Drug use has a myriad of effects on both the lives of those engaged with drugs and those around them. Family, friends, and loved ones are all impacted by even one person’s use of drugs. Understanding the widespread and varied effects of drug addiction on the family is paramount for making an effective plan to address and overcome these effects. There is no easy journey to overcoming an addiction, but The Redpoint Center is prepared to personalize each program to address not just each individual’s needs in outpatient treatment, but also create plans for holistic recovery that address the various ways in which drug addiction affects the entire household.
Drug Addiction Isn’t Isolated
More than one in 10 children is estimated to live with at least one family member who is challenged by addiction. However, this already staggering number does not account for the families of adults who also must address the devastating effects of drugs. Viewing addiction not as a personal challenge but as a familial affair is crucial for effective healing.
The use of drugs or alcohol introduces many difficult personal challenges. For those addressing their use of drugs and considering professional treatment at The Redpoint Center, it can be common to want to hide their use from loved ones. While this is not typically done out of malice, it is important to understand how drug use is rarely truly isolated, and even efforts to “spare” family members from the stresses of addiction can lead to further destructive effects. The effects of drug addiction are not relegated to a single individual, and a person’s emotional state, finances, behaviors, and more can all impact the atmosphere of the family home
Some of the effects of drug addiction on the family include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress
- Harboring resentments
- Guilt
- Hopelessness
- Anger
- Financial stresses
- Feelings of “walking on eggshells”
- The stress of watching language or “thin walls” to not otherwise upset or stress an individual
Even if loved ones are not actively observing a person engage with drugs, they can still experience any of these common effects. Household atmospheres can even adopt a more secretive and stressful air. Committing to professional treatment is paramount to address the extended effects of drug use on the family and develop a plan to overcome these challenges alongside those that matter most.
The Effects of Drug Addiction on Trust
Trust is a core component of any kind of relationship. However, trust can also be one of the first things compromised through drug use. An increase in lying can be common among those engaged with drugs, either to hide their use or in an attempt to keep loved ones from worrying. However, this can further exacerbate as drug addiction develops unaddressed, with the lack of trust leading to various other consequences, including:
- Stealing
- Interpersonal conflict
- Denial
- Compromised communication strategies
- Inability to follow through on promises or commitments
Each of these can have profound effects on not just those engaged with drugs, but loved ones trying to understand, communicate, and support sober change.
Compromised Responsibilities
While it is common for those challenged by drug addiction to adopt a more isolated lifestyle, this approach can still have many ramifications for families. Those using drugs may compromise their ability to tend to household responsibilities or obligations, leaving such tasks to family members to take over. This can be further compounded by a compromised financial situation.
For some, loss of employment resulting from drug use or consistent call-outs can necessitate financial support from family members, while others may compromise their otherwise effective budget as they use more of their budget to procure addictive substances instead of tending to necessities like rent, groceries, and more.
Recovery as a Familial Journey
However, just as drug addiction rarely ever truly affects an individual in isolation, effective recovery programs and strategies can also have a positive effect on the family home and atmosphere. Embracing the familial nature of the disease can empower those in recovery to create a new program to address their needs and the needs of the family in tandem for a truly transformative recovery journey.
The Redpoint Center champions this approach to recovery, helping entire families address the emotional impact of addiction and build new strategies for healthy communication, support, accountability, and honesty to overcome the emotional impacts of drug addiction on the family home.
Effective Outpatient Programs
Outpatient programs are crucial for challenging the effects of addiction on an individual and creating change within the family home. The Redpoint Center’s intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) across Colorado empower those overcoming the use of drugs to make active changes in their daily life and adopt a plethora of new skills. These skills can immediately be put to use in familial healing as each person continues to live with those that matter most, creating an approach to sobriety and familial healing that can be adjusted efficiently and effectively throughout ongoing outpatient treatment.
Building Communication Strategies
Communication is paramount for challenging the myriad of ways that drug addiction has affected the family. It is also common that those overcoming drug use may not be fully aware of the extensive effects that their use has had on family members. Building new communication strategies can repair trust and reach an honest level of understanding to begin familial healing.
Each family will have their own best ways to communicate. Professional treatment at The Redpoint Center can empower those overcoming drug addiction to embrace the language and skills necessary to better communicate with family. This communication can also be used to set boundaries and expectations at home, helping to create a new level of understanding and accountability throughout the sober journey.
Drugs have a profound effect on those using them and their families, and entire family homes can adopt a new atmosphere and challenges as a result of drug addiction. At The Redpoint Center, we understand the profound effects of drug addiction on the family home, and we are committed to truly effective and holistic healing for entire families. Our unique approach to outpatient treatment empowers each person to explore effective and proven therapeutic modalities while overcoming addiction and immediately incorporating them at home, with consistent professional support for familial healing and transformation at home. For more information on how we can support your sober journey, call to speak to a caring, trained staff member today at (303) 710-8496.
