When a person is addicted to alcohol or drugs, it’s rarely just them who is negatively affected – the people they surround themselves with are forced to deal with the consequences, too. Addiction can ruin a person’s relationships with family members, and family members may not also be aware of how their actions fuel or enable their loved one’s addiction. When a person begins the recovery process at Cedar Oaks Wellness Center, they may recognize that some healing needs to be done with their family members, too. Our Cincinnati team offers family therapy programs to help clients and their loved ones understand their relationships and begin the repair process. Clients who learn effective communication techniques and are able to strengthen their bonds with their families are also more likely to lead healthier lives once they’ve completed treatment. If you’re ready to access a better future, our professionals are ready to help you get there through our variety of holistic treatments.
Relapse prevention education is an important part of building a solid foundation for long-term, sustainable recovery.
Group therapy at Cedar Oaks Wellness offers our clients a safe & supportive environment to connect with peers.
We know that the family is an important part of recovery. We offer family therapy sessions as needed based on your individual needs.
We’ve partnered with Camp Kern to offer our clients an equine experience where our clients participate in equine activities.
Nutrition & wellness are an important part of the recovery process. Learn more about how we approach physical health at Cedar Oaks.
If you are ready to take action, our caring admissions team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week ready to help.
Many organizations and addiction experts refer to addiction as a family disease because it puts the loved ones of an afflicted individual under a lot of distress. Family members who can be impacted by a loved one’s addiction typically include spouses, children, parents, and siblings. When a person with addiction begins changing their behaviors or causes frightening experiences, their family members may suffer from trauma or begin adapting their own behaviors in response. All of this can cause a family to become dysfunctional and even add to the addiction.
Addiction can impact a family in various ways, including:
Aggression and fights can easily sever ties between family members, but sometimes a damaged relationship isn’t caused by something as obvious. Isolation is a common behavior exhibited by people with addiction, and relationships can break down over time when a person begins distancing themselves from loved ones.
It’s common for people with addiction to neglect their responsibilities when their mind is focused on seeking and using drugs. As a result, their family members may have to pick up the slack around the house and make excuses for them when others address any issues. Children may also be saddled with responsibilities that aren’t appropriate for their age.
When a family member is abusing alcohol or drugs, the rest of the family may be compelled to put that person’s needs and concerns first. A consequence of this is that the rest of the family’s needs and emotions take a back seat and aren’t addressed.
Some people struggling with addiction can act out aggressively or display other symptoms that put others’ safety at risk. A lot of children of addiction may grow up living in fear or their spouses may feel obligated to remove the children from the situation entirely and take legal addiction.