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HOW IMPORTANT IS FAMILY THERAPY IN ADDICTION TREATMENT?

Counseling and psychotherapies are commonly associated with addiction treatments, while family therapies may seem to be less popular. Family therapy is the same as other addiction therapies except that the entire family takes up the therapy along with the individual. Family therapy paves the way for everyone in the family to be a part of the counseling sessions and interventional therapies. Beyond addiction, treatments and therapies for mental health-related traumatic issues or substance abuse disorders produce more effective results when the entire family is involved in treatment at an alcohol rehabilitation center.

The blog talks about why addiction treatment requires family therapy and the key benefits of availing of family therapy in an addiction treatment center.

What is family therapy?

Individual therapies shed more focus on the behaviors, emotions, and thought patterns of individuals, while family therapies focus on strengthening the relationships in families. Family therapy fosters closeness in family relationships, as a lot of problems happen between people rather than within people. Such therapies could improve the relationship and bonding between siblings, parents, spouses, children, etc. Such therapies promote healing and solving family issues by involving open discussions and other activities.

In family therapy for addiction and substance abuse recovery, the entire family comes together to work out ways for a family member to help recover from addiction or substance abuse.

Beyond solving relationship issues and addiction problems, family therapy could solve other issues relating to stress, depression, family conflicts, financial complications, eating disorders, and other mental health problems and disorders.

The importance of family therapy in addiction recovery

A person’s addiction to a drug or a substance adversely impacts the health of the family as a whole. The entire family struggles and endures problems when a member is addicted to drugs or substance abuse. Even though other members of the family may be normal and do not use drugs, the family gets adversely impacted as they have to invest a huge amount of effort to support the person who is trying to recover from drug addiction.
It becomes important that other members of the family take on roles and responsibilities to support the person who is undergoing recovery. The family shall have an understanding of the nature of addiction and how it impacts the behavior of the person who is addicted to a drug. This helps in supporting their recovery endeavors.
When the family isolates the addicted person, it only complicates the recovery. During family therapy, the therapist or counselor offers advisory notes on how important it is to help the addicted person feel loved and heard during the recovery phase. This prevents them from getting back to drugs.
It is common to be angry, frustrated, and distressed about having a person who is addicted to drugs and has a dishonest attitude of their own. But opening up hearts and sharing mutual feelings shall help the person regain confidence and trust from family members and thus prevent a relapse after recovery.
Families endure disruptions to their routines and undergo stress and anxiety when a member is addicted to drugs or other substances. The family gets fragile and dysfunctional, leading to distortions.

Benefits of family therapy in addiction treatments

Research studies reveal that having a supportive and understanding family accelerates the recovery process and prevents relapse thereafter. Following are some of the key benefits of involving the family in addiction treatment.

  1. Releasing negative emotions like stress, fear, and anxiety accelerates recovery and strengthens the bond in the family.
  2. A lot of times, it is those negative emotions that push a person back to trying drugs and addictive substances.
  3. Family members can understand the importance of motivating and encouraging the person who is undergoing treatment.

  4. Address mental health issues and other disorders that impact family members when someone is undergoing treatment for addiction.

  5. An opportunity to destigmatize addiction and put oneself and their family before other people’s thoughts and beliefs.
  6. Involving families in addiction treatment accelerates recovery and prevents relapsing thereafter.
Common practices in Family Therapy

Family therapies aim at working out new ways to strengthen family relationships when someone in the family is undergoing treatment for mental health illness, addiction, or substance abuse.
Following are some of the common practices used by alcohol rehabilitation centers and addiction treatment centers.

  1. Restructuring the family dynamics
  2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  3. Communication strategies
  4. Journaling
  5. Narrative therapies
  6. Systemic therapies
  7. Holistic care and support
Core principles of Family therapy

Though there are a lot of family therapies practiced by alcohol rehabilitation centers and addiction treatment centers, they follow the same core principles. Some of the core principles adopted in alcohol addiction treatment centers include the following:

  1. Involve the entire family system in alcohol or substance use de-addiction programs.
  2. Focus on improving the entire lifestyle of the family so as to support the person undergoing treatment in alcohol rehab centers for addiction treatment centers.
  3. Acknowledge the support from family and strengthen the relationships through restructuring strategies.

  4. Helping families get rid of the stigma and cultural beliefs that distort the person from getting back to normalcy and prevent relapse after treatment at addiction treatment centers.
  5. Emphasizing the importance of not blaming the person undergoing treatment in alcohol rehab centers or others in the family in accelerated recovery.
  6. Broadening treatment and family therapy to holistic care and support therapy, where they emphasize strategies that promote mental and physical health as a family.
Looking for family therapy or the best alcohol rehab centers in India?

If you are looking for addiction treatment centers or alcohol rehab centers, make sure that you choose one that offers family therapy and emphasizes holistic care. Whether you are seeking treatment for mental health illness, addiction, or substance abuse, Abhasa Rehabilitation center is one of the best alcohol rehab centers and alcohol addiction treatment centers in India. We offer residential programs with the ultimate intent of restoring your mind-body balance and mental health wellness.

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