Family members often feel uncertain of how best to support loved ones in treatment for substance use disorder (SUD). The support of family and friends motivates long-term sobriety for many individuals. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for helping a family member who is drinking too much, using drugs, or dealing with a mental illness, research shows that family support can play a major role in helping a loved one with mental and substance use disorders.” West Coast Recovery Centers encourages family members and friends to support a loved one participating in treatment.
How Can Family Members Support a Loved One in Treatment
Family interventions help people with SUD recognize the need for professional treatment. According to the Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, “Family interventions can help the family influence or pressure the member with the SUD to enter treatment and get help, address the impact of the SUD on the family system and members, help the family support the member with the SUD, and help the family address their own reactions and problems associated with their loved one’s SUD.” Recovery from substance abuse is not immediate, and there is no magic “cure” for SUD. Family members should set realistic expectations for their loved one’s recovery to avoid putting pressure on them.
Some of the ways families support loved ones in recovery include:
- Communicating openly and honestly
- Educating themselves on addiction and mental health recovery
- Establishing clear boundaries and expectations
- Attending individual therapy
- Creating a nurturing and supportive environment
- Encouraging healthy behaviors and routines
- Celebrating successes and milestones
- Modeling healthy behaviors and coping skills
Providing support involves practicing forgiveness and compassion. Individuals in recovery may have made mistakes in the past, and the consequences of their actions may have negatively impacted various family members. However, being kind and patient with loved ones in treatment reduces family conflicts and improves the mental health of every family member. Resolving or avoiding issues that may cause family conflict is one way to reduce the risk of relapse during and after treatment.
Families Can Support a Loved One by Giving Them Space in Early Recovery
After being admitted into treatment, most clients temporarily step away from their families to focus on self-care. Clinicians often ask for family members to have limited contact while the client undergoes detox and withdrawal. Family members may feel the need to check in regularly to see how their loved one is doing. However, giving loved ones the space to heal and grow is crucial, and sometimes, it requires families to take a step back for several days or weeks. Family members can support their loved ones by being patient and waiting to provide nurturing love and support.
Taking a Step Back Allows Loved Ones to Heal
Families often occupy a large part of people’s everyday lives and personal interactions. During treatment for substance abuse, clients and their families benefit from taking a step back in that relationship to focus solely on combatting addictive behaviors, intrusive thoughts, and unsafe side effects. Clients improve their outcomes by reducing distractions and focusing more fully on various aspects of treatment and recovery.
Family members and friends give loved ones the space they need to take advantage of rehab by doing the following:
- Offering emotional support
- Respecting their loved one’s privacy
- Practicing patience, understanding, and compassion
- Avoiding judgmental words or behaviors
Family therapy and support services, including alumni services and community workshops, allow family members to play an active role in the treatment process. Studies have shown that “[f]amily-based SUD interventions focus on encouraging clients with SUDs to initiate and sustain recovery, improving their family communication and relationships to support and sustain their recovery, and helping family members engage in self-care and their own recovery.”
How Does West Coast Recovery Centers Help Families Support a Loved One?
Supporting a loved one’s sobriety is not always convenient or easy. Family members must be willing to dedicate their time and energy to helping their loved one heal from the effects of chronic substance abuse.
West Coast Recovery Centers helps people support their loved one’s recovery by doing the following:
- Ensuring family and friends remain in contact with loved ones
- Offering monitored interactions between clients and family members
- Ensuring family members know how best to support their loved one’s recovery
- Providing comprehensive family support
Psychoeducation is also an important service offered to clients and their families. According to the previously mentioned study, “Engaging family members in more intensive SUD treatment is a possible outcome of psychoeducation, but many family members benefit just from learning about addiction, recovery, and ways to respond to a family member’s substance misuse.” West Coast offers support services, including psychoeducation, to families and clients navigating treatment and ongoing recovery.
Friends and family members often do not know how best to support loved ones throughout their recovery. Many treatment programs require clients to minimize outside communication to increase focus on treatment engagement. Family members may struggle with the lack of communication, and they may wonder how their loved ones feel about participating in treatment. West Coast Recovery Centers encourages family members to actively participate in their loved one’s recovery by engaging in family therapy or other support services. Family often plays an integral role in client healing and growth during early recovery. To learn more about our programs and the family support services we offer, call us today at (760) 492-6509.