Published May 30, 2019 · Reviewed by Sergey Litvinov, MD · ~700 words

Getting sober is an ongoing process which requires not only strong will power and a professional help, but also help from closed family.

One way to help your loved ones is finding good detox facility. Start by learning about their addiction and the different treatments available. If they’re open to it, offer to visit the place with them. Offer your help with anything that gets in the way of sobriety. Just don’t push anything! There’s no good in forcing an individual to seek treatment, one has to decide this alone.

Importance of family help and support after Rehab

Offering your help with work, childcare or anything that gets in the way of going to a facility is great, but family support is perhaps even more important after treatment. Alcohol and drugs are everywhere nowadays. You can’t predict situations your loved one will get in after the recovery. Nature of addiction is such that a person can’t limit the use, ore use the intoxicating substances “carefully”. Staying away from everything that can cause intoxication is the safest option for people struggling with addiction.

If a person is recovering from alcohol, you can opt out of drinking when they’re attending the same social gathering. Standing by your family member or a friend’s progress is crucial for them to stay sober. Ask them how you can help; perhaps they’ve learned some strategies during the treatment. It’s important to stay invested in their recovery.

Many people go through an addiction treatment programs and think that they’re done. Getting through therapy is an immense achievement, but the work doesn’t end here. Sobriety is a life-long process. Estimates are that half of those who make it through a detox later relapse, and many of them may never get another chance to recover from their addiction.

This is a sad fact, but relapse is preventable with proper care. First two months are the riskiest period, and the risk remains high for five years after the treatment. This is why professional rehabilitation is a much better option than at-home detoxification. With the help of a professional team including skilled therapists, people with addiction learn how to control the urge, which is almost impossible to learn without therapy.

Things to avoid when living with a person in recovery

• You should never offer financial support unless it’s for the treatment. Money is too tempting for the person with addiction, or for someone who’s just got out of the rehab. Don’t let your person with addiction in recovery live on your account; structure is of crucial importance and they must actively participate in family income.
• It’s nice to be helpful to a person that wants to get sober, but never take all their responsibilities. Having chores and work to do makes people busy, and there’s less time for fooling around.
• Never preach to a person struggling with addiction! It’s something that gets on everyone’s nerves, especially a person trying to get sober, who doesn’t need a judgmental tone. They know what’s best for them, believe us, it’s just hard to stick to it. Conflicts inside family can be unpleasant and stressful, which can and lead to relapse.
• Never underestimate the person trying to get their life back! Make sure that your loved one picks activities that are meaningful for them, and assure them that their goals are achievable despite of their past and previous setbacks.

Family support is often of fundamental importance to sobriety, but you can do no good if you’re too mild and compliant. Parents are often mild towards their children, and tough situations require tough love in form of structure. Those who get sober and have family support are less likely to relapse.

Family can provide support and motivation when things get difficult. The individual who went through the detoxification in a professional facility will pick up skills and knowledge to go through the tough times, but most learning is conducted later, during normal living, outside of the comfort zone. Family can do wonders, but it’s definitely not going to be an easy road.

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