Family Roles and Addiction

Family Roles and Addiction

What roles are family members playing that might contribute to the continuation of addictive behavior by the addicted family member?

Families do not cause addiction. Families can however play a role in the continuation of addictive behavior as well as a role in the recovery of an addicted family member.

When a family determines that a member of the family is addicted to drugs or alcohol it becomes important that they begin to reflect as a family about the family’s role with regard to the addicted family member. Addiction is a disease where it has been shown that family involvement in the process can help increase recovery rates of those who are suffering the effects of the addiction.

Many family systems have a way of maintaining an equilibrium. When this equilibrium is thrown off balance due to addiction many family members either pick of new roles or embrace existing roles to a greater degree to help address the imbalance of the family system due to the effects the problem of addiction being faced by a family member. The phenomenon where families react to the addiction has been studied widely. There are several key roles that researchers have identified as common. It is important for the family to be open to the therapeutic process and what roles if any they might be playing that might inhibit the recovery of the addicted individual. Let’s take a look at some of the most common roles researchers have identified.

Common family roles relating to addiction

The Addict – Person by which the rest of the family system revolves. This person is the person who gets all the family attention and focus in many different ways. This role often has the largest impact. This person is often in denial and blinded by their addiction. This person will struggle to fulfill responsibilities and will look for others to take their responsibilities over.

The Chief Enabler – Enablers do things both consciously and unconsciously that allow the addict to continue and progress in their addictive behaviors. They help addicts hide from and prevent consequences. Enablers make excuses for the addict, live in denial of the problem, and often blame others for addict’s behaviors.

The Hero – This person tries to single handedly save the addict and the family system. They often believe that they alone can control the family into health living. They are often perfectionists and overachievers. Often they are in denial with regard to the problems within the family and with the addict

The Lost Child – The lost child handles the trauma of the addict within the family by avoidance. They seek to escape the problem by being the silent one who spends a lot of time alone or with other people and does not offer much regarding his or her position on the family’s problems.

The Scapegoat – The scapegoat will often be the one blamed for the family problems as opposed to the addict themselves. They may get into trouble often and have an oppositional attitude. This person serves to divert attention from the addict and keep the family system in dysfunction.

The Mascot – This person is the family clown and similar to the scapegoat moves attention away from the person with an addiction and the problems that the addiction causes in the family. This person tries helping the family’s process of denial by trying to make jokes during stressful times.

Roles are dynamic

Roles are dynamic. A person might change roles or at different times play two roles. There are also other roles that might not be identified here. What becomes important in treatment is that each family member identifies any patterns of behavior that might be contributing to the dysfunction of the family system and makes the necessary changes to address the dysfunction in the family

Remember families don’t cause addictions.

The issue here is not blame. The issue in recovery is what is our part in the family system connected to the addiction and what we can do to help ourselves and our addicted love ones?

Author: Ryan Salter, LCSW - Mr. Salter is the clinical director of a prestigious treatment center for the disease of addiction located in Utah. He also serves as the head of a non-profit addiction research and education foundation. In addition, he is a professor at the Utah Valley University and has helped develop courses and trained others for work in the field of addictions.

Opioid Maintenance Therapy (OMT)

Methadone has been used to treat Opioid dependency for over 30 years. Methadone is a synthetic opiate administered daily to reduce Opioid withdrawal symptoms. Buprenorphine is a new medication, similar to methadone that also suppresses withdrawal symptoms. Both Opioid Maintenance Therapies (OMT), have positive and negative arguments on their effectiveness in treating Opioid addiction. Some of the positive aspects of OMT include relief of withdrawal symptoms, block euphoric and sedating effects of opiates, helps relieve cravings that lead to relapse, allows a person to work and function in society, eliminates the need to engage in crime to pay for illegal drugs, and along with psychosocial services allow the addict to stabilize and achieve recovery. Some of the negative aspects are that OMT replaces one addiction with another, keeps the user chained to a drug, requires daily dosage handouts with methadone treatment, physical problems, over dose risk, selling their medication for money to buy illegal drugs, as well as long term dependence, sometimes for life. In addition, OMT is a slow drawn out withdrawal process with many side effects such as nausea, vomiting, cold sweats, tremors, and fatigue. Many critics claim that OMT keeps the client addicted which does not allow them to address the underlying issues contributing to their addiction as well as keep the client from engaging in treatment. Most substance abuse professionals agree that the addiction must be dealt with first in order to resolve the problems leading to the addiction.

The Right Treatment Center for YOU - Good Awareness

When finding an Addiction Treatment Facility , it is a very important decision and often a difficult one. Life is already stressful and having to make this major decision is anything but convenient. Some aspects of a substance abuse counselor or facility that needs to be evaluated is the quality of their program , the price and the program’s integrity.

There are many different ways that a counselor or a treatment center can exploit clients. Clients entering treatment are vulnerable because most have impaired brain functions due to their substance abuse. Many are experiencing emotions for the first time in a long time. Once they have a little time to clear the cobwebs in their head, many are on "the pink cloud" of recovery. Many clients put their counselors and treatment center that "saved their life" on a pedestal, making them even more vulnerable to exploitation. Some of the ways clients have been exploited are as follows:

Financially
Many clients feel indebted to the place and the people that pulled them out of the depths of hell. Ethically it is inappropriate to approach clients new in sobriety for donations due to the fact that they need time to heal and adjust to life sober. It is also unethical for counselors to enter into a financial business relationship with a client or their family because they are vulnerable and can easily be taken advantage of due to their gratitude.

