The Role of Family Therapy and the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders

Explore the link between family therapy and the treatment of substance use disorders and learn how families can become crucial allies in recovery.

Author: J. Flowers Health Staff

Art Therapy

Family Therapy and the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders: What Is Family Therapy?

In this article, we will be taking a closer look at family therapy and the treatment of substance use disorders. Family therapy is also known as family counseling or family systems therapy.

It is a branch of psychotherapy that seeks to reduce distress and conflict in families by improving the interaction between family members.¹

What is the Purpose of Family Therapy?

Family therapy does not just involve the individual experiencing symptoms or problems. Rather, it involves multiple members of the family in therapy sessions.

The belief behind this approach is that the family is a key part of a person’s social environment, so changes in one family member can lead to changes in other members and the family system.

The Focus of Family Therapy

The focus of family therapy is not on individual members but on the health and functioning of the family system. It examines the system’s structure (how family members relate to one another) and its function.

Family therapy plays a critical role in recovery. It facilitates understanding, helps rebuild trust, and enables the family to function as a supportive unit.

Family therapy is often used in conjunction with other forms of treatment, including individual therapy and medication, depending on the individual’s needs.

The Goal of Family Therapy

Family therapy can help in many situations that cause stress, grief, anger, or conflict. It assists families in getting through difficult periods, navigating loss, or establishing healthy boundaries.

When a family member has experienced or is currently struggling with addiction, it can impact the whole family unit. It can lead to a destruction of trust, feelings of betrayal, and can lead to unhealthy dynamics.

The overall goal of family therapy and the treatment of substance use disorders is to heal any mental, emotional, or psychological problems tearing the family’s fabric.

Family Therapy and the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders: What Is the Role of Family Therapy?

Family therapy plays a crucial role for many in treating substance use disorders and the overall recovery process. Some of these crucial roles will be detailed below.

Enhancing Understanding

Family therapy helps all family members understand the nature and impact of substance use disorders. This includes understanding how addiction works, how it affects the individual, and how long-term recovery can be achieved. An informed family is better prepared to provide the right kind of support.²

Improving Communication

Substance use disorders can strain family relationships and impede open, honest communication.

Family therapy focuses on improving communication skills, thus enabling family members to express their thoughts, feelings, and concerns constructively. This fosters mutual understanding and cooperation.

Rebuilding Trust

Substance use often leads to broken trust within the family. Through family therapy and the treatment of substance use disorders, people can demonstrate their commitment to change. Family members can also learn to rebuild trust in a controlled, therapeutic environment.

Resolving Conflicts

Family therapy helps address and resolve family conflicts that may have been caused or exacerbated by substance use. This could include conflicts over finances and responsibilities. It also includes conflicts on past behaviors related to substance use.

Family Therapy and the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders: Additional Roles in Family Therapy

In order to understand family therapy and the treatment of substance use disorders, it is important to cover more of family therapy’s crucial roles. These roles include the following:

Strengthening Support Systems

A strong support system is key to successful recovery. Family therapy can help strengthen these systems by enhancing the family’s capacity to support the individual.

This support may include establishing clear boundaries, roles, and expectations, as well as learning how to provide support without enabling substance use.

Addressing Co-Occurring Disorders

People with substance use disorders often struggle with other mental health conditions. This includes conditions like depression or anxiety. This experience is known as dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders.

Family therapy and the treatment of substance use disorders can help address these co-occurring conditions by integrating their treatment into the overall recovery plan.

If a co-occurring disorder is present, it’s important to treat not only the symptoms but the root of both conditions. This can help eliminate chances of relapse after substance use disorder treatment and recovery.

Promoting Behavior Change

Through family therapy, people and families can learn and implement healthier behaviors and coping mechanisms. This can include strategies to prevent relapse, handle stress, and maintain recovery. This can help the whole family to establish healthy coping mechanisms and sustainable boundaries.

Preventing Substance Use in Other Family Members

By addressing family dynamics and risk factors, family therapy can help prevent substance use disorders from developing in other family members.

The role of family therapy and the treatment of substance use disorders is multifaceted and highly influential. Family therapy addresses underlying family issues, thus enhancing the family’s capacity to support the individual.

With that, family therapy can greatly enhance the effectiveness of the overall recovery process.

Specific Goals and Objectives of Family Therapy and the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders

Family therapy aims to accomplish several key goals and objectives. These typically include the following:

Education on Substance Use Disorders

One of the primary goals of family therapy is to educate family members about the nature of substance use disorders.

