Last week I was fortunate enough to spend two days at UKESAD (an international conference on alcohol and drugs), a forum which flows with lively debate with academics, clinicians and professionals working in the field of addiction.
What I really loved about this year’s event was its focus on family. It was wonderful to hear about US studies that prove family wellbeing is fundamental to a successful and healthy long-term recovery from addiction. A belief I’ve always held.
Family Is the Secret to Long-Term Recovery
It was stated categorically that families can make the difference in keeping clients (their loved ones) in treatment. The family is also essential to the maintenance of sobriety once living in the community and attending mutual aid meetings (ie AA, NA, CA, OA, SMART). A brief spell in rehab enables the addict to come to terms with their addiction, behaviours and attitudes, it gives an opportunity to achieve abstinence and maintain sobriety in a nurturing and safe environment and learn the valuable tools that will assist in the transition to the community.
Family Treatment: Rehab alone is not the panacea – it won’t keep someone sober. Long term sobriety requires those who are affected by the addict’s behaviour (co-dependents such as family) to devote time, understanding, some treatment, support and understanding about how they have managed the addict/alcoholic and in so doing developed their own unhealthy patterns of behaviour.
Without realising we can enable and collude with the addict/alcoholic. I’ve often written about this so it won’t be news to you. Usually without realising we are manipulative and controlling. But the focus of our attention isn’t the drug or alcohol that our loved one craves but the addict/alcoholic themselves.
Family members need a level of assistance otherwise our co-dependent traits will impact negatively on our loved one and in worse case scenarios be a negative influence on their recovery.
The Family Programme is an accessible opportunity to start the healing process. For many it is the first chance they have to express anger, impatience and the fears they may have. It provides a safe environment for exploring the feelings of living with addiction and the appropriate venue to learn about treatment and recovery.
Our next Family Programme is on Saturday 26 May, to book a space or for more information please contact us on 0800 849 9257 or 01934 627600.
For anyone interested in how addiction can affect the family, I recommend the film “When a Man Loves a Woman”. A tearjerker with Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia. I’m sure it was never intended to be the powerful therapeutic tool it has since become.
Copyright © 2011 Western Counselling