Drug Rehab And Alcohol Rehab At Northpoint Washington: We Can Help
It can be so heartbreaking to know that your sibling is an addict. From the moment you first discover it, you feel as though you need to do something. Unfortunately, talking with your addicted brother or sister usually doesnât work very well. Sometimes it does, but when it doesnât, you need another option.
At Northpoint Washington, we frequently work with a lot of families. These are families who are concerned about their loved onesâ addictions. Quite often, theyâve tried for years to help their loved ones see the need for addiction treatment. With our help, so many more of them have made the decision to get addiction help.
We want to offer that same opportunity to you. We offer drug and alcohol rehab to those who need it. We also provide intervention services to help your sibling see a need for alcohol and drug treatment. This is a situation that most families find they canât handle on their own. Our expertise helps, and weâre happy to provide your family with our assistance.
This Letter Would Be So Powerful That It Would Snap Him Into Sobriety
My well-thought-out words would ignite a flame inside of my big brothers heart that would warm him up with so much sibling love, that the mere thought of doing cocaine again would never enter his mind.
Upon reading my letter, my brother would be healed. Upon reading my letter, his pains would be soothed. Upon reading my letter, I would get my brother back.
Dont Stop Doing The Things You Love
You cant hit pause on your own life and dedicate everything youve got to your siblings recovery. Thats not how it works.
The results of substance abuse treatment are not immediateits usually a continuous work in progress. So keep going to school, keep working, go out and see your friends, watch a movie, read a book, and live your own life. You have to know how to maintain the right balance between caring for yourself and looking out for your loved ones.
Don’t Miss: How To Stop Being Addicted To Drugs
What Is The Family Dynamics In Addiction
Family members often assume dysfunctional roles to cope with a siblings addiction. Unfortunately, these roles can continue throughout life, which prevents family members from healing. For this reason, support groups and family therapy are extremely important for recovery.
Dysfunctional family roles include:
- Addict the one who is struggling with a substance use disorder
- Enabler the person who tries to minimize the consequences of addiction
- Hero the child who works hard to bring peace to the family
- Scapegoat the one who is often blamed for everything
- Clown often the youngest child, makes light of the situation
- Lost child a child who avoids rocking the boat and is often neglected
Seeking A Residential Addiction Treatment Facility
Theres many types of addiction treatment including detox, residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient treatment. When people say the word, rehab, theyre typically talking about residential treatment, but your loved one may need more than that. If your brother is struggling with an opioid addiction its necessary to find a treatment facility that offers detox and residential services. At Transformations Care, our clinicians will monitor your brother as he goes through the worst part of drug use the come down. Its a necessary step in the road to getting clean and sober unfortunately theres no work around, but well be with him every step of the way. After detox, well transition your brother into our residential addiction treatment program and outpatient programs.
If hes worried about losing his job which has probably already suffered because of his drug use then you can assure him that this shouldnt count against him. Since addiction is classified as a disease, checking into a rehab center can only work for him, not against him. They will also be able to notify employers that he is staying there for a period of time and will need to be out for a while. And if you cant get him into a rehab program where there is in-patient you should consider doing telehealth. That is one way that he could potentially still get to work while working on himself at home. Though for opioid use its much harder to detox alone.
You May Like: Addiction Counseling Services Of Colorado
How Do You Deal With Someone Who Is Under The Influence Of Drugs
Try to remain calm, and speak in a calm, clear, and slow voice to the person. Try to avoid emotional or hostile language, which may make the person more aggressive. Say the personâs name, and tell them that youâre there to help. For example, I can see how upset and angry you are right now, â¦. see more
Help Is Available For The Families Of Addicts
Its difficult to cope when a loved one struggles with addiction. You may feel like youve tried everything to get them the help they need. When your attempts are unsuccessful, though, its painful and disheartening, to say the least. Even if your loved one chooses to continue using substances, finding help for yourself may be one of the best choices.
Help isnt only available for people who live in active addiction its also available for addicts families. If you feel the effects of your loved ones substance use, seeking help for yourself is a great way to begin your journey to healing.
Also Check: How To Treat Video Game Addiction
You Had To Cut Your Sibling Out Of Your Life And You Feel Horrible About It
For my own safety and sanity, I eventually decided that as long as my brother was active in his addiction, he couldnt be part of my life. Sadly, I havent spoken to or laid eyes on him in over a decade and there isnt a day that passes that I dont think about him.
The last time we spoke, I made sure he knew that as soon as he was ready for rehab, Id be there to help him. Unfortunately, he wasnt receptive to my offer and that was the end of it.
