When you are struggling with a substance use disorder, mental health disorder, or both (a dual diagnosis), you may feel isolated and that others do not understand. However, these disorders do not occur in a vacuum but rather impact the lives of all they touch, including friends, family, co-workers, and the general community. Treatment experts agree that family members and close friends, in certain circumstances, play a vital role in the recovery process. To this end, holistic substance use disorder and dual diagnosis treatment need to include a family therapy program.
At Gulf Breeze Recovery, we understand that substance use disorders are a family issue. Through our family therapy program, you and your loved ones will find the care and support needed to heal and repair relationships damaged by the impacts of substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders. Call us at 833.551.2304 to learn more about family therapy.
The Importance of Making Amends
Substance use disorder (SUD) has no boundaries and impacts people from all walks of life. Additionally, SUD does not occur in a vacuum. If you live with a substance use disorder, so do the others closest to you. The impacts of SUD begin gradually but can last for a long time. Substance use disorder occurs on a spectrum where symptoms range from mild to severe. As your dependence on drugs or alcohol increases, so do the complications in your interpersonal relationships with friends, family, and peers.
Making amends is a critical part of recovery. Rebuilding the relationships damaged through your substance use disorder will take time and effort, but it will be worth it.
Tips For Healing Relationships After Rehab
Consider the following tips to begin the healing process after completing a rehab program:
- Communicate: Good communication is essential to healthy relationships. Rebuilding relationships means reopening lines of communication. Let people know you sought treatment and are in recovery and want to mend your relationships with them. Be prepared to face feelings of anger, pain, or resentment that you will have to work through.
- Ask for Forgiveness: You will need to acknowledge the mistakes you made that hurt the people in your life. Asking for forgiveness lets you let go of guilt or shame about your past behavior. Being honest about past mistakes and your current words and actions helps rebuild broken trust.
- Be Intentional and Active: Other people’s needs likely took a backseat to your drug or alcohol use. Being absent and breaking promises will have taken a toll on your relationships. Now is the time to compensate by taking action to be involved. Show up for your child’s game, make supper for your spouse, and follow through with plans.
- Participate in Aftercare: Participation in support groups or outpatient care shows that you are serious about your sobriety. Further, it provides you with support from peers who are also working to heal their damaged relationships.
- Be Prepared for Resistance: It took time to cause damage in your relationships, and it will take time to repair them—your actions when you were using created pain and mistrust. Just as you took time to heal in rehab, so will others need time to heal. Be patient and humble during this process.
Unfortunately, some of your relationships may be beyond repair, and you will have to accept that. If a person is unwilling to forgive you and work on repairing the relationship, you need to accept that after acknowledging your past wrongdoings, apologizing, and asking for forgiveness.
Contact Gulf Breeze Recovery for Effective Family Therapy
Family is one of the most vital and influential forces in our development. Our relationships with family members are the first ones we form and are often the strongest. The impacts of substance use disorders can cause disruptions in even the most close-knit families.
At Gulf Breeze Recovery, the goals of family therapy are to help families manage the issues that impact the functioning of both individuals and the family as a whole and to heal from the damage caused by substance use disorders. Just as SUD impacts all family members, family dynamics influence symptoms of SUD, creating a cycle of dysfunction. Family therapy helps break that cycle. Contact Gulf Breeze Recovery today to learn more. Call 833.551.2304.
