Why is Family Important in Substance Abuse Treatment?

Why is the family important in addiction recovery and substance abuse treatment? 

When Karen’s husband got sober after ten years of abusing alcohol and painkillers, she felt more confused than ever. She had been praying for his recovery for years. Finally, he admitted himself to substance abuse treatment. Her prayers were answered, weren’t they?

After a stint in substance abuse treatment, however, her husband was gone every night. His life in recovery was filled with aftercare, therapy, 12-step meetings and a ton of new friends Karen didn’t know. She had a hard time feeling encouraging and supportive.

Yet, she was angry with herself. Isn’t this what she prayed for? He was sober. She felt confident he wasn’t abusing substances anymore. 

When a loved one gets help for a substance use disorder, and they immerse themselves in substance abuse recovery, it’s easy to lose sight of the family’s role. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers an in-depth discussion of family and addiction recovery in, “Substance Abuse Treatment and Family Therapy: A Treatment Improvement Protocol Substance Abuse Treatment and Family Therapy: TIP 39.”

Like with many loved ones, Karen began telling herself stories that her support didn’t matter. Her husband had, after all, found a ton of new people in his growing addiction recovery support system. 

Karen couldn’t be more wrong. Her support, although different from what she imagines, is more important now than ever.

Lucida wants to help the loved ones of those in substance abuse recovery to understand their vital role in addiction recovery. We are here to support everyone in the recovery of this family disease.

Family support for substance abuse recovery: What it’s not

Let’s examine how Karen’s frustration could hurt her husband’s substance abuse recovery.

Staying sober for Karen’s husband, only clean for the past four months, is paramount. He is focused on one thing: his sobriety. Without his sobriety, he has nothing, and he’s at risk of losing everything he loves.

To stay sober, he’s set out on this brand-new lifestyle. He’s had to let go of old friends, favorite haunts, old routes to work and more. Everything about his life is new. 

Though everything in his life is new, Karen must acknowledge that she is also in recovery. By attending Al-Anon for the loved ones of those addicted to substances or alcohol and therapy with an addiction professional, she can find the support she needs. 

Before treatment, Karen kept track of her husband’s whereabouts and watched his alcohol and drug intake like a hawk. She was constantly on guard for an overdose, DUI or drunken argument. Those old behaviors aren’t helpful now. 

Today, she needs to allow her husband the time and space he needs to forge this new life in recovery. 

If she hovers and presses him about his whereabouts, her husband will likely feel resentful since he’s working hard at his sobriety. If she argues about his nights away at meetings or bugs him about inattention, her husband will likely be distracted from healing. 

In this scenario, resentment between both Karen and her husband will build. And, resentments are the number one enemy of sobriety.

Read “Substance Abuse Treatment and Family Therapy” for more information about the role of family support in substance abuse treatment and recovery, published by SAMHSA.

Another path to support

Karen sees an addiction recovery professional who explains how her husband’s single-mindedness is a good thing right now. Karen also agrees to go to Al-Anon meetings weekly. 

In meetings, she meets others who feel the same frustrations. She even starts hanging out some evenings with other recovery folks. Karen’s life gets bigger.

Instead of allowing her feelings to fester in relation to her husband’s time away, she shares her frustrations with her recovery support system. When the time is right, Karen talks to her husband about these issues without blaming him or lashing out. 

In this way, Karen gives her husband the time to build a firm substance abuse recovery foundation as she builds her own foundation. The two of them are now supporting the other in a new healthy way. No one is responsible for the other’s behavior. 

As both Karen and her husband build this new life, he slowly brings some of his attention back to his marriage. 

Recovery is a process. Initially, sobriety is the most important focus. As time moves on, the couple has more free time to focus on each other. 

Lucida creates safe spaces for you and your family to heal from the underlying causes of addiction. Let us help you find the path to health and wellness. Call us today at 866.947.7299.