Do I ever second guess my choice? Yes. Do I ever feel like guilty? Yes. Do I love my brother and want him to choose a new path in life? Absolutely. But I also value my health and well-being and hopefully someday he will understand that.
Educate Yourself About Substance Use Disorder
If you have never been exposed to anyone with an addiction, you may have some misinformation about what it is and how it affects users. While learning how to deal with a drug addict sister, its crucial to inform yourself of its effects and how to help positively. At Sana Lake, we can answer all your addiction questions and provide information on helping your sibling achieve recovery.
Read Also: Addiction And Mental Health Treatment Centers
Michaelas Story My Brother Is A Drug Addict
Michaelas Story My Brother Is a Drug Addict
Im Michaela. My brother is a drug addict and Id like to share my story.
Last year when my brother completed his 30 days in rehab we had no idea how to handle the stressful situation and on top of that my brother had moved in with me after us not having had any contact for over 5 years.
Amongst trying to juggle work and other life commitments, my mum and I were completely stressed out and despite seeing doctors, addiction doctors, various specialists and counsellors nothing gave us practical advice that actually helped us.
The Family First Step Program and counselling at Arrow Health SAVED us and our family! You gave us an environment of support, with practical advice that we could put to use.
So often my mum and I would find ourselves taking notes, in particular, sentences that you would say and then we would use them with my brother and get a positive response and we managed to communicate better as a family.
Your course also taught us how to no longer be manipulated anymore or at least not as easily as before and the video really made me realise what the disease of addiction really is. Previously, I always thought that it was mind-over-matter, not realising that there was actual science involved when thinking about addiction and a drug addict.
Addiction Is A Disease Not Bad Behaviour
The first step to fully understanding your siblings situation is by accepting the fact that addiction is a medical condition. Its not bad behaviour or a series of bad choices that someone can simply stop making.
People struggling with SUD compulsively exhibit harmful behaviours which is why others mistakenly think its a behavioural issue. But according to experts, addiction, at its core, is a brain disease that affects the brains neurology.
The disease expresses itself through compulsive behaviourbut its not a social, moral, or criminal problem in itself.
Can it be cured?
Treatment involves complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and the individuals life experiences. But like heart disease and cancer, its a treatable condition that a person can go into remission for or recover from.
Recommended Reading: Questions For Addiction Recovery Groups
Understand Your Risks For Addiction
Did you know that some diseases tend to run in families? There is a classification of diseases called the leukodystrophies, for instance, that occur because of the genetic combination of either one or both parents. There are other conditions that occur because of combinations of genes too, such as Down syndrome. A person who is born with either of these conditions has no choice in the matter. Some diseases and disorders are heredity. A person may not be born with cancer, but their odds of getting it someday go up if someone else in their family has developed it before. The American Cancer Fund has stated that 5 to 10 percent of cancers run in families.
Drug and alcohol addiction is also hereditary, although the scientists arent completely sure yet why this is true. The good news is that heredity is not the only factor in drug abuse. Unlike conditions such as Down syndrome, where a child has no choice in the matter, a child at risk for addiction can make informed, important decisions to protect himself or herself from the disease.
How Addiction Affects Siblings
Siblings of addicts often experience a range of emotions, including anger, frustration, sadness, and shame. They may feel like they are walking on eggshells around their addicted brother or sister. They may also feel isolated and alone as they deal with this issue.
At times, the siblings of drug addicts have to take on a lot of responsibility for their families. They may become responsible for taking care of their siblings or parents, making sure the bills are paid, or dealing with the legal issues associated with addiction. This can be a lot for anyone to handle, especially people who are dealing with a sibling who is suffering from substance use disorder .
Read Also: What Helps With Sugar Addiction
Recognizing The Signs Of A Drug Addiction Or Alcoholism
It’s possible that you know your brother is using alcohol or drugs. However, you’re not completely sure he has an addiction. This is actually much more typical than you might think. It is important for you to be able to recognize an addiction, so that you know how to help.
You may want to take a family member addiction quiz. This quiz will ask you a series of questions about your brother’s behaviors. You can also look for these signs of alcoholism or drug addiction:
- Becoming isolated from loved ones
- Not caring as much about favorite activities
- Not being able to fulfill responsibilities
- Spending a lot of time needing to recover from drinking or using drugs
- Placing drugs or alcohol as the most important thing in his life
What This Time Was Like For Liza And Her Parents
For Liza, supporting her brother looked like checking in with him whenever he was home, having long non-judgemental chats and not pushing him to do things he wasn’t ready for.
