Addiction fractures relationships with loved ones. About 46% of U.S. adults have a family member or close friend that is addicted or has been addicted to drugs in the past. Watching a loved one struggle with addiction can be extremely difficult. All you may want to do is help your family member to become the person they were before they became an addict. This can take a huge toll on your mental and emotional health and well-being.
If your family member is an addict, you don’t have to carry the stress and burden of this situation all on your own. At Hammocks on the Edisto, we are a premier women’s treatment center in South Carolina that provides comprehensive substance abuse treatment for women. We provide a range of treatment options, including family counseling, to help clients and families rebuild their relationships. In this article, you’ll learn more about the resources for families of addicts that are available.
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, contact us today to learn how we can help you on your road to recovery.
How Does Addiction Impact Families?
Having a family member addicted to drugs and alcohol can put an immense strain on your family. Whether your spouse is struggling with addiction, or your teen child is struggling with addiction, no matter who in your family has fallen victim to addiction, it can be extremely hard to watch them struggle.
This is because an addict’s behavior inevitably changes at the hands of addiction. No longer will your child, spouse, or parent be the same person they were before becoming an addict. While it’s important to recognize your family member is still the same person, just struggling with a debilitating disease, it can be difficult watching your family member struggle with addiction.
Common examples of how having one addicted family member can negatively impact your entire family include:
- Strained relationships
- Financial hardships
- Reckless behavior at home
- Stealing money from your family to support their addiction.
- Running away from home.
- Being absent from home unexpectedly for long periods.
Watching your family member struggle with addiction not only fractures your relationship with them but can put added stress and pressure on yourself to feel the need to have to help them get sober all on your own. Yet, you shouldn’t have to feel this immense pressure. There are various resources for families of addicts that provide a safe space to find some addiction support for families.
Are There Support Groups for Families of Addicts?
If your family is struggling with the mental and emotional strain of having a family member addicted to drugs and alcohol, you don’t have to face this situation alone. There are many resources for families of addicts, like support groups, to help families build a sense of community and support from other families going through similar circumstances.
Addiction support for families helps families first understand that they are not alone in having a family member who is struggling with addiction. Next, support groups for families offer a safe space for families to talk openly and honestly about their experiences and provide help, support, and guidance for families who don’t know how to cope with having a family member who is struggling with addiction.
In support groups, you may even learn helpful information about ways in which you can get your loved one the professional help they need safely and effectively. Rather, than taking on the stress of trying to help your family member overcome their addiction all on your own.
How to Find Resources for Families of Addicts
Having a family member struggle with addiction can be extremely difficult for any family. Not only do you want your family member to return to the person they were before their addiction. But, you may face feelings of guilt and shame that you didn’t do enough to prevent them from being an addict.
Resources for alcoholics families, like support groups, offer a safe space where you can work through these negative feelings and learn constructive ways you can help your loved one get the professional addiction treatment they need to overcome their addiction for good.
At The Hammocks On The Edisto, we offer a range of women’s addiction treatment programs to help clients receive the exact care they need to overcome their addiction. We also offer family counseling sessions to help rebuild relationships with loved ones that may have been fractured because of addiction. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you or your loved one overcome addiction and maintain a long-term life of sobriety.
