Recovering From Addiction: The Main Goals of Family Therapy
Recovering From Addiction
When a person is dealing with an addiction problem, he or she will experience a lot of difficulties in life. Using drugs and alcohol can change a person’s brain structure, altering the way he or she thinks. Substance abuse can also change the way people behave and feel, as it causes shifts in people’s emotional and mental processes. It can be hard for the individual to overcome these difficulties. Many people who are suffering from addiction recognize the negative changes that have taken place in their lives. They can see what’s happening but they are completely unsure of how to fix it. This can be very frustrating for them. But, it’ also difficult for their families. Thankfully, treatment and therapy can help those who are struggling with substance abuse. But, their loved ones need help coping and healing, as well. This is one of the main goals of family therapy.
About Therapy for Individuals and Families
When you think about therapy or counseling, you may be uncertain about how this really helps people to overcome addiction problems. After all, you might say, talking to someone about your problems doesn’t exactly make them go away. This is true to a certain extent. If an individual has no desire to change, then he or she can discuss the substance use problem with a therapist and see no change at all. However, when a person is trying to become completely free from addiction, speaking with a therapist is one of the most helpful things the individual can do. See, therapy for addiction isn’t just about “talking” to someone about your struggles. It’s about learning how to work through those struggles in a healthy way. It’s about learning how to stop avoiding the challenges and start addressing them. Counseling works to provide people with the guidance and support they need.
Therapy is, in a sense, a setting where people can learn about themselves, their struggles, and how to overcome those issues. And, just as addiction therapy is meant to help people work through the difficulties of addiction and recovery, family therapy works to help families process their emotions and address their challenges. One of the most important goals of family therapy is to provide healing for the families of those who have been impacted by addiction. No doubt, the loved ones of the addicted individual were affected by the emotional and mental changes that the person experienced. Perhaps, many of the individual’s family members feel hurt or confused by the effects of addiction. In many cases, families are unsure of what to do while their loved one gets help. This is where therapy for the whole family comes in.
Some of the Goals of Family Therapy
There are many goals of family therapy. As we’ve mentioned, family therapy works to help families find healing and peace as they work through the impact of their loved one’s addiction problem. Therapy also helps people to sort through their emotions, feelings, and thoughts about the substance abuse that their loved one experienced. Another one of the main goals of family therapy is to help establish or re-establish healthy relationships within the family. Addiction often causes issues in this area. But therapy works to bring healing, togetherness, and unity.
If you and your family have been impacted by a loved one’s drug or alcohol abuse, you all may be dealing with some challenges. It can be hard to work through those problems and overcome them. But, know that you aren’t alone. Here at Wellness Retreat Recovery Center, we understand. That’s why we work to help both the individual who has suffered from addiction as well as his or her family members. So, if you need help getting through this difficult time, please reach out to us here at WRRC.
