When someone you care for is suffering from addiction, it can have a grave impact on you and others who love and care for them. You’re watching someone you treasure change physically and mentally. They’re no longer the same person you once knew. They often make reckless decisions without regard for how it will affect others. Their mood has changed and eventually it becomes harder and harder to get through to them. Essentially, this can take a toll on everyone from the children and spouse to parents and friends.
Seek Help for Everyone
Addiction really is a family disease. While the focus at the moment may be to address the issue and get help for your loved one, it is very important that you and those closest to them also get help. There are facilities such as Crestview Recovery, which offers drug rehab in Portland that can help everyone get through this trying time.
They will focus their attentions on helping your loved one to get sober and equipping them with tools so that they can maintain sobriety after leaving the program. However, most rehab facilities also offer family counseling which can prove beneficial for helping you to sort through your emotions as well as get the understanding you need to help them once they complete the rehab program. Therapy is an instrumental tool in helping all involved to understand the underlying cause of addiction and how they can rebuild their relationships.
The Impact of Addiction
Even if your loved one is not ready to seek help for their addiction is it important for you to seek help for yourself and other relatives that are negatively impacted by this disease. Below, is a breakdown of how addiction impacts the family to further your understanding for why you should seek help.
- The Addiction is the Focus – Someone who is suffering from addiction has one main focus – finding a way to continue their bad habit. They become consumed with chasing a “high” that they begin to neglect other things that were once important to them. This leaves you feeling left out, uncared for, or unappreciated. It can essentially make you feel as if you’re secondary to their addiction which can lead to arguments and broken relationships.
- Financial Stress – If you happen to live with an addict you may soon start to feel the impact of financial stress. Again, the addiction has become the focus. Whether they are addicted to drugs or alcohol, the costs to keep using them is high and it can lead to money issues. They can begin using more of their income to pay for the substances and therefore neglect bills causing a myriad of issues. If they begin to perform poorly at work causing a loss of employment, this too can wreak havoc on your finances causing stress.
- Psychological Stress on Children – If children are involved, you can rest assure that addiction will have a psychological impact on them. Children don’t understand addiction entirely and this can cause underlying emotional issues that manifest in varying ways. Children may isolate themselves, start acting out in school, and even start participating in reckless activities as a way to express themselves. Understandably, someone they love and care for has changed and are no longer reliable.
- Relationship Troubles – When your spouse is suffering from addiction it will have an impact on you. Not only are you watching them do harm to themselves, but you’re watching how it has impacted your finances, your children, and you. Financial troubles lead to arguments, not to mention that the changes in your partner’s behavior can cause you to stress.
When addiction is not taken care of, it can have long lasting effects on a family. You never want to see someone you care so much about go down a path of destruction, and knowing that there is essentially nothing you can do to help them (until they want it), makes it even harder. Trying to function, provide support, while still being there for the rest of your family can be emotionally draining. If you or someone you know is suffering from addiction, the best thing you can do for everyone is to seek help.
