The Benefits of Family Counseling
There are countless treatment methods that lead to addiction recovery. At 1st Step Behavioral Health, encouraging family involvement helps tremendously. Learn more about why family counseling is so important and advantageous to recovery.
Family Members Can Learn About Addiction as a Disease
Although medical research is progressing, a stigma still surrounds addiction. Unfortunately, even supportive family members might not understand addiction as a disease. However, during family counseling, participants have the opportunity to learn what exactly addiction is and how it develops.
Additionally, learning about addiction as a disease diminishes judgment from loved ones. Addiction is not a choice or flaw, but an illness. Family members often realize this in counseling. This is the first step to being a force for positive change. This involves loved one much more in the recovery process and helps repair relationships.
Participants Can Identify Triggers
A trigger is an internal or external event that sparks the temptation to use. If family members learn to identify triggers, they can help their loved ones in recovery tremendously.
Sometimes, family members may initiate triggers without realizing it. For example, an alcoholic’s triggers might include being present at a get-together where everyone is sipping wine. If family members are aware of this, they could organize substance-free lunches at a local park instead. These small actions add up, and can eventually lead to successful addiction recovery and relapse prevention.
Family Counseling Can Rebuild Broken Relationships
Often, addiction negatively impacts relationships. Additionally, drug or alcohol abuse causes physical health problems, financial instability, and mental health concerns. Worst of all, it drives a wedge between family members. Family counseling may be the best way to repair these broken relationships.
With the help of a qualified therapist or counselor, family members begin to understand that their relationship problems are because of the addiction, not the individual user. Not to mention, family counseling gives loved ones the opportunity to discuss, process, and resolved any deep seated pain or resentment. By creating this therapeutic resolution, patients reach recovery with the support and love they need most.
Counseling Compares Helping and Enabling
Family involvement is always beneficial during addiction treatment. However, it’s crucial that family members learn the difference between enabling and supporting their loved ones. Enabling, even with positive intentions, leads users to return to bad habits.
So, what exactly is enabling? Enabling is any action that prevents a person from confronting the natural consequences of their actions. For example, this might be justifying bad behaviors, lying to protect someone who’s using, or offering money to prevent a family member from losing their home.
Helping someone, on the other hand, is much different. For example, this might be driving them to therapy or offering financial help during recovery treatment.
Including Family in a Comprehensive Treatment Plan
Family therapy and counseling are a great addition to a treatment plan. At 1st Step Behavioral Health, you can incorporate family involvement to our various treatment methods and therapies. These rehabilitative programs include:
- Individual talk therapy
- Art and music therapy
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Life skills training
- Relapse prevention techniques
- Holistic therapies
Family counseling is an important part of recovering any drug or alcohol addiction. At 1st Step Behavioral Health in Pompano Beach, Florida, you’ll have access to a range of drug treatment programs. Call (855) 425-4846 to begin your new life today.
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Take the First Step Today
We can help you get better. Contact us today to find out which program might be right for you, or to begin the process of arranging for treatment.
