You’ve probably heard about family therapy helping with Amphetamine dependence rehab but still don’t understand how it works. To know how it works, you need to know how amphetamine addiction affects the entire family.
Amphetamine dependence does not affect only you or the addict in your family. Although the addict will feel the most obvious effects, the whole family suffers from it.
In most cases of Amphetamine addiction, the impact is noticeable on the entire family of the addict. In fact, it can lead to various family problems. Broken relationships, divorce, depression, suicide and legal issues are some of these issues.
To curb Amphetamine addiction and assist with addiction recovery, family therapy is vital. We will explain what family therapy is all about in a bit. Perhaps more crucially, we will show how family therapy helps with Amphetamine dependence rehab. Let’s explore how you can help the addict in your family recover through the familial bond.
What is Family Therapy?
Family therapy is a practice that emphasizes the involvement of the entire family in the recovery process of an addict. It seeks to use family strength, bonds and resources to help the recovery of an Amphetamine addict. It does all of these while also reducing the effect of the addiction on the entire family.
The family therapist focuses on the emotional and mental health of all the members of the family. Unlike individual counselling, which is just for the addict, family therapy focuses on the entire family.
Family therapy also teaches family members how they can help the addict recover better. It alerts them to the various sobriety activities that can help the addict. More importantly, it’s an opportunity for the family to understand relapse triggers and how they can affect the addiction recovery process.
Types of family therapy for Amphetamine addiction treatment
During family therapy sessions, you will also learn how to mitigate the effects of Amphetamine abuse on your family while the addict recovers. But, this form of therapy can come in different forms.
Behavioural contracting therapy
This type of therapy works based on a written contract signed by the family. The contract focuses on ensuring the family maintains a substance-free home. The therapist will also help the family identify things that can cause amphetamine abuse and avoid them.
Multidimensional family therapy
This type of therapy works best for adolescents with tendencies for Amphetamine abuse. The therapist meets specifically with the adolescents but also carries the entire family along.
The therapist teaches the adolescent how to cope with pressure, urges and things that can trigger Amphetamine abuse. Multidimensional family therapy also helps the parent(s) build a better relationship with the adolescent.
Solution-focused therapy
This is more popular with families that have addict members trying to recover from Amphetamine addiction. It focuses on identifying the problems in the family, especially with the addict.
Through solution-focused therapy, the therapist will develop ways through which the addict can recover with the help of the family. It creates a vision of the home without the addiction and makes the family work towards it.
The Role Of Family in Amphetamine Addiction Treatment
Historically, most people dealing with Amphetamine addiction tend to go for individual therapy, which is not bad. However, it is not the best solution. Family therapy works better because you have help and support from the important people in your life. Throughout family therapy, your family members are your biggest fans cheering you on to victory.
How family therapy helps with Amphetamine dependence rehab depends on how heavily involved the family is. Various elements represent the role of the family in amphetamine addiction treatment.
Family engagement
This element works during the initial stages of family therapy. It involves the family participating in the treatment to encourage the addict to take the rehab seriously. The other members of the family collaborate with the therapist to help the addict attend therapy sessions promptly.
Relational reframing
This aspect involves redefining the relationship of the addict with the family members. Sometimes Amphetamine abuse occurs as a result of friction between family members.
The addict results in substance abuse to deal with the anxiety arising from the friction. Redefining and reconstructing such relationships can help the recovery process for an addict.
Family behaviour change
Here, the therapist gets family members to identify and discard negative attitudes toward the addict. The family members also have to embrace new positive behaviours to encourage the addict to recover.
The therapist will teach the family members skills to enable them to relate positively with each other. They will also learn to communicate effectively and improve their interpersonal relationship.
Related Article: Amphetamine Addiction Rehab: How Individual Counselling Helps With Recovery
Family restructuring
This aspect aims to shift family beliefs. Sometimes, certain family beliefs may push some members of the family to Amphetamine addiction.
The therapist helps to identify this kind of belief and finds a way to alter or remove it. For instance, children who grew up around parents struggling with Amphetamine abuse may have ingrained this habit
Does family therapy work?
Several studies try to show how family therapy helps in amphetamine dependence rehab and its effectiveness. A ResearchGate publication gives adequate proof of why you need family therapy for amphetamine addiction treatment. Below are some of the findings of the study as stated in the publication.
- The study reports that various family therapies help to keep the amphetamine abuser in check. It also helps to reduce dependency on the substance and improve social functioning.
- The study also found that family therapies are very beneficial for adolescents. It helps them to connect better with their parents and siblings while learning to deal with peer pressure.
- Family therapy helps the addict to practice abstinence and develop better relationships.
