Chemical dependency impacts more than just the person with the addiction. It can damage relationships with parents, spouses, siblings and children. When seeking help for a loved one battling addiction, it is important to remember to take care of yourself as well. Here are a few ways to make sure your family has the tools needed to deal with addiction.

Join A Support Group

It is important to remember that you are not alone in loving someone with an addiction. Joining a support group lets you share stories and experiences with other people in the same situation as you. You can provide support for one another, build lasting friendships and learn different ways to cope with your unique situation. There are support groups for adults, and you can also find specialized support groups that are designed specifically for children of addicts. If your loved one is attending a substance abuse rehabilitation program, ask his or her caseworker for information about local support groups.

Enter Family Therapy

The issues surrounding addiction are complex, and it is critical that you understand how to function as a family while helping your loved one face addiction. Family behavior therapy seeks to provide behavioral goals for the addict as well as other members in the household for a whole-family approach to dealing with addiction. Couples therapy can help both the addict and his or her spouse repair the damage done to a marriage by addiction, and therapy for parents and children can help children begin to cope with the addiction. Family therapy has been shown to result in lower addiction relapse rates.

Make Plans For Fun As A Family

It may seem like dealing with the addiction takes up all of your energy and free time. Between rehabilitation for your loved one, support groups and counseling sessions, dealing with addiction can be overwhelming and exhausting. Taking time to enjoy fun family activities gives you a chance to step away from everything and just enjoy being together. Choose activities where no alcohol will be present to make the day as smooth as possible for everyone involved. Consider a picnic, a day at the park or a trip to the zoo for the whole family. If your spouse is the person dealing with addiction, make sure to schedule a few date nights to begin to rebuild the bond between the two of you.

Dealing with addiction is a journey that you don't have to take alone. Use support groups and therapy to make it easier to deal with your loved one and to give you the tools you need to recover. Use these tips and find out more here to help your family start the road to recovery together.

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