Recovering from alcohol is a challenging process that takes all of an addict’s strength and resolve. The reality of recovery is that no addict can successfully achieve sobriety unless they have made the choice for themselves to get clean, but having a strong family support system in place is a truly invaluable asset for any recovering addict.
Addicts with a loving family supporting them are much more likely to successfully maintain their sobriety than those who do not have a family that they are close to. There are many reasons why family plays such an integral role in an addict’s recovery.
Boosting Sense of Self Worth
One thing that many addicts have in common is a low self image. Many people with low self esteem are at a higher risk for using. Many people who struggle with addiction also see that their self image wanes as they fall deeper and deeper into addiction. When a person is struggling with addiction they often engage in behavior that is not typical for them.
This may include acts that make them feel guilt and anger toward themselves. This is because when a person is addicted to a substance, their brain’s reward system becomes wired to become completely consumed with finding and using more of a substance. As this happens, an addict will begin to place using over the people and things that they hold dear.
When an addict is in recovery, they may begin to feel guilt and experience low self image because of this. These feelings can make recovery more difficult because an addict must believe that he deserves to be happy in order to get better. Having a family who loves him helps reinforce this belief and encourages an addict to seek the help they need.
A Positive Support System
When a person is using, they often lose touch with people in their lives who would otherwise be a good influence on them. Many addicts generally socialize with other people who are addicted to drugs, and when an addict is recovering, they should generally avoid triggering environments and groups.
It can be very difficult for recovering addicts to find the emotional support they need when they are newly recovered, and a healthy and supportive family can offer important emotional support as well as the company of people who will encourage them to maintain their sobriety.
Family Can Encourage and Addict in Difficult Times
The reality of recovery is that there will be many challenges through out every stage of getting sober. Achieving and maintaining sobriety means coming to terms with a number of difficult emotions and thoughts. It also means facing triggers that an addict once met with using and learning to work through them without using drugs or alcohol.
There will be moments when an addict needs someone to listen or someone who can help be there for them emotionally as they work through these struggles.
Family can be the friend and the support that an addict needs. Twelve step programs and therapists certainly have their own function in an addict’s recovery, but the fact that an addict’s family has known them for so long puts them in a position where they can offer a kind of support that is unique and cannot be found anywhere else.
Family offers unconditional love and can help a recovering addict to realize that they do have what it takes to continue working on their sobriety and taking the challenging but necessary steps to stay healthy and drug free for the rest of their lives.