Substance Abuse in Household

Published Date: 23 Mar 2015 Last Modified: 20 Jul 2017

Keywords: family substance abuse, family support substance abuse

Families where addiction is at hand are normally painful to live in, especially when a person is young. This is why individuals who live with addiction may become traumatized to varying levels by incidences. Wide changes, from one end of the disturbing, psychological, and behavioral range to the other, all too frequently characterize the addicted family system. Every member of the family is affected by the addiction. Coping with addiction can expose family members to unusual stress. Normal schedules are frequently being interrupted by abrupt or even frightening types of experiences that are part of coping with drug abuse. Addiction in the family can result in children having trauma that seriously affect growth and can have pervasive and long-term effects on them. Individuals arrive in life only partially hardwired by nature. The environment finishes the work of nature. Therefore, if an individual encounters family members who are addicted, he/she either become traumatized or live an abnormal life. Therefore, family addiction in the family affects daily living issues causing particular emotional, interpersonal, or even clinical mental health concerns. However, according to renowned research article, there available interventions, including family therapy interventions and counseling support from experts. The interventions are modified to fit the extent of addiction in the family, and the techniques and follow-ups employed vary.

Forms of addiction in the family

Substance abuse is probably the most widespread form of addiction in the family that has become chronic. According to research experts, addiction has been defined a major, progressive, unrelenting disorder with genetic, psychosocial, and ecological issues, which affects its expansion and signs. It may turn out to be fatal and progressive. The symptoms of various types of addiction in the family are a spoiled urge of the substance. Along with this worry with a certain substance and its frequent use, in spite of severe costs, characterize the same. It finally results in deformations in thinking. There has to be a complete understanding of what addiction in the family is, in order to single out problems such as drug, alcohol, and sexual addiction. This is important to seek out appropriate rehabilitation programs and addiction management to get back to normal life.

Addiction to drugs, alcohol or even sexual addiction in the family are procedure addictions and are linked to compulsive character like shopping, gambling, and eating disorders. Drug, alcohol and sexual addiction affect the victim, but also hurt those associated with them including their family members, relatives, friends, and co-workers. In addition, addiction to substance, drugs, and sex are closely related: reliance on any one can and normally does result in headway to the other. Under such situations, the addict is no longer in charge and needs appropriate rehabilitation and addiction treatment session.

Indications of addiction in the family

Some signs of various types of addiction character related to substance, drugs and sex comprise of a preoccupation with the addictive character between periods of misuse, augmented levels of abuse, a development of tolerance to alcohol or the drug in contention or a mood of dissatisfaction in the concern of sexual addiction. When the affected individual tries to stop, there are distinctive withdrawal symptoms that urge the addict to relapse to addictive behavior to shun or control these symptoms. In addition, alcohol, substance, and sexual abuse can be visible at inappropriate times while working, or when withdrawal tends to disrupt daily functioning (Henderson, 92). There is a noticeable decrease in social, work-related, and recreational involvement with the addict opting for indulgence in addictive behavior. Involvement in family matters can be disrupted by addiction in the family.

Effect on Family Members

According to research experts, addicted families are frequently very endangered by what they recognize to be the threatening destruction of their family. Their very position in existence is being endangered; the ground beneath them is starting to move. Denial is a dysfunctional effort to put a good look on a bad circumstance by denying the effect addiction is having on the family setting and the existence of the proverbial "pink elephant in the living room" who is consuming ever-increasing space amounts of room. Reality is reprinted as family members try to bend it to make it less intimidating; to conceal their ever-emerging despair. Family members normally colluded in this refutation and anyone who tries to turn the attention onto cruel reality of addiction may be alleged to be disloyal. They run in place to cope with appearances, to themselves as well as relatives, while reacting to a sense of despair frequently nipping at their steps, again, we observe the cycles between limits that so distinguish addicted family systems. Therefore, it is simple for family members to experience hopeless, unhappiness, and inability to believe that things can ever transform. The family is at times gripped by the memory of aggression, infidelities, and various humiliations, such as yelling, howling, intimidating, or the silent treatment. The family requires and needs aid, yet cannot access it alone. Certainly, erroneous beliefs about addiction to alcohol and other substances can derail any attempts to assist the addict.

Feelings of guilt are maximized by others

The painful experience of guilt, shame, and fear emanating from the conflict of addictive manners with the person's own values normally develops states of unbearable inner trauma that make it tougher for the addict to restrain from resorting for to the initial addiction that is the grounds of negative feelings. Others who are prospering make this worse. The situation could worse when others start to accuse the victim starting family members to the members of the society who condemn the act of substance addiction (Barnard, 72).

