Support Groups for Families of Addicts

Support groups for families of addicts are more important than ever with alcoholism and drug addiction on the rise in the United States. 

The most recent data from SAMHSA’s annual NSDUH (National Survey on Drug Use and Health) shows that 40 million U.S. adults have substance use disorder and 28 million have alcohol use disorder. Among those with alcohol use disorder, 21 million are addicted to alcohol only, with 7 million addicted to both alcohol and drugs. 

Addiction is characterized by NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) as a chronic and relapsing brain disorder. Regrettably, the effects of addiction to alcohol, prescription medications, and illicit drugs ripple outward beyond those using addictive substances. 

Fortunately, addiction is treatable through an evidence-based combination of MAT (medication-assisted treatment), psychotherapy – talk therapies like CBT or DBT – and counseling. 

Additionally, a central factor in ongoing sober living is the strength of the sober support network you build. If you have a family member grappling with addiction, supporting them throughout detox, rehab, and recovery can help them to stay sober. 

That said, it can be emotionally taxing if you have a loved one with alcohol use disorder or substance use disorder. Many family addiction support groups allow you to reach out for help and support on-demand.

 

Family Support Groups for Addiction

These are the most common support groups for a family of addicts in the United States: 

1. Al-Anon
2. Nar-Anon
3. Alateen
4. SMART Recovery Family & Friends
5. Families Anonymous
6. PAL (Parents of Addicted Loved Ones)
7. NAMI Family Support Group

 

 1) Al-Anon

 Al-Anon is probably the best known of all addict family support groups.

A sister group of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), Al-Anon is a global fellowship providing a robust recovery program for the families and friends of those with alcohol use disorder. 

You can find tools to locate local Al-Anon meetings on the website. There are also resources like quizzes to help you determine whether you would benefit from this peer-support group for the families of those with alcoholism.

 

2) Nar-Anon

Where NA (Narcotics Anonymous) is designed to help individuals with substance use disorder, Nar-Anon caters to the families of those people. 

You can engage in regular meetings along with others impacted by family members with drug addictions all over the world.

 

3) Alateen

Alateen is part of the Al-Anon fellowship and is designed to meet the needs of teens and adolescents with family members who abuse alcohol.

Meetings focus on addressing the specific needs of young people with alcohol-dependent loved ones, including:

• Undue guilt
• Blame
• Excessive caretaking
• Issues with self-esteem

 

4) SMART Recovery Family & Friends

SMART Recovery (Self-Management and Recovery Training) is the most popular secular alternative to Al-Anon and other spirituality-based interventions for the support groups of families of addicts. 

Attend meetings in many U.S. cities, learning how to implement non-confrontational approaches when dealing with a loved one with alcohol use disorder or substance use disorder.

 

5) Families Anonymous

Another 12-step program from the AA group, Families Anonymous is geared toward the families of those with alcohol and drug addictions as well as associated behavioral health issues. 

Share your experiences with others in a similar position and learn better-coping strategies to help you thrive rather than just survive.

 

6) Parents of Addicted Loved Ones

PAL (Parents of Addicted Loved Ones) is a Christian-led non-profit that holds weekly meetings to support parents struggling with children addicted to alcohol or drugs. 

Peer-run meetings are educational while also allowing you the opportunity to share your experiences with other attendees.

 

7) NAMI Family Support Group

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) offers a broad-based support group for family members of those with mental health conditions. Weekly meetings are free and for adults only.

 

Learning to Cope with Your Loved One’s Addiction

Here are some simple tips to cope more effectively with a loved one addicted to drink or drugs:

1. Place self-care uppermost
2. Be realistic with your expectations
3. Discover as much as possible about addiction and recovery
4. Encourage your loved one to engage with support groups
5. Avoid straying into co-dependency
6. Find a suitable support group for families of addicts

 

1) Place self-care uppermost

Even if you feel you need to pour lots of energy into helping a close relative with an addiction, you must ensure your own needs are met first. 

The stronger your physical, emotional, and mental health, the more effectively you can support a family member as they move from active addiction into recovery.

 

2) Be realistic with your expectations

Addiction is a chronic disease with relapse rates of between 40% and 60% – similar rates to other chronic conditions. 

If your loved one relapses, it does not mean treatment has failed. Rather, the treatment plan needs adjusting. 

Be realistic because there is no guarantee your loved one will enjoy a seamless and linear recovery journey. Be sure to help them use any relapse as an opportunity for learning rather than as a weakness or a sign of failure.

 

3) Discover as much as possible about addiction and recovery

The more you can learn about the nuanced topics of addiction and recovery, the more chance you have of connecting your loved one with an appropriate treatment program. 

By understanding the compulsive, progressive, and relapsing nature of substance use disorder, you should find you can more readily accept that your loved one is not deliberately engaging in destructive behaviors. 

By educating yourself on the benefits and drawbacks of inpatient and outpatient rehab, you’ll maximize the likelihood of your loved one engaging with a suitable rehab program to promote ongoing sobriety.

 

4) Encourage your loved one to engage with support groups

You may not always be the most suitable source of assistance for your loved one grappling with addiction. 

There are many 12-step support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous that can supplement the support available elsewhere.

 

5) Avoid straying into co-dependency

Do you engage in any of the following behaviors? 

• Putting the needs of your loved one above your own needs.
• Finding it hard to speak about your emotions.
• Taking responsibility for the actions and decisions of your loved one.
• Remaining in a destructive relationship due to a fear of abandonment.

If so, you could be in a co-dependent relationship and you could be enabling your loved one’s addiction.

 

6) Find a suitable support group for families of addicts

If you find the challenges of supporting an addictive loved one are too demanding, consider reaching out to one of the many available support groups for families of addicts.

There are many support groups for the loved ones of addicts, but how can you go about easily accessing those groups?

 

How to Find Family Support Groups

Find out more about the following support groups for families of addicts by exploring the websites of the following organizations outlined above:

• Al-Anon
• Nar-Anon
• Alateen
• SMART Recovery
• Family & Friends
• Families Anonymous
• PAL (Parents of Addicted Loved Ones)
• NAMI Family Support Group

 

Find Support at The District Recovery

If you need support for yourself or a loved one with an addiction, we offer personalized and gender-specific outpatient programs for the following conditions here at TDRC:

• Substance use disorder
• Alcohol use disorder
• Mental health disorders
• Dual diagnosis (co-occurring addiction and mental health disorder)

For those with milder addictions, our traditional outpatient programs may offer adequate support for sustained recovery. Those with more severe addictions would benefit from our more intensive outpatient treatment. We offer an intensive outpatient program (IOP) and a partial hospitalization program (PHP) here at The District Recovery Community. 

Regardless of the level of time commitment that best suits, your treatment team will use a personalized combination of these evidence-based therapies: 

• MAT (medication-assisted treatment)
• Group counseling
• Individual counseling
• Psychotherapy – talk therapies like CBT and DBT
• Family therapy
• Holistic therapies

Whether you step down to a less intensive form of treatment or transition directly back into daily living, you’ll leave The District with a relapse management plan in place and the aftercare you need to promote sustained sobriety. 

Reach out to the friendly admissions team today and we’ll help you or your loved one from detox to discharge and beyond. Call 844.287.8506.