Family interaction while in rehab is an important part of the recovery process.
By the time your loved one has taken this step for rehab, there has more than likely been a disintegration of your relationship with them. You may be feeling angry, disappointed, confused, in fear and even unsure if treatment will work.
The adverse effects of your loved one’s choices leading up to rehab can be healed; take advantage of family visitation. You will not only have the opportunity to support your loved one, but you will be given resources to help you understand and cope with your loved one’s recovery.
Options for You:
- Many facilities have programs designed specifically for your struggles. Separating the person from their addiction can be difficult. Counselors are available to help you deal with the reality of your feelings while trying to understand your loved one.
- If you have never dealt with addiction, gaining an understanding of the addicted person’s struggles is paramount in healing for all. How could you understand something you have never experienced?
- You will have the opportunity to see the powerlessness that your loved one has faced. When you can understand the hopelessness in their disease, you can gain new insight into them as a whole person. It is time to put aside your resentments, frustration, and shame and be there for your loved one. One-on-one counseling can guide you through these uncharted waters.
Family Options:
- Being part of family and group counseling is equally as important. You need the opportunity to hear from your loved one the struggles of their past while embarking on a new future. They need a safe place to speak freely without shame or judgment. Everyone involved has been affected by their disease. You may have been in denial of the severity of their disease, but dealing with the reality of the situation will only aid in the healing process. This is no longer a time for blame or finger-pointing.
- Your loved one is facing a new life without their old coping mechanisms. Learn how to cope with them in their new life. Being part of family sessions will begin the healing process.
- There is a well-respected and utilized methodology for family treatment. It is called Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA). It is designed to improve healthy dialog among family members. Its tenets are simple:
- Be empathetic and understanding of your loved one’s situation.
- Do not blame or criticize; encourage steps that are being taken for the progress of recovery.
- Find ways to be an active part of their recovery; support all aspects of their recovery.
Rehab facilities have varying policies on family visitation. Some services may require that your loved one has been in treatment for a certain amount of time before there is family interaction. This can be due to the need for detox from their addiction. The center will probably have restricted areas, and you may only have access to common areas. Speak to someone at the rehab facility to find out hours of visitation and when counseling might be available; then, use the resources available.
