Resources for Family Members of Addicts
Friday, June 25th, 2010It’s important for family members who are dealing with loved ones who have serious drug and alcohol problems to get help as well. A list of important resources for family members of addicts is below.
Entering into an addiction treatment program can be a scary time for a person dealing with a serious drug or alcohol addiction. However, it can be just as hard on the family members they leave behind. Often times, the family members of addicts have to deal with the messes that their loved one has made in their life. They also frequently have to undertake the heartbreaking and frustrating task of staging an intervention to convince their family member that they need to get help for their problem.
While drug addicts get to have their emotional needs taken care of in drug addiction programs, many times the family members left behind feel like they are left alone. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. There are plenty of resources for family members of addicts to help them cope with the emotional pain they have felt due to the struggles of their loved one and to give them tools to help their loved one when they return from a rehab center.
If you are trying to convince a loved one to enter drug rehab, you might not know where to find a reputable treatment facility in your area. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has a Web site (www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov) that includes listings for licensed residential, outpatient, and hospital inpatient treatment programs throughout the United States.
Many people struggling with addiction problems also have severe mental health issues that need to be addressed. Along with finding the right addiction program, their families will also want to consider finding them psychological help that will be critical in their continuing care once they return from treatment. Physician locator tools can be found through both the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (www.aaap.org) and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (www.aaap.org).
While it’s important for families of addicts to find resources for getting their loved one into an addiction center, it’s also important for them to have an outlet to share their hopes, fears and frustrations with the situation. This is where group programs can be so important. Al-Anon (www.al-anon.alateen.org) offers weekly, anonymous support meetings across the country for family members dealing with an alcoholic parent, child or sibling. Families dealing with drug addiction can find similar meetings through Narcotics Anonymous (www.na.org).


