When going through treatment for addiction recovery, you may find yourself feeling hesitant at the thought of involving your family in your treatment plan. Perhaps you do not want to upset them, or you may fear that involving them may cause conflict, as conflict can be expected in everyday family dynamics. 

Although the initial step of reaching out to your family to become a part of your treatment plan can cause anxiety, there are many reasons why doing so is vital to your recovery. Learning the ways your loved ones can be involved in your recovery can help ensure your mental, emotional, and physical wellness.

What if They Don't Know About Addiction Recovery?

Even if your family members do not know much about what goes into addiction recovery in the beginning, they can still help support you. Not being familiar with a topic does not mean they cannot learn more about it. In fact, there are family therapy groups available to help your loved ones learn more about you, your addiction, and even themselves. After all, addiction is never just about the substances being used; it is always so much more than that and can even begin within the family itself. 

In learning more about all aspects of addiction recovery, your family members can be more mindful of your triggers as well as your unique needs. They can learn how to effectively communicate with you in a healthy way while also giving you space when you need it. These family therapy groups can work to help them understand and empathize with your struggles so that they do not express harmful judgment toward you. 

By learning more about themselves through these groups, your family members can better support you. During these meetings, they might realize that some of their behaviors or comments are harmful not only to you but also to others. By being aware of such traits, they can begin to change them for the better. 

How Would Treatment Be Different Without Family Involvement?

If your family is not involved in your treatment, you run the risk of not achieving your recovery goals for various reasons. First of all, you need support to help you along your recovery journey, as there will be many trying moments. Your support system should include therapists, medical professionals, and sober peers. Having your family involved can provide you with extra support and accountability. If you spend a significant amount of time around your family, leaving them unaware of the intricacies of your journey can make it possible for you to use again. Family support means extra accountability to ensure every part of your life is devoted to your recovery.

In not involving your family during this critical time in your life, you also run the risk of exposing yourself to constant, reoccurring triggers and trauma. Even if your family does not deliberately hurt you, they can do so incidentally through their everyday behaviors. A common example of this could include when family members have a drink after dinner or to celebrate a special event. Although this behavior may not be harmful to them, it can trigger you by making you want to drink again. 

Some other examples can include:

• Family members not being emotionally responsible and losing their tempers easily

• Loved ones speaking poorly about addiction and those who struggle with addiction

• Misunderstandings due to poor communication skills

• Emotions taking over during conversations between family members

Isolation during early recovery is highly dangerous. Unfortunately, you are very vulnerable while in recovery, and being isolated from others only makes you more vulnerable and potentially unsafe. This isolation leaves more room for you to suffer silently and even engage in substance use again. 

By communicating with and involving your family members, you can ensure that you will not have to experience the harmful effects of isolation. They can show up for you when you need them by offering emotional support or simply by engaging in fun, sober activities with you. They can even notice if you begin isolating yourself from others in a way that is abnormal or unhealthy and intervene by reaching out to you about such behaviors. 

You should not have to go through this journey alone. Involving your family members can help ensure that you do not go through this alone and that you have people who care about you to lean on when life gets difficult. 

What if My Fears Hold Me Back?

Despite being aware of the benefits of involving your family in your recovery, you may still feel hesitant about incorporating them into your treatment. If this is the case, know that nothing is wrong with you and that all hope is not lost. In fact, there are mental health care professionals you can reach out to for support. They can help you find a way to incorporate your family in your recovery if it is safe to do so. 

Each family dynamic is unique, and recovery professionals can learn about your unique situation and craft a personalized plan to safely involve your family members in your treatment. This process can be difficult to achieve alone, so do not hesitate to reach out to those trained to help.

Family involvement during recovery is very important. Even if they do not know much about what goes into addiction recovery, your family can learn more by attending family group therapy sessions to learn how to support you. If you neglect to involve your family in your treatment plan, you may find that you are faced with constant triggers and do not have the support you need in order to succeed in your recovery. Trying to get your family to be involved in your recovery can be difficult, so it might be good for you to contact Next Level Recovery Associates to help. We want to make sure that you are surrounded by individuals who can help you grow, not hold you back. Contact us today at consult@nextlevelra.com to help your family understand more about recovery and your needs during this time.