There may be no stronger bond built in life than that bond between family. Family can be the source of strength and support we need to make it through those inevitable tough times in life. That is why when a family member is learning how to manage addiction, it is crucial that they have support from their family.
It is also important to note that no family is the same, and blood relation is not a requirement. Family is whomever you lean on most in times of both joy and struggle. Often this is a parent, partner, child, or sibling, but that does not exclude close friends, mentors, or extended family. Roots Through Recovery believes that whatever your family structure is, it is essential to treat it wholly.
Family support can help with motivation, accountability, and structure. Roots Through Recovery offers family-centered therapy programs, which can work with families to manage substance use disorders (SUDs) and mental health struggles together as a unit.
Mental Health and Addiction Are Family Diseases
Addiction is often referred to as a “family disease.” There are even entire 12-Step programs centering not on the person with the SUD but on those family members and friends around them that have been affected.
Roots Though Recovery is not a 12-Step program, and SUD is only one of the conditions we treat. However, we do believe in the concept of a “family disease.” However, we believe this concept goes beyond the mere realm of addiction and applies to mental health as a whole.
It can be helpful to imagine the family unit as a single body. When one part of the body is sick, then the entire body suffers. If the lungs aren’t functioning, then the rest of the body cannot get the oxygen it needs. If the heart isn’t pumping correctly, the rest of the body slows down. If the leg is broken, the body has trouble walking. Ultimately, the body must be whole before it can function at its fullest capacity.
Family Support Can Be Crucial for Recovery
There is no reason to go through alone what can be gone through together. There is truth to the concept of “strength in numbers.” According to the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, “Marital and family therapy have been found to be effective in reducing the severity of substance use, lowering marital and family conflict, improving family communication and cohesion as well as effective parenting practices.”
Getting help for the entire family can help the individual in treatment feel better heard and understood. Everyone involved can be on the same page. As a result, they can utilize the same information and tools when problems or difficulties arise.
Family Therapy as a Piece of the Bigger Picture
However, Roots Through Recovery does not believe that family therapy can replace individual treatment. Rather, it supplements our broader spectrum of treatments. That is why we use an individualized approach to assess each of our client’s specific needs.
Other therapies we implement into treatment may include, but are not limited to:
- Behavioral therapy
- Art or music therapy
- Neuroscientific approaches like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy
We believe that a combined approach of individual and family therapies can best help everyone get on living their fullest lives. There is no need for an individual or an individual family to struggle in silence.
Roots Through Recovery Is Here to Help Your Family Heal
The renowned author of Roots, Alex Haley, once said, “In every conceivable manner, the family is a link to our past, bridge to our future.” Haley is not just referring to lineage here. He is also talking about the unique bond that the family has to rebuild the wreckage of their past and create the foundation for their successful future.
Many questions arise when we feel that a member of our family is struggling. Not the least of which is, “Can I make them go to treatment?” The answer to that is no. The individual has to be willing to accept help for recovery to begin. One of the best ways of getting that person to accept the help they need is to show that you are willing to get help for yourself as well.
Remember, no matter what your family member decides to do or not do, it is not your fault. No one can begin the journey of recovery for someone else. It must be their choice to take the first step. However, when they do, Roots Through Recovery is here to offer them and your entire family the help you need.
Mental health and addiction are family diseases, but they can be managed in a healthy and productive way. With the right program of individual and family therapy, Roots Through Recovery can help your entire family heal.
It can be scary when a loved one is struggling with substance use disorder (SUD) or a mental health disorder. Often, it is difficult to know where to turn. It is a struggle to see the effect this loved one is having on the entire family. The situation can sometimes feel hopeless. However, there is help out there, not just for your loved one but for you and your entire family as well. You don’t have to feel scared, alone, confused, or overwhelmed anymore. Roots Through Recovery has the answers you are searching for, and we are here to help. For more information on our program, call us today at (562) 473-0827.
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