According to “Life-Saving Relationships” by Kirsten Weir, supportive relationships have the power to positively influence your well-being. Whether biological, adoptive, blended, or chosen, your loved ones are instrumental to your well-being and vice versa. Your loved ones are the ones who help you make sense of who you are and the world. Moreover, your family is a source of security as you provide emotional, physical, and economic support for each other. Therefore, family involvement in recovery can be invaluable to healing. Rather than succumb to the isolation and loneliness of addiction and early recovery, you can build connections and thrive in recovery with your loved ones.
At Driftwood Recovery, we believe considering the entire family fosters the foundation to heal relationships and thrive in recovery. With family involvement in recovery, you can rebuild connection and understanding with the important people in your life. Through an attachment approach to healing, we provide a vibrant alumni program with services that will help you thrive in recovery. Thriving in recovery does not happen when you isolate yourself from those passionate about your healing. Thus, our alumni program is designed to give you tools to reintegrate and thrive in recovery.
However, you may question how your loved ones’ involvement can help you thrive in recovery. What does family involvement look like in recovery?
Value of Family Involvement in Recovery
Recovery is a lifelong journey, and the effort you put into it is enhanced by those you share it with. There are several research articles that highlight the positive impact family involvement can have on treatment. Family-focused care in treatment can provide education, support, and personal growth opportunities for the entire family. From improving communication to greater understanding of each other, family-focused care in treatment is invaluable to healing the whole family.
However, family involvement can also be a tool for thriving in recovery. As noted in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, active family involvement can help shift the balance for effective resources to thrive in recovery. You can move toward the consolidation of active treatment gains and facilitate routine access to recovery services. Despite the value of family involvement in recovery, it can be intimidating for you and your loved ones. You and your loved ones may not be sure how they can help you thrive in recovery.
How to Help Loved Ones Thrive in Recovery
Remaining involved in recovery with your loved ones is made easier with engagement in an active alumni program. Through an alumni program, you and your loved ones have access to services to incorporate into your daily lives. Listed below are some of the ways your loved ones can help you thrive in recovery together:
- Continue to engage in educational resources
- Increase awareness and understanding of the recovery process
- Recognize that recovery is not a linear process
- Attend family support groups
- Continue family therapy and or individual therapy
- Model good recovery behavior
- Do not offer or use substances in front of them
- Alcohol
- Cigarettes
- Vape pen
- Do not offer or use substances in front of them
- Create healthy, sober ways to spend time with each other
- Go for walks
- Movie nights
- Game nights
- Make time to take care of yourself too
- Self-care is a vital tool for you to rest and recharge to better help yourself and your loved one
There are numerous ways loved ones can support and help each other thrive in recovery. However, it is important to remember that your loved one is just as human as you are. While you learn to lead a healthier life, it is equally important for your loved ones to do the same.
Importance of Self-Healing as a Support Person
Self-care is not only important for your recovery, but it can be vital to your support person’s well-being as well. Listed below are some of the ways your loved ones can best support you by taking care of themselves:
- Make time for your physical health
- Regular physical activity
- Nutritious eating routine
- Sleep routine
- Practice stress reduction techniques
- Deep breathing
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Invest in hobbies that bring you joy
- Painting
- Gardening
- Reading
- Attend support groups
- Seek professional support
With a greater understanding of how your loved ones can support you and themselves, there is room for growth. Now, you and your loved ones can expand on the tools you have learned in treatment to stay connected and thrive in recovery together.
Staying Connected to Thrive in Recovery Together
Addiction and early recovery are often plagued by self-isolation and loneliness. There are numerous reasons for isolation and loneliness in recovery. Some of the reasons you may isolate include a sense of shame over your addiction or fear of relapse. Yet, isolating yourself is a significant risk factor for relapse. Therefore, staying connected to your loved ones is crucial to providing support and encouragement to help you thrive in recovery. Some of the ways you can stay connected to your loved ones include:
- Schedule quality time
- Phone calls
- Hangout over video call
- Text each other or use other communication apps
- Send emails or even handwritten letters
- Plan sober activities
- Go out for coffee
- Cooking class
- Hiking
- Book club
- Alumni
- Support groups
- Activities
- Events
Social connection can offer the sense of belonging needed to uplift you on the good and difficult days. Through connection, you are reminded that you are not alone in your courageous journey.
Empowering Your Family to Thrive in Recovery at Driftwood Recovery
At Driftwood Recovery, we believe a strong and vibrant alumni program can give you the support and resources you need to thrive in recovery. Whether you are entering early recovery or you have been in recovery for a while, engaging with alumni can be impactful. With alumni, we give you and your loved ones the support to reconnect or deepen your relationship to heal. Accessing resources like our family support group allows the whole family to continue learning and growing on this journey.
Your relationships with your loved ones are valuable for mutual well-being as you often act as a source of physical, emotional, and economic support for each other. Through close relationships, you can improve self-esteem, communication, and understanding of each other, among other things. Thus, family involvement in recovery can help you and your loved ones thrive in recovery as you learn and grow together. Therefore, an active alumni program can provide the resources needed for you and your loved ones to heal, learn how to engage in self-care, and stay connected to each other. At Driftwood Recovery, we are dedicated to providing the support services needed to heal the entire family. Call us at (512) 759-8330 today.