Effects on children

Most accessible data shows that a parent's drinking concern normally has a detrimental impact on children. The spouse of the individual abusing substances is probable to protect the children and neglect the parenting roles of the parent abusing substances. The impact on children is worse if both are addicted to alcohols or drugs (Digman and Soan, 100). Many mature children of addicts are at risk for a variety of psychological, social, and emotional concerns. The most notable factor is a negative self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness and disappointment. Many mature children of addicts do not attribute said dilemmas, feelings, and feelings to growing up in an alcoholic family. However, commonalities consist of failure to trust, impetuous character, and problems with violence and depression (Parsons, 2003).

Most of the adult children of addicts have difficulties with intimate associations. Because they have been habituated to distrust people throughout their infancy occurrences, they deem that if they are in love with someone they will unavoidably be hurt. These children of addicts find this disbelieves to extend into adulthood. Without being competent to belief in themselves, they deem that they are not competent in dealing with uncomfortable emotions and this creates long-term concerns with nurturing positive and healthy cherished relationships (Parsons, 2003).

The children normally feel out of control, make unfortunate career choices, and have mind-sets of worthlessness and breakdown. Many turn out to be parental breakdowns as well. Not astonishingly, some have concerns to do with abuse of psychoactive drugs or alcoholism. Such adult children have emotions of over-responsibility (Turney, 2007). Since there was such a short of responsibility in their childhood, they consider that they have to recompense it in adulthood.

Treatment and Case Management

Recovery for victims

There are various stages and phases of possible recovery for an addicted person. In all these, abstinence necessitates a decision by the victim, and recovery needs time and effort.

Physical recovery is the least multifaceted of the four recovery phases, even though it is normally the most instant. Physical recover occurs primarily because of self-denial alone. The body has an astonishing ability to mend itself, particularly when combined with medical care.

Mental recovery is more multifaceted because it encompasses not only concerns associated with brain task and brain chemistry, but with concerns of attitudes, belief settings, and lucid, abstract thought.

Emotional revival is more complex so far. In engages not only attitudes, belief settings, and lucid thought, but also idea's first cousin-feelings. Emotional revival consist of learning to handle feelings openly, honestly, and sensibly. It encompasses learning to articulate and resolve feelings in suitable and effective ways. For most individuals in recovery, emotional recovery takes ages.

Treatment for the victim

There are two possibilities when we are examining the victims of addiction: there are the addicts themselves, who are debatably victims, and then there are the relatives, friend, and family members of that addict. The family and relatives of the addict need to support him/her in to recover or cope with stigma.

Various institutions help identify and manage cases of addictions. These include drug addiction and rehabilitation services that offer services to safeguard the health and welfare of addicts who are might have been victim drug abuse.

Evidence Based Treatments

Evidence-based practices are classified as intercessions that have depicted reliable scientific evidence of developing preferred client outcomes. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) provide the following evidenced-based observations for substance use disorders (Miller, and Miller, M., 409).

Cognitive Behavioral Interventions- this practice consist of using awareness and skill-building roles with clients

Community Reinforcement- This practice consists of connecting the client with other required agencies and services in the society.

Motivational Enhancement Therapy- this approach entails using inspirational interviewing strategies and interventions that are founded on a "stages of change model."

12-Step Facilitation- this is a prearranged, personalized approach for introducing addicts to a 12-step program. This can result in improved meeting turnout for a longer period.

Consistency Management- This practice involves behavioral contracting where addicts have chances to earn rewards for specific sought-after behaviors. Data shows that stimulant users react very well to this practice, remain in treatment longer, make quantifiable progress, and have better treatment results.

Pharmacological Therapies- There is reasonable evidence that medication like Antabuse, Naltrexone, and Buprenorphine when used in combination with other therapies can assist stabilize an individual's life when their alcohol or substance use is out of hand.

Systems Treatment- this refers to treating addicts in their usual social setting. Spouses therapy, family therapy, and multi-systemic family therapy are all instances of systems treatment models. There is quantifiable evidence showing that addicts whose families are engaged in the treatment procedure show enhanced outcomes. Systems treatment seems to be especially successful with young people.

Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment- This treatment practice assists people revive by presenting mental health and substance abuse treatment cares jointly, in one setting. The same medical team provides a personalized treatment arrangement, which handles both mental health and substance abuse concerns. A wide choice of services if provided in a level-wise manner, as service needs change over the course of treatment.

Case management

There are various ways where an addict manages his/her predicament. The management also involves family members, close friends, and relatives. The following are the most common management and recovery procedures, and they are scientifically experimented.

Illness Management and recovery- Wellness self-management involves a series of strategies engineered to assist addicts manage their symptoms. Psycho-education, social skills teaching, cognitive character therapy, and survival skills teaching have shown to assist consumers handle their own mental health, minimize symptoms and relapses, and reduce the adverse effects of psychiatric illness on communal and role functioning.

Medication Management- The rudiments of a successful model to optimize the use of medications include: (1) a methodical evidence-based practice to medication selection and use; (2) measurement of treatment reaction and side effects; and (3) hard work to improve addict devotion to taking prescribed medicines.

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), intensive Case management (ICM) - Vital features of ACT, and Intensive case management consist of the following: a little caseload, provision of services in addict's natural environment, a 24-hour care, and organization of comprehensive multi-disciplinary services through frequent treatment team gatherings.

Family Psycho-education- Successful family intervention practices offer a mixture of education, analytic, crisis intervention, and support. Family psycho-education has been depicted to minimize relapse rate and facilitate revival of individuals who have mental sickness and/or co-morbid disorders.

Integrated Treatment for Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders- Substance use treatment that is incorporated with mental health treatment and customized for persons with mental illness is more successful than detached substance use and mental health services. Successful programs also incorporate other services such as case management, medications, shelter, vocational psychotherapy, and family intervention (Ries, et al., 372).

Trauma Services- There is a rising body of evidence that timely intervention following traumatic occurrences can avoid a diversity of behavioral disorders. Successful treatment following traumatic incidents should incorporate personalized counseling taking historical relation of both current and past trauma and providing psycho-educational data about trauma occurrence. Successful treatment will encompass concurrent treatment of trauma concerns and co-morbid concerns including substance abuse when appropriate.

Support groups

Support groups help much in minimizing cases addictions and in cases of traumatized families, it helps to bring back the trust in the affected children and families. These groups are formed to reach out for mature survivors of addiction and help prevent recurring cases addiction. Dissociative disorder support groups help victims who have dissociative disorders for instance DID.

Recommended books and journals

There are various journals for traumatized victims. These help victims, parents, siblings, and families of substance addiction. In these journals, families of traumatized victims and children of addiction can find information on how to deal with the situations at hand. They can access knowledge on how to detect and probably prevent cases addiction their families.

In conclusion, addiction in the family can be painful to both the victim and the people around him/her. This is more pronounced in a family where every member is traumatized by such incidences. The most members of the family are children at a younger stage, whereby they can also become victims of addiction, and later in life have unfortunate intimate relationship. Nevertheless, early diagnosis and treatment of addiction in the family helps much in minimizing the extent of addictions, and prevent possible cases recurring addictions. Treatment takes various forms and it involves not only the victims, but also the family members. The treatment can be tailored to fit individuals and extent of addictions. These treatments range from rehabilitation to mental health treatment. It also involves case management where victims can be able to manage their symptoms. Addicted persons and members of the family can also find help in support groups. In addition, they can find helpful information in books and journals to enable them to manage trauma and related cases.

Work cited

Barnard, Marina. Drug Addiction and Families. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2007.

Digman, Carmel and Soan, Sue. Working With Parents: A Guide for Education Professionals.

New York: SAGE Publications Ltd, 2008.

Henderson, Elizabeth. Understanding Addiction. Mississippi: Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2000.

Lowinson, Joyce, Ruiz, Pedro and Millman, Robert. Substance Abuse: A Comprehensive

Textbook. 4th Ed. New York: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005.

Miller, Peter and Miller, Peter M. Evidence-Based Addiction Treatment. London: Academic

Press, 2009.

Parsons, T. (2003). Alcoholism and Its Effect on the Family. AllPsych Journal. Retrieved March

3, 2011, from http://allpsych.com/journal/alcoholism.html.

Ries, Richard, Miller, Shannon, Fiellin, David and Saitz, Richard. Principles of Addiction

Medicine. 4th Ed. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2009.

Turney, L. (2007). Children of alcoholics: Getting past the games addicted parents play. Do It

Now Foundation. Retrieved March 3, 2011, from http://www.doitnow.org/ pages/808.html.