What to do When a Family Member Has Addiction

Everything is harder when your loved one is experiencing problems with substance use.  It’s a struggle to stay well and be the best version of yourself. Especially while someone close to you is using alcohol or other chemicals. Maintaining healthy boundaries with family members is an important step in the recovery process.

What are healthy boundaries?

Picture a house. It has a yard and a fence. The boundary of the fence and yard keep the house safe. The boundary of the house’s walls keep you safe inside.

Now picture this. You’re not inside the house – you are the house. Your gate is latched, but unlocked. You have given a house key to every member of your family. If they begin to repeatedly break your trust, change the locks. That’s what heathy boundaries look like.

Sound like it’s easier said than done?

It doesn’t have to be. Pavillon’s Family Program will help you create and maintain healthy boundaries with a loved one experiencing problems with substance use. The Pavillon Family Program is open to you, even if you’ve never had a family member come to Pavillon as a patient.

What else does the Family Program teach?

Going through the Family Program can help someone spot:

• Generational patterns and how they are passed down
• What makes them feel triggered or supported in their day-to-day life
• Patterns of co-dependency
• New changes they can make and apply to their relationships for a more fulfilled life

What about the stigma?

Often, people in society don’t recognize the stigma a person who uses substances experiences.  Even more often, the stigma a family member or friend experiences is overlooked.  Our Family Program addresses the topic of stigma by: providing an important start to education, identifying steps to begin family recovery, and discussing actions that can break the cycle of shame.

Topics covered in our Family Program include:

• Criteria for substance use disorder
• Communication and sharing feelings
• Grief and shame
• Setting boundaries
• Asking for help
• The continuum of care
• Living the 12 steps
• Talking and not judging or feeling judged

Start a process of personal hope and healing around being impacted by someone’s substance use. Contact us to find out if the Family Program is right for you.  There is power in the shared experience of the group and knowing you don’t have to walk alone.

Attending Family Program is virtual using Zoom, and is easy. It’s scheduled every other week all year ‘round, Friday morning through Sunday morning.

Al-Anon is another helpful resource for when your loved one is experiencing problems with substance use. Find local Al-Anon meetings here.