FUNCTION OF THE FAMILY IN RELAPSE PREVENTION
When an individual is caught in the web of either alcohol or drug addiction, the entire family is affected.
Asides the family being affected; the close friends of the individual are not left out as well. There is a tendency for the family member to feel angry at their addicted family member, thus rendering them helpless in the process.
This feeling of helplessness which the individual has, is normal. Some experts refer to addiction as a family disease, and they are not far from the truth.
This happens because the first point of contact when it comes to addiction, is the family. They would be the first set of people to have a first-hand taste of the addiction problem of their member.
As a matter of fact, there is a tendency that, the underlying causes of the addiction, came from the family. Hence, the family could go on and on, blaming their addicted member, without being aware of the fact that, some of their actions contributed to the addiction of their member.
There are various ways whereby the family can help their addicted member recover, particularly when it comes to relapse prevention.
In the addiction recovery process, relapse is an integral aspect which cannot be left out. It is necessary to expect the best when it comes to the recovery of a loved one. However, we must not set aside the possibility of our loved one relapsing.
Addiction being a chronic problem, causes most people in recovery to relapse quite a number of times, before they achieve full sobriety.
Now, relapse does not necessarily mean failure, it basically means that the individual needs ample time to strengthen their coping skills. It also means that, they need more time to handle triggers and cravings.
Families can help their loved ones by following them to their support group meetings. They can also watch the company they keep, and ensure they are not fellows who would encourage them to relapse.
In addition, when these individuals are struggling with problems which could cause them to turn to addiction, the family needs to render their support.