Loved Ones Archives - Enlightened Solutions

How to Help a Loved One With Addiction

Written by enlightened solutions on October 26, 2023. Posted in Family Recovery. Leave a Comment

Watching a loved one struggle with addiction is a challenging and heartbreaking experience. However, there is hope, and you can play a crucial role in helping them on their journey to recovery. Enlightened Solutions is a leading drug and alcohol addiction treatment center that provides a comprehensive range of clinical care options, including detox, residential treatment, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient treatment, and outpatient treatment. Enlightened Solutions also addresses dual-diagnosis disorders to offer holistic healing for your loved one.

How to Help a Loved One With Addiction

Addiction is a complex and chronic disease that has far-reaching consequences for families and communities. By offering support and encouragement, families and friends can empower their loved ones to seek treatment and embark on a path to recovery. Moreover, substance use disorders often lead to physical and mental health issues, legal problems, and strained relationships.

By helping loved ones access the appropriate treatment and resources, we can help them regain control of their lives, rebuild relationships, and find hope and healing on the road to recovery. Ultimately, intervention can be a lifeline, providing the opportunity for a brighter and healthier future for the person we care about.

Educate Yourself

The first step in helping a loved one with addiction is to focus on education. It is always a good idea to learn about addiction as a disease and thoroughly understand its signs, symptoms, and underlying causes. This knowledge will enable a person to approach the situation empathetically and clearly understand what their loved one is going through.

Open Communication

Maintaining open and non-judgmental communication is vital. It is beneficial for a person to let their loved one know they are there to support them, not blame or shame them. Express concern and offer a listening ear when they are ready to talk. Avoid confrontations and arguments, as these can be counterproductive.

Be Supportive

Support a loved one throughout their recovery journey. Attend therapy sessions or support groups with them if they are comfortable with it. Offer encouragement, celebrate their milestones, and be patient as they navigate the recovery challenges.

Set Boundaries

While being supportive, it is crucial to set boundaries to protect oneself and maintain a healthy relationship. Be clear about what behavior will and will not be tolerated, and stick to these boundaries consistently.

Practice Self-Care

Taking care of oneself is just as important as supporting a loved one. A person should ensure they have a support network, seek counseling if necessary, and prioritize their well-being. Some ways to practice self-care while helping a loved one through the recovery process are seeking individual therapy and joining a peer support group like Al-Anon.

Encourage Professional Help

Enlightened Solutions is a reputable addiction treatment center that offers a range of clinical care options tailored to each client’s unique needs. The levels of care we provide include:

Detoxification (Detox)

Detoxification is the first step in addiction treatment. It involves supervised medical detox to remove substances from the body safely. Enlightened Solutions offers a safe and comfortable environment for individuals to undergo detox while minimizing withdrawal symptoms and medical risks.

Residential Treatment

Residential treatment, also referred to as inpatient treatment, provides a structured and supportive environment for recovery. It includes therapy, counseling, and group activities to address the physical, psychological, and emotional aspects of addiction. Enlightened Solutions’ residential program offers a holistic approach to healing.

Partial Hospitalization (PHP)

Partial hospitalization is an intermediate level of care that provides intensive treatment during the day while allowing patients to return home in the evenings. It is suitable for individuals who require ongoing support but can manage daily responsibilities.

Intensive Outpatient Treatment (IOP)

Intensive outpatient treatment is a flexible option that allows individuals to receive treatment while continuing to live at home. Enlightened Solutions’ intensive outpatient program offers therapy, counseling, and support to help clients maintain sobriety.

Outpatient Treatment (OP)

Outpatient treatment offers ongoing support and therapy on a less intensive basis. It is ideal for individuals who have completed higher levels of care but still need ongoing counseling and support to prevent relapse.

Staging a Professional Intervention

Staging a professional intervention for a loved one struggling with a substance use disorder is a compassionate and carefully orchestrated process aimed at helping them find the path to recovery. It involves a team of trained professionals, family members, and friends coming together to express their concerns and support for the individual in a non-confrontational manner.

