One of the most effective parts of getting treatment for drug or alcohol addiction is having access to an addiction support group for the person in need of treatment and their family. If you’re a family member of someone struggling with addiction, one who is currently in substance use disorder treatment, or they are in recovery for drug or alcohol use, there are a number of family groups and intervention services you can take advantage of. You can have an enormous impact on the success of their recovery by getting involved and being an active supporter of their treatment and recovery.
When to Intervene and Seek Support
Convincing someone to get help for a substance use disorder may be one of the hardest conversations you’ll ever have. As they fall deeper under the spell of addiction, that conversation only gets harder. It’s a stressful conversation whether you have it for the first time or you’ve had to do it before. The SBT treatment team is well-versed and experienced in the best approaches to intervention and how to use a family support group to help you through the process and get your loved one into treatment.
Find a Family Support Group
Addiction is hard on everyone – the person battling the addiction and the family members trying their best to help them. It can be emotionally, physically, and financially draining. Thankfully a number of support groups exist to help families and provide much-needed support from experience. Here are a few you might consider looking into.
- Al-Anon/Nar-Anon/Alateen – This worldwide fellowship offers recovery support programs for the families and friends of people addicted to alcohol and drugs Al-Anon for those with and loved ones addicted to alcohol. Nar-Anon offers the same services for families and friends of those dealing with drug addiction. Alateen is similar to Al-anon but focuses on the younger family members of those affected by alcoholism. Each group provides a variety of resources, from finding local support group meetings to providing information on how to address the most common problems families of addicted individuals will likely face. These 12-step programs are open to anyone whose needs are in alignment with the mission of the organization.
- Families Anonymous – Also a 12-step program, this support group is open to family members of people addicted to drugs or alcohol and those with co-occurring mental health disorders. Families Anonymous helps families see that they are not alone on their journey and can learn from others who share similar experiences and struggles.
- GRASP-Grief Recovery After Substance Passing (GRASP), is a support group that works with people who have lost someone they love to a substance use disorder. They exist as a place for family and friends to work through their emotions of loss and find common ground among the members.
- Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL) – PAL is a faith-based support group that helps parents deal with having children who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. Local peer-run group meetings are held weekly and provide the opportunity to both learn and share.
- SMART Recovery Family & Friends -Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) is a science-based support group program for family members dealing with a substance use disorder. The group offers meetings in many cities across the United States and is very non-confrontational in its approach to helping family and friends address a loved-ones addiction.
Contact SBT to Find the Right Support
When you see a family member or loved one suffering from substance use and addiction, it’s hard to know how to best help them. Call our team at 833.999.1941 for more information on intervention services and support groups.