At Northbound Treatment Services, we offer weekly family programming for the families of those suffering from alcoholism or drug abuse. So, if you have a loved one who is addicted or being treated for addiction, you can become a part of our community here at Northbound!
Your family member does not have to be a client with us in order for you to participate in the weekly family program. Here at Northbound, we strive to offer the Orange County community family addiction treatment services to help the family units that have been impacted by addiction.
Addressing Addiction’s Effects on Your Family
Everyone in the family of an alcoholic or addict’s life feels the effects of drug and alcohol abuse. This is why, in addiction treatment, the family is an extremely important part of the rehabilitation process. Not only can family members learn more about their loved ones’ addiction and how they can support their addicted loved ones through recovery, but they can also get the support and care they need in order to move forward.
Our weekly family program is for the Orange County community as well as our clients’ family members. The Northbound Monthly Family Program is for family members of our clients only, but we do make exceptions. When attendance for a particular month is low, Northbound Addiction Treatment may allow others to participate in our more intensive family program.
Northbound is Here to Serve Your Family
Northbound is proud to offer the Orange County, California community family addiction treatment services at an affordable rate. We want to be a community resource here in the Orange County area, providing all addiction rehab services for those who need them.
These services include resources for individuals suffering from addiction in addition to resources for the families of those who are dealing with substance abuse. Some of these services and resources include the following:
- Family addiction treatment services
- Family counseling and family therapy
- Couple’s counseling and therapy
- Individual addiction treatment therapy
- Group therapy for addiction
All of our psychological services and addiction treatment services are open to the Orange County community. You do not necessarily have to be in treatment with us to receive these addiction treatment services. So, whether you are suffering from addiction or you have a family member who is dealing with drug or alcohol addiction, we are here to help!
The Importance of Healing for the Whole Family
When it comes to addiction treatment, many people forget how important it is for the entire family to get support and help throughout the recovery process. While individuals are getting the care they need in order to end addiction, their loved ones should also be getting treated for the effects addiction has had on their lives.
Healing for the whole family doesn’t come simply through the healing and recovery of an addicted individual. In other words, just because a formerly addicted person becomes free from addiction doesn’t mean his or her loved ones are completely on the mend. Healing takes time and requires guidance and encouragement from those who understand the needs of families that are on this journey.
The truth of the matter is that addiction has a multilayered effect. Those who suffer from substance abuse experience changes in the way they feel, behave, think, and even changes in the way they look. So, addiction causes emotional, physical, behavioral, and mental changes in a person’s life.
Addiction Affects the Entire Family
In addition to the way addiction affects individuals, it also impacts those closest to them. Their close friends and loved ones also experience many changes in their own lives. Many times, families drift apart due to an individual’s battle with addiction. This can happen for several reasons:
- The addicted individual withdraws from his/her spouse, children, parents, etc.
- The addicted person’s family members become emotionally distant from their struggling loved one.
- Family members distance themselves from their addicted loved one in order to avoid enabling the person’s substance misuse.
- Those who are suffering from addiction become abusive, aggressive, or irritable due to the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Loved ones and friends misunderstand or take personally the addictive behaviors of the addicted individual.
There are other reasons why families may separate because of the addiction of a loved one. Sometimes, people disagree over how to help the individual who is struggling with addiction. In other cases, people may become distant even while their loved ones are getting treated for substance abuse.
The reasons why families need help and healing during and after a loved one has suffered from addiction vary depending on the situations involved. But, regardless of the problems and challenges that may arise during this time, it’s important for all families who have been impacted by substance abuse to go through family addiction treatment and therapy.
When the entire family is given the opportunity to find healing, each individual can experience the true relief and peace that come with recovery. So, if your family has been affected by a loved one’s addiction, let Northbound Treatment Services help you.
Family Addiction Therapy Benefits
Therapy and counseling for families who have addicted loved ones can be beneficial in the following ways:
- Family addiction therapy opens up communication. While in counseling sessions, people can openly discuss any challenges, thoughts, or emotions they may have regarding their loved ones’ addiction problems.
- Counseling provides a “safe place” for families. When a person is suffering from addiction or going through recovery, it can be difficult for his or her family members. Many times, families struggle to feel accepted, understood, or embraced by the people around them. Therapy sessions can sometimes offer people a place where they can feel safe and completely free from judgemental views.
- Therapy for families educates people. Sometimes, misunderstanding is the main obstacle to healing. When families are trying to heal from the pain and hurt caused by a loved one’s addiction, a lack of information or understanding can hinder the process. Family addiction therapy allows people to learn more about addiction and how it has impacted their loved ones. By gaining a deeper understanding of these things, families can become more aware of their recovering loved ones’ journey.
More Benefits of Family Therapy
- Family therapy helps to mend broken or strained relationships. As mentioned earlier, families can sometimes be driven apart because of an individual’s substance abuse problem. Thankfully addiction therapy can help families to talk about their differences and figure out healthy ways to navigate through their journey to recovery.
- Enabling behaviors can be identified and corrected. It can be difficult to recognize characteristics that are enabling an addicted loved one. It’s often easy to confuse these behaviors with actions of love. For instance, a person may give money to an addicted loved one, knowing that he or she is going to use the money for drugs or alcohol. But, the person may still give the money in order to “help” the individual to feel better (suppress withdrawal symptoms). Therapy can help to bring these enabling behaviors to light and equip people with ways to avoid these actions.
- Negative and difficult emotions can be expressed. No doubt, many family members encounter feelings of anger, confusion, fear, anxiety, and stress. These emotions can be voiced and healed through counseling.
- Families can gain skills and knowledge about ways to help their recovering loved ones. It’s important for family members to learn how to best help their recovering loved ones. While an individual is in recovery, struggles and challenges will arise. He or she will need support and encouragement in order to stay on track. Family counseling can help families to learn how to provide that support for their recovering family members.
Allow Us to Help You and Your Family
You and your loved ones deserve to live a life of happiness and freedom. Perhaps this doesn’t seem possible to you since addiction has been affecting your family for so long. It’s hard to imagine a life that is free from the impact of substance abuse. But, rest assured that it is definitely possible!
Here at Northbound Treatment Services, we understand the challenges your family is facing right now. Seeing a loved one suffering from illicit drug use, prescription drug addiction, or alcoholism is often unbearable. The effects of substance abuse extend well past the individual who is living with the addiction problem. It also affects his or her loved ones, causing them emotional pain that often needs professional attention.
This is where addiction treatment support for families comes in. While it’s certainly important for people who are in recovery to attend counseling and therapy sessions, it’s also important for their families to get professional help in order to deal with the struggles they are having.
Our team of compassionate and understanding individuals is here to assist those who need help recovering from the impact of addiction. If your family has been dealing with these issues, know that you don’t need to do so alone. We are here to help!
For more information regarding our Orange County Community Family Addiction Treatment Services, please contact us by calling (866) 511-2458. Our mission is to make the road to recovery a comfortable and rewarding one, both for the individuals who are walking away from addiction and for their loved ones. Please reach out to us today to learn more about how we can help!
References:
https://www.dualdiagnosis.org/family-therapy/