This includes their causes, effects, and treatment options. This education can reduce misunderstandings, stigma, and blame, promoting empathy and support within the family.

Improving Communication

Substance use disorders often lead to breakdowns in communication within the family. Family therapy aims to rebuild these communication pathways by teaching family members how to express their feelings effectively.

Promoting Recovery Support

Family therapy aims to equip family members with the skills and knowledge to support the individual’s recovery.

This might involve teaching family members about the following:

Relapse prevention strategies
How to respond to cravings or relapses
How to maintain a supportive, substance-free environment

Rebuilding and Strengthening Relationships

It’s important to know that the individual experiencing substance use disorder is not the only one impacted by addiction. This experience can be harmful and even traumatizing to loved ones.

Substance use disorders can cause significant strain on relationships. One of the objectives of family therapy is to help repair these relationships, building stronger bonds between family members. This might involve addressing past resentments, rebuilding trust, and learning to forgive.

Other Goals and Objectives of Family Therapy and the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders

There are many other ways that family therapy can achieve the individual’s objectives. These goals include the following:

Enhancing Coping Strategies

Family therapy also seeks to equip all family members with healthier coping strategies. This can reduce the likelihood of substance use as a coping mechanism. It will also help family members manage the stress and challenges of recovery.

Addressing Family Dynamics Contributing to Substance Use

Family therapy often involves identifying and addressing family dynamics that might contribute to substance use. For instance, enabling behaviors or high levels of family conflict can be addressed and changed through therapy.

Preventing the Spread of Substance Use Disorders

Family therapy can also aim to prevent the spread of substance use disorders within the family. By addressing risk factors and promoting healthier coping mechanisms, therapy can reduce the likelihood of other family members developing a substance use disorder.

Each goal contributes to the overall objective of family therapy in substance use disorder treatment. This is to create a healthier, more supportive family environment that facilitates recovery and reduces the likelihood of relapse.

The specifics of these goals can vary based on the individual and family’s needs. So, a therapist will typically work with the family to identify and prioritize these goals at the start of therapy.

Family Therapy and the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders: Examples of Evidence-Based Family Models and Therapy Approaches

Family therapy in the treatment of substance use disorders often incorporates evidence-based approaches. These are approaches that have been validated by scientific research.

Family Therapy and the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders: Treatment Approaches

Some examples of such approaches include the following:

Family Disease Model: This model views substance use disorders as a disease that affects the entire family, not just the individual with the disorder. The focus is on educating the family about substance use disorders.
Family Systems Model: This approach sees substance use disorders as a symptom of dysfunction within the family system. Therapy focuses on changing the family dynamics and communication patterns contributing to substance use.
Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches: These approaches seek to change the thought patterns and behaviors contributing to substance use and other problems within the family. This can involve teaching skills like stress management and coping with cravings.
Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT): MDFT is an integrated, comprehensive, family-based treatment for adolescent substance abuse and related behavioral problems. It addresses a range of influences on adolescent drug abuse patterns.³

Behavioral Family Therapy (BFT): BFT uses behavioral approaches to reinforce positive behaviors, discourage substance use, and improve communication and problem-solving within the family.

Family Behavior Therapy (FBT): FBT involves a person with a substance use disorder and at least one significant other. This includes a cohabiting partner or person who significantly influences the person’s life.

Motivational Interviewing: Motivational Interviewing is not a family therapy approach. However, motivational interviewing techniques can be used within family therapy. It is used to increase motivation for change and promote recovery commitment.⁴

Access Effective Family Therapy and the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders at J. Flowers Health Institute

There are several approaches used for treating and managing substance use disorders. Usually, a comprehensive substance use disorder treatment involves an integration of different approaches.

This is done to ensure the patient can access holistic treatment, which addresses all aspects of their substance use disorder.

Recognize the Need for Outside Help in Recovery

Are you or a loved one struggling with a substance use disorder? If you are, and you think it’s beginning to affect your family’s health, you should seek treatment immediately. This is where J. Flowers Health Institute comes in.

Contact Us Today

Living with a substance use disorder can be difficult. But with the right help, it can be managed. J. Flowers Health Institute can offer that help.

At J. Flowers Health Institute, we understand the intricacies of family therapy and the treatment of substance use disorders. As such, we’re perfectly positioned to help you heal and get better.

Reach out to us today, and let’s help your family heal from the negative influences of substance use disorders.

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Clients start the journey to total health, wellness, and awareness right here. It begins with amenity-filled accommodations and a J. Flowers Health Institute professional ready to take care of every detail, from the moment of arrival. Start now.

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