Unfortunately, addiction is a family disease. We all need to start focusing on how addictive behaviors affect those around us. It may cause them short or long-term effects such as issues in their job, relationship troubles, financial issues and more.
It should also be noted that children of addicts and alcoholics are affected, too. For example, they may not do as well in school as they could otherwise. They may not get the support needed to manage their mental health or not get the guidance needed to make the best decisions in their life.
Addiction and Family Relationships
There are numerous ways that drug and alcohol addictions impact a family. The effects are based on the family dynamics, how many people are in the family, enabling behaviors and much more.
With this being said, anyone who knows the addict or is around them is likely to be impacted by their addiction. If you live with the addict or alcoholic, that might make things much more challenging.
If you have someone in your family with an addiction, there are many ways you can handle the situation. You can take a step back and let what is going to happen – happen. You can hold an intervention to try showing your loved one that their addiction isn’t helping anyone, not themselves or their family members. We have a treatment program, so you can call us if your loved one is ready to get help.
Children and the Affects of Addiction
Did you know that around 1 in every 8 children have a parent who has substance abuse issues. Dealing with this type of environment as a child, increases their risk of becoming addicted to alcohol and/or drugs when they get older. So, if you know of a child who has addicted parents, be sure to get them therapy and other resources to help them better understand addiction and to properly express their emotions. By doing this, hopefully, the addiction of their parent won’t leave such a lasting, devastating effect.
Parents and the Affects of Addiction (the Family Disease)
Do you have children or one child who is suffering from an addiction to alcohol and/or drugs? If so, you have your own set of difficulties. You are probably worried constantly about their well-being, safety, health, job and other things. It might even seem like you are to blame for their addiction or that you must be responsible for how they are acting.
Right now, you may feel powerless regarding your child’s addiction. However, you have the option to take a step back and stop enabling them. There are many directions you can go from there including holding an intervention, talking to your child when they are sober and encouraging them to get the treatment they need for this family disease. Hopefully, by following through with these tips, your child will turn to a professional rehab center for help.
Addiction Family Roles
When someone in the family is struggling with an addiction, each member of the family will handle their loved one’s behaviors and actions in their own way. With this being said, there are different family roles that you or other members of the family may take on when dealing with your loved one’s addiction. Some of these family roles that may occur with this family disease include:
- Addict (some family members may turn to alcohol or drug abuse to cope with their loved one’s addiction or to handle other issues in life)
- Caretaker (trying to take care of your loved one’s and the entire household’s responsibilities such as cleaning, running errands, paying bills, etc. and all of this enables the addict)
- Hero (doing all you can to help ensure that others see your family as normal, so you might cover up your loved one’s actions)
- Scapegoat (usually defiant, hostile, and causing chaos in their family to take the attention off the addict)
- Mascot (funny guy that tries to reduce stress and chaos by making jokes, acting out in silly ways, or continuously trying to put a smile on everyone’s face)
- Lost child (usually tries to stay out of everyone’s way and does their own thing in the background)
Do you recognize yourself in one or more of these family roles due to your loved one’s addiction? If so, there is family therapy and other therapy services that can help your loved one to recover from this family disease.
Getting Help for Your Family
It can be tough to cope when you have a loved one who is dealing with an addiction. Maybe, you feel that you have tried helping in numerous ways before, but nothing seems to work. Part of the reason for this could be due to enabling behaviors instead of actually helping.
It can be painful and difficult to watch your loved one participate in their addiction. However, you must remember that you can’t control their addiction. You must first get yourself the help you need to better manage your emotions and thoughts regarding their addiction. Then, you can plan an intervention or go another route to encourage your loved one to get sober and in recovery.
Some of the various treatments and services that can help the addict and their family members include:
- Individual therapy
- Family therapy
- Group therapy
- Support groups
- Al-Anon family groups
Article source: www.midwoodaddictiontreatment.com
