Substance use disorder (SUD) not only affects the individual suffering from addiction but can negatively impact their surroundings as well. It can be a challenging process to watch a loved one face challenges in their recovery. Addiction sometimes places a heavy burden on some families. Supporting a loved one in their recovery phase is crucial for ongoing success. Many parents experience intense concern for their loved ones during the transition into recovery. This can be a challenging process. It may be helpful for some families to participate in Renaissance Ranch’s online family program. This may assist those in providing parental support. Doing so can assist everyone involved in staying on track to a better quality of life.
The Impact of SUD on Families
Research indicates that the negative effects of addiction can impact the entire family involved. Studies have found that SUD can affect both behavioral and emotional patterns from the start of a family. This may result in damaging outcomes for each family member in the home. An individual’s family is the single source of nurturing, attachment, and socialization for society. Therefore, seeking professional addiction treatment is critical to living a healthy lifestyle.
Moreover, each family member can be affected by their loved ones’ addictive behaviors. Family members may experience intense stress related to their loved ones stealing money or drugs or lying about using substances. An unwanted substance relapse may also be difficult to manage or come back from. In some cases, this can leave family members feeling guilty, helpless, hopeless, and stressed beyond belief. It is common for families coping with SUD to experience:
- Unmet developmental needs
- Impaired attachment problems
- Economic hardship
- Emotional distress
- Legal problems
- Violence
- Co-occurring mental health conditions
The Concerns Some Parents Have in the Recovery Process
Many parents, families, and even caregivers may feel concerned for their loved one’s recovery stage. Although treatment has been completed and their loved one may seem confident moving forward, problems may still occur in the future. Even the most motivated individuals may still face difficulty coping with their diagnosis. It can be difficult to watch a loved one face problems with their mental health related to their addiction as well.
Even though treatment has been completed, an individual is still at risk of having an unwanted relapse. This may be due to unwanted triggers, substance cravings, and a lack of emotional support in their journey to healing from addiction. It is normal for family members to feel concerned for their young adult’s mental health in recovery. Common parental worries might include:
- Substance relapse
- Wrong crowd of friends
- Activities one is involved in
- Irresponsible spending
- Involvement with law enforcement
- Ability to maintain therapeutic strategies
- Substance relapse, drug overdose, and or death
The Importance of Providing Parental Support to Young Adults
According to a recent study, providing parental support and family involvement is crucial for sobriety, mental stability, and overall longevity. As stated previously, addiction left untreated can severely impact various aspects of an individual’s life. If addiction is left untreated or not addressed effectively by a professional, an individual may be at risk of enduring a lifetime of sequelae. Consequences of persistent drug use may include HIV/AIDs, unwanted pregnancy, decreased work performance, accidents, violent crime, and more.
In particular, relationships may have been severely impaired before the individual proceeded with addiction treatment. A parent may find it difficult to repair their relationship with their young adult while in recovery. Forgiveness is imperative for moving forward. Although this may be a common concern, regardless of a loved one’s previous behavior, parental support is crucial for long-term sobriety.
The Benefit of Providing Parental Support
Furthermore, communication and ongoing recovery support may significantly improve the parent-child relationship. Showing light guidance in the process may be helpful. Providing parental support may be done in moderation. If a parent’s actions may be perceived as overbearing, this may only derail their young adult’s healing process and further damage the relationship. Different ways to express parental support to promote relapse prevention might include:
- Providing transportation to appointments, alumni events, or sober community festivities if needed
- Involving a loved one in family activities that they may enjoy too
- Providing parental support in outpatient treatment, such as group therapy, if requested
- Checking in to give a young adult a safe place to confide without judgment
- Allowing a young adult to open up without punishment for negative habits, mistakes, or an unwanted relapse
- Always come from a place of support in both the good and bad
Providing Parental Support With Renaissance Ranch’s Online Family Program
In addition, participating in Renaissance Ranch’s online family program can help parents stay on track to a better quality of life. Family therapy can teach each family member helpful strategies to advance ongoing success in their loved one’s recovery. Participating in therapy can also help families learn to recognize how certain actions impacted their loved one’s health and help everyone work to change their behavior.
Equally important, early intervention will help improve family dynamics and foster a healthier home environment for a smoother recovery process. Our facility works hard to restore families as our team understands that addiction recovery is a lifelong journey for everyone.
Here at Renaissance Ranch, we believe in providing the best quality care to all those who participate in our programs. Our team recognizes that addiction can hinder personal growth and hinder one’s ability to fulfill their potential. We also aim to help build life skills, bringing an integrated approach to mental, physical, and spiritual treatment. Our aftercare programs and community resources are tailored to meet the unique needs of fathers, ensuring ongoing guidance, accountability, and access to a strong support network. If your family is facing challenges with addiction recovery, call Renaissance Ranch at (801) 308-8898 to learn more about the positive impact of providing parental support to a loved one.