Substance abuse and addiction has the capacity to damage the trust, relationship, communication and dynamics of a family. Family members who have their loved one suffering from substance abuse, will have to go through lots of distressing emotions.
It becomes more frustrating because the addicted individual also feels helpless and hopeless.
Each member of the family has an important role to play when it comes to dealing with substance abuse and addiction. The family has the capacity to ensure that they are major contributors to restoring the health of their addicted member back to normalcy.
The roles which family members are to play, are needed to be healthy ones which support recovery. The family should hold their member accountable for behaviors and also give rewards when there are positive outcomes.
Supportive family members will also go for support groups with their member to make sure that they are fully cooperative in their treatment.
When it comes to adolescents being addicted in the family, it is a similar ball game. However, the case is quite more complicated, and this is due to the fact that they are just developing behavioral and social patterns, and taking alcohol or drugs could make their growth and development more complicated.
For instance, adolescents who start out with substance abuse, are very likely to struggle with it for a good part of their lives, if they do not get early help.
Based on the peculiarities of their age, they would most likely want to explore other means of heightening the pleasure which is produced by their brain.
It is also very easy for adolescents to get addicted due to the fact that they would be exposed to some of these substances by fellow students in their school, during events such as parties and the likes.
Hence, it is up to the family to develop an eagle eye when they suspect that a member of the family has started to develop some strange behaviors which he or she does not typically exhibit.