22 Feb Where Can Families of Addicts and Alcoholics Find Support?
If you are one of the millions of people in the United States who has a loved one addicted to drugs or alcohol, you likely understand the pain, anger, guilt, and sadness that can often accompany the condition.
Loving someone with addiction or alcoholism can be very difficult. You may go back and forth between both deep love and anger at their behaviors. It can be devastating to watch a loved one suffer the consequences of untreated addiction, like damage to their mental and physical health and financial or legal trouble. You may fear for their safety.
The stress and strain of a loved one’s addiction can cause harm to your physical and emotional wellbeing. You may also bear some of the weight of their legal and financial difficulties. The addiction’s effects are not limited to just your loved one–they spill over into the lives of everyone around them.
Alongside high-quality addiction treatment, the support of their loved ones is one of the most important factors in a person’s ability to overcome addiction. Most people with an addicted or alcoholic loved one want to help and support them as much as possible, but doing so can take a physical and emotional toll.
If you are supporting someone with addiction or alcoholism, you must get the support you need to stay grounded, healthy, and focused. For many people, this happens by attending support groups for families of addicts.
Addiction can feel lonely, but you are not alone. If you or a loved one needs addiction treatment or support during recovery, reach out to the knowledgeable staff at the Florida Recovery Group for information about our comprehensive programs and support services.
What Are Well-Known Support Groups for Families of Addicts?
Finding support to help you cope with a loved one’s addiction doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Many groups and organizations exist solely to support people and their loved ones as they live with addiction. Some of the most well-known organizations offer free, regular support to families of addicts and alcoholics.
SMART
Self Management and Recovery Training (SMART) is a secular organization that offers regular support groups for families of addicts. This group provides education about non-confrontational techniques that can help family members effectively communicate with and support their addicted loved ones.
Al-Anon
This worldwide organization is well-known for providing free, regular 12-step meetings for recovering alcoholics. The group holds peer-led meetings and provides support, education, and resources for anyone who needs them.
Alateen
This Al-anon-based program is for teens and adolescents affected by a family member’s alcoholism. It focuses primarily on the concerns of teens or children, such as rejecting shame or blame and increasing self-esteem.
Nar-Anon
This group offers regular 12-step meetings for drug addicts. It is an offshoot of Al-Anon and follows a similar structure during meetings, including support, sharing, and education.
Families Anonymous
These 12-step meetings are designed to give families the support and education they need to help cope with a loved one’s addiction. During meetings, people have a chance to connect with other families in similar circumstances and find similarities in their experiences.
PALS
Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PALs) is a Christian organization that holds weekly meetings for family members of addicts. The meetings are peer-led and include education and sharing.
NAMI
The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) provides free, weekly support meetings for people who have family members with mental illness.
Recovering Couples Anonymous
This support group is designed for couples where both members are in recovery. The support follows the same structure as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
Learn to Cope
This group offers online support groups and education to anyone in the United States and holds in-person meetings in Massachusetts and Florida. The support groups are peer-led and include education and resources for addicts and their families.
In addition to these well-known organizations, many addiction treatment facilities hold their own support groups or can refer people to other community resources. If you have questions about addiction treatment, support groups, or other local recovery resources, reach out to the staff at the Florida Recovery Group for help.
Why Are Support Groups for Families of Addicts Important?
When a loved one struggles with addiction, it may feel important to get them the support and treatment they need. However, addiction is a family and community condition. Without learning about addiction and exploring healthy coping strategies for supporting an addicted loved one, you may end up enabling your loved one or experiencing burnout.
Joining a support group for families of addicts has many benefits, including:
- Learning about addiction
- Setting realistic expectations for treatment
- Learning how to cope with stress
- Being able to identify and stop enabling behaviors
- Feeling more connected and less alone
- Learning how to set healthy boundaries–and why this is important
- Seeing families at different stages of recovery
You can’t take care of your loved one if you don’t have the support you need. Better support for you means that you will be better equipped to support your loved one in their lifelong recovery journey.
Learn More About Addiction Treatment and Recovery at Florida Recovery Group
You do not have to carry the burden of addiction alone. Effective, caring support is available. For more information about the programs and support we can offer you and your loved one, reach out to the staff at the Florida Recovery Group today.
