Millions of families and loved ones are struggling every day because of the disease of drug and alcohol addiction. As family members and loved ones are witnessing and experiencing the consequences of addiction and abuse right there at the same time, the effects are long-reaching.
At The Family Recovery Foundation we know from first-hand experience that addiction affects not only the addicted person but also anyone else around them. This makes families of addicts a particularly vulnerable segment of our population, and in need of the best possible guidance and resources to get the support and coping skills they need.
Families that are dealing with addiction problems have high levels of trauma and stress and are the most in need of coping skills. Children who grow up in these environments are more susceptible to substance use and other mental health issues such as anger, anxiety/depression, embarrassment, and trouble forming close relationships, withdrawal, risk-taking, and academic problems.
One of the very first coping skills to practice is the ability to be brave, ask for help, and speak up for your needs. Getting the best recovery from professionals and industry specialists in addition to the support of family and friends will help break destructive cycles. One of the more successful forms of coping skills for families comes from psychotherapy. The type of treatments available is a wide range – or holistic in approach. There is mind-body therapy, integrative therapy, family therapy, somatic therapy, and spiritual therapy to name a few.
If you have been dealing with a loved one's disease for a while it may be hard to imagine finding hope and happiness again. There is likely stress, exhaustion, financial issues, legal troubles, negative emotions and many other difficult challenges for families of a struggling loved one. By learning certain coping skills you can discover the freedom that comes from not being in constant rescue mode; learning to detach with love will free you of the responsibility to always protect them. Here are a few tips for coping skills that may be useful to get started:
- Start to question if you are living with facts and reality or feelings and denial.
- Take a compassionate examination into your expectations of another and whether or not they are reasonable.
- Check your motives with honesty. Are you being self-serving?
- Practice "allowing" and "accepting" reality in every aspect of your life.
- Allow your feelings.
- Learn about and start to do meditating. There are many hundreds of ways to do this.
- Pause when agitated. Breathe and hold your tongue.
- Be less attached and reactive to outcomes.
- Practice compassion for the other person.
- Use "I" statements about your genuine feelings rather than offering advice.
- Attend Al-Anon or CoDA meetings.
The Family Recovery Foundation is here for you to guide and help you learn to stand on your own once more. Self-care is always the right choice for you and for those who depend on you for their health and well-being.
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Helpful Links & Additional Resources
SAMHSA’s National Helpline
Helping Families Cope With Substance Dependence | Hazelden Betty Ford
10 Tips to Help Family Members of Addicts Cope | The Recovery Village
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