Publicity
Many people that go through treatment are high profile in the business and entertainment world. Treatment centers and employees can exploit a client by allowing it to leak that they are in their facility. It is not only exploitative to use their name to promote their treatment facility; it is also unethical and illegal, due to confidentiality laws.

Social Relationships
Counselors can exploit clients through participating in inappropriate social or sexual relationships with their clients. This is dangerous because the client often idolizes their counselor and in turn, counselors can view their clients as their creation.

Other ways that clients can be exploited is by accepting extravagant gifts from clients. In addition, treatment centers can take advantage of clients by employing them for minimal wages because they have a difficult time being employed elsewhere due to lack of experience, training, and legal background issues. Treatment centers can exploit former clients because they can pay them next to nothing and work them into the ground because clients feel safe there and many have a difficult time holding their boundaries to take care of themselves.

You have many CHOICES for Addiction Treatment. This is the start of the journey, a journey that is not easy but it is worth it…

HIV/AIDS Client in Substance Abuse Treatment

Individuals suffering from HIV/AIDS and a substance use disorder have many health problems; both body and mind. Because of this, a holistic, integrated model of treatment may be most effective. An individual may have TB, HEP A, B and/or C, depression, poor nutrition, dental problems and other medical or psychiatric problems that need to also be addressed. A holistic, integrated treatment model will be able to address these many issues while also focusing on the substance abuse disorder and the HIV/AIDS. Other treatment techniques needed for those suffering from AIDS and substance use are: nutritional counseling, exercise plans and guidelines, and education on the mind and body. For example, teaching an individual about other diseases that affect the bodies and brains of those suffering with HIV/AIDS and drug and alcohol problems.

Early intervention can be effective and is often the first step in addressing the HIV/AIDS issue relating to substance abuse. Here there is an increase in medical case management . The caseworkers work with these individuals on risk reduction and focus on the "here and now" and eventually lead the client into a therapeutic relationship which focuses on long-term recovery and sobriety goals and safer sex practices.

It is imperative that counselors dealing with HIV/AIDS patients must be educated on HIV/AIDS to prevent miss treating a client out of ignorance. Being sensitive to the issues of HIV/AIDS patients is crucial for a counselor to be effective in treating HIV/AIDS patients for substance abuse. Some of these issues may include gay or lesbian issues for some, the stigma surrounding people with aids, labels, stereotyping of being gay/lesbian or "junkie" because of having the HIV/AIDS virus, unique medical issues, medication management, funding issues, i.e. Ryan White Foundation, family, friends, and community support, employment issues, disability application, case management, collaborative care etc. Substance abuse treatment for HIV/AIDS patients can be very effective with a concrete Individualized Treatment Plan to coordinate care and meet the special needs of the client.

Importance of Aftercare in Recovery - Relpase Autopsy

An important part of an effective Addiction Treatment Program is an Aftercare program that continue to offer support and therapy after graduation from the initial program. Ascend Recovery offers a LIFETIME AFTERCARE program where an individual is offered continual support and assistance. Part of an effective Aftercare program is to analyze a relapse episode and to incorporate the proper changes for the individual to continue on their journey of sobriety.

A relapse autopsy is a thorough analysis of a relapse or even looking at potential relapse situations and dissecting them. If a relapse has occurred, it is important to backtrack when it began and what was happening at that time. Some of the things one might review are:
• When did their behavior start to change?
Whom were they spending their time with?
• What emotions were they feeling?
• Was there conflict with family or friends, etc?
• Was there an event that triggered the motion?
• Were they feeling good emotions and wanted to celebrate?
• Were they holding on to grudges and resentments?
• Were they going to risky places?
• Were they taking care of themselves?

HALT - Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired

1. Were they following through with their recovery plan?
• working with a sponsor
• attending meetings
• daily structure
• spiritual program
• employment/volunteer
• service
• aftercare meetings
• counseling appointments
• taking medications, etc.

2. Were they in physical pain?
3. Were they craving?
4. How were they dealing with stress?

As part of an AFTERCARE Program - It is important to review feelings, situations, and experiences that lead to the relapse to use it as a learning experience rather than viewing it as a failure.

Individual Therapy for Addicition Treatment

Because each person is unique and has a different life experiences, we do not believe in “one-size-fits-all” treatment plans. It is important to match treatment plan and services to each individual's particular problems and needs. One on one Therapy has a number of advantages, including: allowing clients to disclose their history in a private safe environment, create individual treatment plans to address the multiple areas of their life that are affected by addiction, discover clients strengths’ and weaknesses, and willingness. Individual therapy offers the therapist to address other mental health issues that are part of the dual diagnosis. Effective treatment combines one on one counseling with group therapy as a multifaceted approach to encourage a clients growth and success in long term recovery. For more information please visit Ascend Recovery Group Therapy.

Group Therapy for the Treatment of Addiction

Group Therapy has been shown to be a very effective element in the treatment of addiction of alcohol, heroine, cocaine, meth, and other substances. At Ascend Recovery both Group and Individual treatment modalities are utilized to dramatically increase effectiveness of the program. Learn more Ascend Recovery Group Therapy.