Treatment and Recovery for the Family

Abstract

For the overall family, recovery involves changing how the family functions. It not only has to adjust to the sobriety of the recovering member (if this person is in recovery) but also has to make changes to function more effectively as a unit. Areas the family may need to address include accepting the SUD, stopping behaviors that reinforce substance use, improving communication, shifting family roles, reestablishing boundaries between generations, and building family togetherness. In some families, problems such as violence or abuse must be addressed. Professional treatment may be needed to address these issues and make changes in how the family functions. The change process can continue after treatment in mutual support programs.