Addiction can negatively impact family members in such a way that it destroys relationships, breaks apart trust and intimacy, destabilizes family roles and finances, and can even lead to abuse.
When you have a loved one, be it a spouse, parent, child, or sibling, who is struggling with addiction, it’s not uncommon to struggle with questions about addiction, mental health issues, or confusing emotions about their behaviors toward you or how you should behave toward them.
With support groups for families of drug addicts, you can find groups that ease that burden, where you have a chance to talk to other people who understand more about addiction and who have been in your shoes.
How Addiction Impacts Families
When someone struggles with addiction, it has a far-reaching impact on families. Families have to deal with:
- Financial problems
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Frustration
- Intimacy issues with a spouse
- Communication issues with a parent/sibling/spouse
- Children being worried for their parents and struggling with poor mental health
- Children having to act like parents to a parent
- Spouses having to care for a spouse like a child
Sometimes, addiction brings behavioral changes like depression or anger, which impacts family members regularly. In extreme cases, it can lead to abuse.
Having a family member with an addiction can have such a profound impact on families that it’s important to find support groups for families of drug addicts to process these emotions and gain a deeper understanding of how addiction works and what families can do to support their loved ones.
Finding Support Groups for Families of Drug Addicts
Three main support groups include AA, NA, and SMART recovery groups, each of which has programs specifically for families of drug addicts.
AA
Alcoholics Anonymous is a worldwide organization founded in 1935 with a focus on the 12th step program. Originally a Christian self-help group, today it offers reliable support where individuals who have an addiction are given sponsors to help them in their sobriety. It also offers individual programs for family members.
To learn more, you can find an AA meeting on their website, no matter where you are. You can look up information when you are traveling or on vacation.
NA
Narcotics Anonymous is another alternative similar to AA that offers support for participants who admit that addiction is something outside of their control.
To learn more, you can find an NA meeting on their website. You search on the website based on your state or area code and you can refine the results to pick the type of meeting you want like a support group meeting for family members.
SMART Recovery Groups
SMART Recovery is a popular, secular alternative, and it stands for Self-Management and Recovery Training. These groups teach individuals how to control cravings with an emphasis on locating the thoughts that prompt their cravings and being self-empowered.
If you prefer these programs, you can search the results on their website based on things like the language in which the support groups are offered, whether they are offered online or in person, or how far away they are from you.
To learn more, you can find a SMART Recovery meeting on their website.
Mental Health
If you are struggling with a mental health disorder or mental health issues as a result of having a family member who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, you might prefer support groups that focus on mental health conditions, like support groups for people with depression or anxiety.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers support group meetings, as does the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Those offered by NAMI are often held weekly or monthly and are entirely online, so you can connect at any time. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America has four free, peer-to-peer online options where you can connect with others. You can also search their vast database for other resources and support groups for families.Â
Four Seasons Detox Can Help
At Four Seasons Detox we are committed to helping those who struggle with addiction including their family members. For those in need we provide world-class facilities that are discreet and safe, nestled in a picturesque rural setting. We provide all encompassing care with every level of care including aftercare support and relapse prevention services.
As part of that continuum of care, our clients have the opportunity to participate in support groups like NA and AA making it easy for families to find similar support groups in their area.
Our experienced staff members have firsthand experience or have loved ones in their own families who have dealt with addiction. We no firsthand the impact that addiction can have on loved ones and how important it is to find support groups if you have family struggling with addiction.
Contact our team today at 805-991-5111 to learn more about our services and support groups for families of drug addicts.