The objective is to create a safe and empathetic environment where the person can see the impact of their addiction on themselves and their loved ones. A professional interventionist plays a pivotal role in guiding the conversation and ensuring it remains constructive and focused on encouraging the individual to seek treatment. While emotionally challenging, staging an intervention can be a crucial turning point in the journey toward recovery, offering hope and a lifeline to a brighter, healthier future.

Contact Us Today to Help a Loved One Begin Healing

Helping a loved one with addiction can be challenging, but recovery is possible with the right approach and access to professional help. Enlightened Solutions, a trusted addiction treatment center, offers various clinical care options to meet your loved one’s needs.

Enlightened Solutions is dedicated to providing comprehensive and compassionate care. Additionally, their expertise in addressing dual-diagnosis disorders ensures that your loved one receives holistic healing. By taking these steps and seeking professional guidance, you can be a supportive force in your loved one’s journey toward recovery. Contact us today to learn more about how to help a loved one with addiction!

How Can I Help Loved Ones Understand Addiction?

Written by enlightened solutions on December 12, 2022. Posted in Relationships.

When you are recovering from addiction, it becomes clear that some who have not experienced addiction firsthand may struggle to understand it. It can feel isolating when your loved ones do not know what you’re going through. Helping your loved ones to understand addiction better involves taking it one step at a time to build more effective communication.

Addiction is a family disease. Addiction to one family member can create toxicity in the entire unit. At Enlightened Solutions, we believe in incorporating loved ones into the healing and recovery process.

Can My Loved Ones Understand Addiction?

Without experiencing addiction firsthand, your loved ones will have a different perspective on addiction. However, they can understand it as they learn alongside you. Loved ones are likely to have frustrations. Your behavior, choices, and journey are unfamiliar to them, which can be frustrating. Additionally, addiction commonly brings chaos, which likely has impacted their lives as well as your own.

There are certain aspects of addiction that you can help your loved ones to understand. By incorporating them into your treatment, they can learn about addiction as a disease. At Enlightened Solutions, we help family members to understand that addiction is a disease. As they learn about the different aspects of addiction, it can give them a more educated perspective that goes beyond their direct experience of watching you struggle with substance abuse.

Your loved ones can also learn by communicating with you during your treatment. In family sessions, all parties have their turn to speak and share. Both sharing and listening are educational experiences. Your loved ones have the opportunity to learn about your direct experience with addiction and be able to share theirs. This setting helps all members to communicate, connect, and understand each other better.

Benefits of Your Loved One’s Participation in Treatment

You and your loved ones make up a family system. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), when a family member’s thinking and response to addiction changes, the entire family system changes. This, in turn, has a very positive outcome for all involved.

It is helpful when your family understands addiction and how they can support you in a way that benefits you and them. Their participation in treatment provides the tools to protect their health and aid in the recovery process. While every family unit looks different, family therapy in addiction treatment often includes learning about boundaries, communication, and respect. This will be two-sided, meaning you and your loved ones will both need to make adjustments to these aspects of your relationship.

There are many benefits of including your loved ones in treatment. Below we will outline a few that can be highly impactful for you and your loved ones.

Family Healing

Addiction often causes a tremendous amount of damage to your relationship with your loved ones. In Enlightened Solutions’ family program, we work to address this. We want to involve family and loved ones in the process of healing so that they can heal alongside you. When this is facilitated in a safe environment, such as a family program, it is more likely to be successful. You and your loved ones will learn the skills needed to both heal and move forward with an improved relationship.

Family healing means more than simply addressing each individual. It is a unique blend of addressing the past and looking forward. For you and your loved ones to heal, you must find a way to function differently in the future. We help your loved ones learn the skills they need to protect themselves while improving their understanding of addiction as a disease.

Strengthened Communication

As the foundation of the relationship, communication is vital. For both you and your loved ones, many adjustments will improve your relationships. You and your loved ones can learn how to communicate how you feel and what is happening internally. This helps both parties heal and move forward with a more intimate knowledge of each other.

