Having family support when going through drug treatment and recovery can be an essential part of your success. If you have family members who are supportive of your efforts to get clean or sober and stay clean or sober, then inviting them to be a part of the process is important.

This Rehabilitation Guide is an outline to treatment and recovery that discusses what your family members can do to assist you in overcoming addiction.

Addiction is a Family Problem

Family dynamics often play a role in addiction. It may be that your relationship with others in your family is a trigger for drug or alcohol use. This might be due to stress in the relationship or it might be that drug or alcohol use has been a part of the relationship.

Many addiction treatment and rehabilitation programs encourage relationship counseling. The dynamics involved are explored and behaviors that lead to addiction may be modified or stopped as a result of counseling. Every situation is different, but a skilled treatment counselor will help you and your family make the healthy changes that can assist you in your treatment and recovery.

Ways that Family Members Can Help Those in Treatment and Recovery

Here is a list of the most helpful things that can be done to help family members who are seeking to overcome addiction.

Encourage treatment and recovery: Unfortunately, when others in the family have drug and alcohol problems too, some family members can be resistant to another getting help.

Learn more about addiction, recovery and treatment: The more you know about these issues, the better support you can give to those in rehab and recovery.

Visit family members in a residential program: Show support and give encouragement to family members by visiting them if they wish it and if visits are allowed. Be positive during visits and don’t discuss stressful issues. If the treatment center is out of the area, write often and show support other ways.

Be open to family or relationship counseling: You’ll learn how to address family issues that are part of the problem.

Respect the changes the individual makes: Lifestyle changes are part of treatment and recovery. Support the healthy changes the addict chooses to make.

Remove triggers to abuse: You may need to refrain from bringing alcohol into your home. Certainly don’t allow illegal drugs in your home and keep prescription drugs out of site.

Facing an addiction can be scary and stressful. It can also be a hopeful experience if the person believes that they can be successful. As a family member, do all you can to support and encourage the individual to seek drug or alcohol treatment, stick with treatment and stay clean and sober following the treatment period.

To learn more about drug addiction, alcoholism treatment, prescription drugs, rehabilitation programs and addiction treatment facilities, please visit our library of helpful guides and articles.