You may have heard addiction described as a "family disease." What this means, in its most basic sense, is that while the addict receives much of the attention for their sickness, their family also plays a significant role in the development and continuation of the addiction. Long-term addiction recovery is therefore ... Read More
Help For Loved Ones
When your loved one begins exhibiting signs of substance abuse or increasing mental health issues it can leave you feeling helpless and desperate. These feelings are not uncommon and we’ve seen them all as we’ve treated thousands of patients and their families. The articles found here focus on tips and advice on supporting a loved one who is struggling with a disorder or has begun treatment and needs support.
Featured in Help for Your Loved One
How to Help Someone With Depression Who Doesn’t Want It?
Family Roles and Dysfunction: The Impact on Recovery
The Family Dynamics of Addiction Mean Each Member Plays a Role: Discover Yours
Can Drug Addicts Change?
It’s happened again. Your loved one has promised to change, not to use drugs or drink alcohol, and yet, here you are, facing their broken promise. You’ve tried time and time again to forgive, forget and have hope. Now, you're wondering, does addiction last a lifetime? Is there any real hope of not having to deal ... Read More
How (and Why) to Talk About Your Family’s Mental Health History
As we continue to learn more about mental health and the origins of many mental illnesses, family mental health history continues to become a more focal issue, and not without good reason. More information comes out every year that suggests that mental illness is passed down genetically, meaning that if a person's ... Read More
Self-Care Tips for Protecting Your Mental Health When You Love Someone with an Addiction
Every person trying to beat addiction or dealing with a substance abuse problem needs a support system. But if the support system is primarily a single individual, it can take a huge toll on that person's mental health. If you have a loved one who is going through the journey of rehab and entering into a sober ... Read More
6 Tips for Helping Your Partner Stay Sober After Rehab
Having a loved one suffering from addiction can be very difficult, no matter who you are or what you've experienced in your life. Seeing people we love go through something that changes who they are and actively hurts them is not something we're prepared to go through. There exists a misconception, when we think of ... Read More
A Loved One’s Guide to Healthy Communication with an Addict
It’s not easy to watch a loved one continue to use drugs or alcohol when it's very obvious to you that it’s destroying their life. You know they can turn things around if they just stopped using. You may be tired of picking up the pieces and managing life on your own. Having healthy communication skills in a ... Read More
Setting and Keeping Healthy Boundaries: A Roadmap for Those Who Love Someone with an Addiction
There’s nothing you want more than for your loved one’s addiction to just go away. You want to shield them from the consequences of their actions, provide them with the tools to get healthy, and then move on with your lives. Although that’s not easy to do, setting healthy boundaries is a critical step for your loved ... Read More
5 Useful Considerations When a Spouse’s Workaholism Is Impacting Your Relationship
Could your loved one be addicted to work? What do you do when your husband works so much that you feel he is missing out on key time with the kids? What about the wife who is unable to attend the kids' games or important family functions? Working long hours isn’t uncommon in many situations. Knowing when a person is ... Read More