She says her parents’ support tended to look like calling him out on any lies they caught him in and setting boundaries around money and their home.
“That felt wrong for me to do , because I wanted to trust him as a person. I found it uncomfortable because I hate confrontation,” Liza says.
“That’s why it was hard whenever I knew something they didn’t I had to decide whether to tell them or let him lie in the bed he’d made.”
She also struggled when her brother asked for money.
Paula Ross, a psychologist who specialises in working with families around substance use, says it’s common to see family members responding differently to it and to have new conflicts arise as a result.
“Some people think they should be supporting the person with substance use issues, some think they should be tougher,” she explains.
So how should you navigate a sibling’s substance use issues, complex family dynamics, and your wellbeing, when tensions are so high?
Read Also: How To Get Over Alcohol Addiction
You Miss The Person Who Was
Although my brother is still alive, I mourn the person he was before drugs and alcohol swallowed up and spit out his life.
In my mind he will always be my big brother. The guy with a great sense of humor. The guy who could walk into any room and make friends instantly. And the guy who made the best cinnamon toast Ive ever tasted.
Will I ever get my big brother back? I dont know and thats the part that scares me the most. I can always hope though that one day he will decide to make new and healthier choices. Although, as long as he is clean and sober, Id be willing to accept however he showed up in my life.
You May Like: How To Be An Addiction Counselor
You Feel Like No One Understands What Youre Going Through
Even as an adult, I find it difficult to connect with people who can relate to what its like to have a sibling who struggles with addiction. Within our own families, especially if we have an enabling parent, our needs can easily fall through the cracks. And even outside of our families, in the overall recovery community, we often find more of the same.
Thats why its so important for us, as siblings of addicts, to speak up and share our experiences with one another. We dont need to wait for permission to create our own supportive communities where our needs, wants and desires have room to breathe. There are other siblings out there who can relate to what youre going through. Even if you havent found your group yet, that doesnt mean youre alone in this. It just means that we as a community have more work and reaching out to do. And I believe that we can do it.
About Dawn Clancy
Dawn Clancy is the creator of Growing Up Chaotic, a blog and radio program for those determined to survive and thrive despite growing up in families rife with addiction, domestic violence and mental illness. Dawn is a regular contributor to Rehabreviews.com and TheFix.com and has appeared on Huffington Post Live. She currently lives in London with her husband and cat called Poo.
5140 Dunstan Road, Greensboro, NC 27405
Recommended Reading: What Causes Alcohol To Be Addictive
Addiction In Richard Morrison’s Quitters Inc
Through Richard Morrison in Stephen Kings short story Quitters, Inc. it shows that love is stronger than any addiction. Morrison tells his wife, Cindy, that he is kicking the habit of smoking for her and their son, Alvin. When he learns that Quitters Inc.s punishment involves his family How horrible would it be for the boy. He wouldn’t understand it even if someone explained. Hell only know someone is hurting him because Daddy was bad. Hell be very frightened. Morrison is so close to tears after hearing that and calls Donatti a … filthy bastard. This validates the thought of his wife and son suffering from his mistakes causes enough pain for him to avoid smoking. Further, When Morrison considers the
Rehab Therapies For Your Loved One
When looking for an addiction treatment center, you will want to find one that offers a dual-diagnosis program. Drug rehab paired with specialized treatment for underlying causes such as anxiety, depression or trauma will be the most beneficial for your loved one. At Transformations Care we treat both the addiction and the mental health disorders, so your brother can get clean for good. Life can throw you curveballs, but well give your loved one the tool they need to handle triggers and how to cope with them.
Also Check: Ct Addiction Medicine Rocky Hill
The Effects Of Addiction On Siblings
Addiction can have various effects on your sibling. For example, addiction causes people to lie and steal in order to obtain drugs or alcohol. The results of these behaviors can be devastating on families, especially siblings of addicts.
People who struggle with addiction also lie about their whereabouts. For example, when you deal with a drug addict sister, she may say she is going to a friends house. However, she is really going to her dealer.
As the addiction worsens, your sibling may spend all their money and time feeding their addiction. As a result, they stop doing things they once enjoyed, such as family time and sports. Siblings with addiction also commonly steal from their brothers and sisters to buy more drugs. Family members are most often the first people a sibling with addiction steals from.
As an addiction pulls your sibling further down, their behavior becomes riskier. As a result, they get into legal trouble. For example, they may get arrested while buying drugs. Frequently, family members like siblings of addicts feel obligated to pay legal fees to minimize the familys shame.
