lead to damage within the family as far as structure, communication, relationships, and much more. To achieve a long-lasting and recovery, successful drug and alcohol addiction treatment should include family therapy. Keep reading to learn more about drug and alcohol treatment family therapy at a drug rehab in Malibu and how it will change your family for the better.
What Is Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment Family Therapy?
When an individual is suffering from addiction to illegal drugs, alcohol or dangerous prescription drugs, other members of the family are impacted in a significant way. It can lead to enabling, resentment, divorce, strained parent/child relationships, estrangement, and much more. In addition, when individuals enter treatment for addiction but return home to the same negative feelings and behaviors in their home, it can quickly lead to relapse. This makes family therapy for addiction extremely important. It involves much more than a family weekend visit; it includes a comprehensive family assessment, treatment plan, weekend intensives, and much more.
At Seasons in Malibu, we offer The Systemic Family Intervention Program, which is part of the alcohol or drug rehab cost. Pioneered by treatment giant Wayne Raiter, the Systemic Family Intervention Program is a psychoeducational program of 18 modules designed to change the treatment paradigm from the “Identified Patient” model of the 20th Century to the “Family System” Model of current times. This program is executed in person, by phone, or by computer video teleconference and is available to all family members.
The Impact of Addiction on Families
If a member of your family is experiencing addiction, the negative impacts have likely extended to you and many other members of your family. These negative impacts can damage the family structure and cause potentially life-long damages and trauma to certain members. The impact of addiction in families can be helped through drug and alcohol addiction treatment family therapy that includes structure, safety, communication, negative emotions and behaviors, and responsibilities.
Structure
Family units thrive on routine, structure, and boundaries—especially those homes with children. When a family member is suffering from addiction, oftentimes, this structure becomes inconsistent or nonexistent. This can cause confusion and trust issues, leading to negative behaviors from all members of the family.
Safety
Addiction can cause harm to the safety of the home and its members. Shady people coming in and out of the house, activity at all hours of the day and night, or volatile and abusive situations arising can all cause safety concerns. This can lead to danger and trauma.
Communication
There are generally very few positive interactions within family members when one of them is suffering from addiction. The constant lying, denial, and isolation can also quickly cause communication breakdowns.
Negative Emotions and Behaviors
Embarrassment, anxiety, guilt, resentment, and anger are all very common emotions for family members to experience when their loved one is going through addiction. However, they can quickly lead to the breakdown of relationships and need to be worked through in family therapy.
Responsibilities
When an individual is experiencing addiction, little else matters. This includes responsibilities within the home such as taking care of the children, cooking and cleaning, financial obligations, and much more. This can cause other family members to work harder picking up the slack and for children to take on responsibilities that are not age-appropriate.
About Seasons in Malibu
When you are looking for the best rehab centers in US, it should include drug and alcohol addiction treatment family therapy. At Seasons Malibu, we work with the entire family in a variety of ways, depending on the needs of the family:
- The family assessment. Each family is assessed to determine their individual needs and desires for treatment, including codependency, risk, pathology, trauma, and abuse.
- The Systemic Family Intervention Program. This program is executed in person, by phone, or by computer video and is available to all family members.
- The family treatment plan. After the Systemic Intervention process begins and the family starts to see the need for change all around, a treatment program is prescribed to the family members. Family members may engage in trauma treatment, co-dependency treatment, psychodynamic therapy, and relationship counseling.
- Family medical assessments. Quite often in addiction, there is an underlying issue in the chemical-dependent and, it turns out, there are often untreated medical issues in the codependent. A medical or psychiatric assessment of family members can be a helpful way to make sure medical conditions are not exacerbating relationship issues in families.