Improved communication helps you and your loved ones in and out of your direct relationship. In recovery, you will be returning to many social situations that will benefit from the practice you have put in through our family program. Practicing listening, articulating, and exploring different ways to communicate will help you at work and with other friendships in your life. Recovery will require you to make changes in many aspects of your life, including relationships. A family program, like the one at Enlightened Solutions, helps you learn how to communicate better as you move forward.

Healthy Boundaries for You and Your Loved Ones

Communication is also vital in the formation of new and healthier relationships with your loved ones. In many families in which a member has struggled with addiction, there is commonly a lack of boundaries. Healthy boundaries are integral to healthy relationships for you and your loved ones. Acknowledging and communicating these boundaries will help all parties care for their needs while maintaining a relationship.

Without experiencing addiction firsthand, it can be tough to understand. At Enlightened Solutions, we offer a family program that can be participated in remotely or in person. We believe in the power of family healing. In sharing your experience, your loved ones can start to understand you better. As they learn more about the process of addiction, the relationships will change. Healing as a family requires listening and sharing from all parties. As you hear about each others’ experiences, you can work together to adjust how you function as a family unit. To learn more about our family program and how we can help you, call (833) 801-LIVE today to speak with a staff member.

Supporting A Loved One Who Has Experienced Sexual Assault

Written by enlightened solutions on December 20, 2016. Posted in Family Recovery. Leave a Comment

According to RAINN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, an American is sexually assaulted every 109 seconds. Out of every 1,000 perpetrators, only 6 will end up in prison to pay for their crime.

Listen To Their Story

Our cultural environment tends to play the role of the non believer when it comes to listening to stories of sexual assault. We like to blame the victim for not doing enough to protect themselves or change the situation. Sexual assault is highly stigmatized in our society, leaving victims of sexual assault feeling a double dose of shame. One of the best things you can do if your loved one has experienced sexual assault is listen to them actively. Active listening means creating the space to totally hear what they have to say without interruption, question, or judgment. After they are done, thank them for sharing, and remind them you are hear to listen to them.

Learn More About Sexual Assault

Sexual assault is not just rape. Men and women are groped, mistreated, and physically/sexually abused each day. Around the country there are trainings on stopping sexual assault, caring for someone who has been sexually assaulted, and learning more about consent. Sexual assault can be traumatizing resulting in ongoing effects similar to those of PTSD which can include symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Encourage A Report

Millions of sexual assault survivors go without making an official report. Many feel a report only brings them more shame and judgment, that they are never taken seriously. A report should still be made, as well as a full physical inspection. Support them by telling them you’ll be by their side.

Understand Their Sensitivity

We live in a sex driven culture that often doesn’t consider the depth of its jokes. Understand that for years to come, your loved one might be sensitive to the hypersexuality around them. What might seem like a harmless joke may be a deeply disturbing trigger for them. Try to act respectful toward sex, sexuality, and topics of sexual violence.

Enlightened Solutions supports the treatment of substance use disorders which are co-occurring with mild or severe PTSD. Our facility is certified to treat dual diagnosis clients in order to meet all of their needs for recovery. Call us today to learn more about our programs, 833-801-5483.

Tag: Loved Ones

How to Help a Loved One With Addiction

How to Help a Loved One With Addiction

Educate Yourself

Open Communication

Be Supportive

Set Boundaries

Practice Self-Care

Encourage Professional Help

Detoxification (Detox)

Residential Treatment

Partial Hospitalization (PHP)

Intensive Outpatient Treatment (IOP)

Outpatient Treatment (OP)

Staging a Professional Intervention

Contact Us Today to Help a Loved One Begin Healing

How Can I Help Loved Ones Understand Addiction?

Can My Loved Ones Understand Addiction?

Benefits of Your Loved One’s Participation in Treatment

Family Healing

Strengthened Communication

Healthy Boundaries for You and Your Loved Ones

Supporting A Loved One Who Has Experienced Sexual Assault

Listen To Their Story

Learn More About Sexual Assault

Encourage A Report

Understand Their Sensitivity

Contact Us

Get In Touch

Links

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