Families of Addiction are incredibly important to a person’s recovery. They are often stigmatized by society, resistant to change, and inflexible. They are often the last people to know that their loved one is struggling with substance abuse. These things should not hold a family member back. Fortunately, help is available for families affected by addiction. Here are some ways to support your loved one and get your family back on track.

Family members are stigmatized

Family members of substance abusers are often seen through the lens of shame and guilt, which reduces their capacity to provide support and maintain their own well-being. The aim of this study was to explore how stigma and social isolation affect the experiences of affected family members, and to describe the interventions adopted to combat such societal pressures. The study involved 31 AFMs living in Victoria, Australia. Data were collected using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Although family members of addicts are active in the treatment process, they are also disproportionately stigmatized. They play an important role in encouraging admission to treatment, setting limits, and supporting the patient on his or her road to recovery. However, family members of addicts are stigmatized because they are perceived as an embarrassing secret and should receive holistic treatment. So, it is important to seek treatment for the entire family.

They dislike change

A major characteristic of families dealing with addiction is a dislike for change. Families whose loved one has an active addiction often seem inflexible and unwilling to change. While this may seem like a positive trait, it also serves as an unhealthy reflection of the adolescent’s unpredictable behavior. As the disease progresses, addiction causes even more unpredictability. Here are some ways to counteract the inflexibility of these families.