To Become Part Of The Recovery Process By Teresa Palmer, Family Counselor Family members often question why they should become involved in the process of recovery. Addiction is often referred to as a family disease. Because of this unhealthy interaction, the family members need rehabilitation as much as the addicted person. The family members are the primary focus of family treatment. Individual members of the family develop maladaptive ways of handling the addicted person that lead to disappointment, depression, irritability, withdrawal and helplessness.
Blame games begin to emerge.
The interaction of all the family members is affected. Feelings of inner vulnerability and sensitivity are no longer tolerated. Yearnings for someone to rescue them and take care of them begin to dominate, with the resulting increase in dependency and anger. Sometimes the frustration is so great that the only way to escape is to join the addiction and become addicts themselves. The family members have become sick and need recovery for themselves.