Addiction can affect everyone in a person’s life. Unfortunately for many, drug abuse can strain relationships, lead to lying and manipulation, cause financial stress, and make it hard for loved ones to understand each other’s lives. If you have wondered how addiction affects a family, you are not alone. Addiction treatment programs support those struggling with substance abuse and their loved ones to understand better how addiction affects the whole family.
A Better State is here to help families living with substance abuse and mental health conditions across New Hampshire. Call us now at 781.412.1488 to learn how our outpatient addiction treatment programs can help you and your family reconnect and thrive.
How Substance Abuse Affects a Family
Drug abuse can have far-reaching effects on families and loved ones. When someone abuses drugs or alcohol, they experience chemical changes in their brain. These chemical changes can affect their mood, behavior, and physical health. Some changes in family dynamics can include:
- Lying to loved ones
- Erratic behavior
- Self-harm
- Endangering loved ones
- Missing important family events
- Putting family in harm’s way
- Stealing
Most times, someone will not realize these changes immediately or without someone pointing them out. For loved ones, seeing the mental and emotional changes in a loved one can be scary. Family members can feel hopeless and lost during a loved one’s addiction. Because addiction is a disease that affects every part of a person’s life, it can be difficult for loved ones to understand why someone uses drugs or alcohol. Family therapy can be a great way for loved ones to improve communication, understand relationship dynamics, and make lasting changes.
Addiction Treatment Helps Families Thrive Together
As part of addiction treatment, family therapy can help relieve the stress that addiction can have on a family. This therapy serves conventional families, partners, children, parents, and housemates. During weekly sessions, a certified family therapist listens to a loved one’s needs, desires, fears, and stressors. They work to balance the needs and emotions of each family member with techniques like role-playing to help them feel seen, heard, and understood without judgment.
Unfortunately, many family members can feel ignored when one family member is struggling with addiction. Working with a therapist can help. Family therapy helps the family as a system overcome substance use, addiction, and mental health issues.
Family therapy can be essential for families struggling with mental health and substance use. Addiction doesn’t discriminate, and neither do mental health issues. At least half of people living with substance use also have co-occurring mental health conditions. However, through an addiction treatment program, families can receive the necessary education to understand what they’re going through and how best to manage and treat any potential mental health difficulties. This reduces relapse risk and increases family members’ connectedness and understanding. Working with an addiction treatment program can bring much-needed relief, hope, and better communication to help every family member thrive.
Learn More About How Drug Abuse Affects a Family at A Better State
Drug use can take its toll on a family. Many families don’t know when or how to seek support. If you and your loved ones are struggling, our team can help. At A Better State, we provide a range of intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) and partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) to help clients across the New Hampshire area recover together. With daytime and evening programs, families get the support they need without compromising their schedules.
Our trauma-informed clinic balances evidence-based and alternative therapies to treat substance use and mental health. Whether you’re looking for cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or yoga and art therapy, our Hudson, New Hampshire clinic has the therapeutic programs for you. Don’t let addiction control your family. Contact us at 781.412.1488 to learn more about how addiction affects a family and how to find suitable addiction treatment for you or your loved one.
