Family involvement in treatment is known to significantly decrease the risk of relapse for many people recovering from substance use disorder (SUD). According to BMJ Open, “Families are significantly impacted by addictions and family involvement in treatment can reduce the harms and can also improve treatment entry, treatment completion and treatment outcomes for the individual coping with an addiction.” Lighthouse Recovery Texas can help you feel more comfortable discussing addiction and recovery with your family.
How Can Family Impact Recovery?
Family often plays an active role in recovery, and they become more vital as you transition to lower levels of care. Loved ones who participate in therapy, community activities, and family support services can help motivate and inspire you to overcome challenges related to SUD.
Family can positively affect your recovery by providing the following:
- Compassion and empathy
- Practical support
- Nonjudgmental accountability
- A safe and loving home environment
Family often has a unique point of view and understanding of how addiction has affected your life. In addition, they may be able to anticipate potential problems before you notice them. However, the benefits of family engagement only help your recovery if you discuss your needs with your loved ones and help educate them about the recovery process.
What Are the Benefits of Family Involvement?
Family involvement can provide significant social support if you have a positive relationship with your loved ones. You can draw from their love, compassion, kindness, patience, and empathy to help you overcome shame, guilt, or other negative emotions.
In addition, most people feel inspired when their loved ones take the initiative to educate themselves about addiction recovery, join self-help groups, or participate in family therapy. You can heal together using the tools and resources available in treatment.
Why Can It Be Hard to Accept Family Involvement?
You may want to experience the support of your family but also feel uncertain about how they may react to your diagnosis and treatment. Honest and open communication is the best way to avoid miscommunications or assumptions.
Your care team can help you find ways to discuss your treatment with family members in a way that reduces the risk of misunderstandings. Even if you know your family loves you, talking to them about your recovery can still be scary.
Asking for your loved ones to participate in your recovery is not easy, and many people hesitate because they fear rejection or judgment. However, you are not alone. Clinicians at Lighthouse Recovery Texas are here to provide guidance as you navigate treatment and aftercare. The clinical team and peers can provide advice and insights on how best to approach your family about topics related to addiction and treatment.
Do Men Find It More Challenging to Ask for Help?
Men often have a harder time being vulnerable with their loved ones and admitting weakness, fear, or shame. According to Frontiers in Sociology, “Over the years, evidence has suggested that men are less likely to seek help or treatment from a professional for mental health difficulties on account of perceived threat to masculine norms.”
Some men may try to put up a barrier between their substance misuse and family to shield their loved ones from that part of their life. However, addiction recovery is part of a lifelong journey and cannot be separated from the person as a whole. Men may have difficulty accepting it at first; however, having loved ones who understand their situation can significantly affect their treatment outcome.
How Can You Communicate Better With Your Loved Ones?
Accepting family involvement is easier when you openly communicate your needs and concerns. If you have difficulty discussing substance misuse and treatment with the people closest to you, recovery can feel very isolating and lonely. However, by developing better communication skills and utilizing resources like family therapy, you can quickly improve your connection with your family.
Better communication involves doing the following:
- Actively listening to family and hearing things from their perspective
- Asking for clarification instead of assuming and always providing clarification when discussing your needs
- Avoiding blaming or judgemental language and staying objective
- Telling your loved ones how you feel instead of assuming they already know
- Watching nonverbal cues like body language to gather additional context during discussions
Every step you take to connect with your family will show them how much you value their support and concern.
How Does Lighthouse Recovery Texas Encourage Family Involvement?
Family is a crucial social support for most people in recovery. Often family is a significant motivation to get help and continue making progress. However, it is not always easy to tell them when something is wrong or how they can help make you feel better.
You deserve to feel supported and heard by the people closest to you. Lighthouse Recovery Texas can help you communicate more effectively with your family by providing family therapy and facilitated family sessions where you can learn and heal together.
You may find it hard to confide in family or accept their help during treatment and ongoing recovery. However, the more people you trust to support your continued sobriety, the more confident you will feel during recovery. You can use family support and encouragement to motivate yourself through the more difficult moments of treatment and ongoing recovery. The best way to improve your family connection is through open and honest communication about your needs and how you can help one another heal and grow. Lighthouse Recovery Texas offers family therapy and other family support services that ensure clients feel more comfortable discussing recovery with their loved ones. To learn more, call (214) 396-0259.