How family therapy helps with amphetamine dependence rehab: The process
Goal setting
The primary purpose of family therapy for Amphetamine dependence is to help you to recover. The members of your family all want to help you in your recovery journey. At the start of the therapy, every participant will set goals. The goals will be based on how much they are willing to contribute to your recovery.
These goals will hold you and your family members accountable and will help them focus their efforts toward your Amphetamine addiction recovery.
The goals can be the therapist’s idea or just the decision of the family members as a collective. But regardless, both parties are going to help you during your Amphetamine dependency rehab.
Frequency and duration setting
The family determines the time, location and duration of the family therapy session. You may choose to have the therapy at an Amphetamine addiction treatment center, in the therapist’s office or even at your home. The family needs to schedule a timeline that’s comfortable for all members to participate fully.
The therapy session doesn’t have to last more than an hour. As such, it’s easy for family members to agree on a convenient time for all parties. This will help to improve the connection and bond in the family.
The Benefits of Family Therapy for Amphetamine Addiction Rehab
It’s easier to understand how family therapy helps with amphetamine dependence rehab if you know the benefits. Here’s what we mean;
Understanding the nature of addiction
Family therapy helps the non-addict members of the family understand the nature of amphetamine addiction. It helps them to understand how amphetamine dependence can affect the behaviour of the addict.
Through this education, the family learns about the effects of Amphetamine abuse and how to relate with the addict. The addict also learns self-assessment from the therapist and how to identify what triggers his/her dependency. Through this, they will find a way to deal with dependence on the substance.
Identifying and improving family dynamics
Family therapy also helps the family to understand their relationship with each other better. When the family relationship is maladaptive or strained, it contributes to substance abuse among the members.
This is common within families where some of the members are victims of abuse, neglect or bullying. These members tend to find comfort in Amphetamine or other substance abuse.
Understanding and rebuilding family dynamics helps to eliminate these reasons for substance abuse. Everyone in the family needs treatment to obtain the best outcome. Sometimes, some other members of the family also need therapy; they just don’t realize it.
Improving communication
This buttresses the importance of family therapy for Amphetamine addiction recovery. Substance abuse is pretty common in family settings where communication is inadequate. Families with little to no emotional involvement tend to produce situations that encourage Amphetamine abuse.
To identify the cause of addiction and address it, communication is key among family members. Every addict needs the assurance and support of the family members to get through the recovery. You can only achieve this through effective communication, and family therapy will help develop that.
Regaining trust
Dishonesty and Amphetamine abuse go hand in hand, and they lead to addiction. Family members may not want to come out clean about their problems or to help a loved one who messed up.
Sometimes, it’s often difficult to come to terms with the knowledge that a family member is an Amphetamine addict. As such, it causes a negative response.
The last thing Amphetamine addicts need is judgement from their loved ones for their addiction. Family therapy helps to mend broken trust among family members. Through improved communication, family members can come to terms with the situation on the ground. As such, they’ll be in a better mind frame to help the addict and also feel better about themselves.
Sharing feelings
This is similar to how family therapy helps with amphetamine dependence rehab through improved communication. It’s easier to share feelings with people you can communicate with. It’s also easier to share feelings with people you trust and who trust you.
Through sharing feelings, you can burn or reconstruct bridges as required. The addict can freely talk about their challenges with Amphetamine addiction treatment and their fears. Expressing one’s feelings may take time and effort but it’s sometimes what everybody needs.
Setting boundaries
Sometimes, boundaries are everything you need to co-exist better with others. This also applies to all the other members of the family. Setting boundaries is not as easy as it sounds but if that’s what you need, do it.
Many times, having boundaries is a necessary step towards a complete recovery. This is often the case when a member of the family directly or indirectly causes the addict to abuse Amphetamine. You may have to detach from such family members for your recovery.
The best time for family therapy
Family therapy will only be effective if all relevant members of the family are around. This includes all members of the extended family who can help with the recovery of the addict.
Therefore, the best time for family therapy is the time when all the relevant members are available. It’s the only opportunity for the addict to count on their loyalty and support
Related Article: What Are The Differences Between Legal and Illegal Amphetamines
Involve The Family in Amphetamine Addiction Rehab
Knowing how family therapy helps with amphetamine dependence rehab is not nearly enough. You should be ready to help your family members when and if they need you. We’ve talked about how you can help your family through therapy for amphetamine dependence rehab. Now you have to go out there and do it.
However, if you are a family member trying to recover from amphetamine dependence, don’t be afraid to ask for support. Let your family support you as it will be more comfortable that way.
Here at Addiction Rehab, we offer Amphetamine addiction treatment services that include family therapy. Let’s get your life back together with the help of your family. Contact us today!
