Our Family Programme

Help for families of drug addicts

Addiction and substance abuse is an illness that not only affects the person suffering but also massively impacts on family members, friends, work colleagues and partners. If you are a family member of someone with a substance misuse issue or addiction, you will know only too well what we mean by this.

Often family members are neglected from the bigger picture of the recovering addict or alcoholics journey. We at Rehab Guide understand that to treat someone suffering from this life-threatening illness, that all aspects of their life also need to be reviewed and wherever possible treated professionally.

Family can play a vital part in a recovering addicts life, but this is not something that you are automatically expected to know. This is why we support family members as much as we can. For all of our patients, we ensure that we provide therapy for families of addicts and give practical advice, reassurance and sometimes just a listening ear for anyone that is close to them.

As well as supplying support for families of addicts 24/7 over the phone, we also offer rehab programmes that include specific family programmes, aimed solely at the family.

What is a family programme?

It has been recognised for many years that families can play an integral part in an addict’s successful recovery from addiction. To account for this, some of our detox centres and rehab clinics run groups for families as part of their treatment plans for our patients.

Family programmes are held within our actual rehabs, and they vary in intensity from an hour-long counselling session to more comprehensive weekend support groups. Qualified addiction counsellors and psychologists lead all family therapy sessions. They are informative, supportive and extremely beneficial to all that attend and are usually hour-long sessions that are led by a qualified counsellor who specialises in addiction treatment.

Who can attend family programmes

While the name’ family programme’ suggests that it is only for family members of the patient, any individual who is close to the addict and has been affected by their behaviour can also attend. This means that partners and friends of drug users can also benefit from professional input.

It is important to us, that those closest to the addict and who plan on being in their life once they return home understand how to support their loved one and also receive support for themselves.

Many family members feel like they are ‘treading on eggshells when they first have their newly sober and clean loved one back with them. This is completely understandable and natural, but we hope that by attending our family programme you will learn how to not only help to support your loved one get their life back on track but also your own life!

The benefits of attending our family treatment programme

Attending our family support programme offers many benefits both to you as an individual and to the person you wish to support.

Sometimes as a family member, it is easy to feel neglected. After all, your loved one is undergoing professional rehabilitation treatment in a residential treatment centre, but where does that leave you? While substance abuse may have a destructive effect on the individual concerned in terms of his or her mental and physical health, it can also have an overwhelming impact on other family members such as wives, husbands, parents, children, and siblings as well as other members of the family unit.

Any family member, partner or friend of an alcoholic or addict will be all too familiar with their lies, their thoughtlessness, their selfishness, manipulation and deceit. How do you address this when they come out? Do you address it, or do you move on? And if you do move on, how do you move on? All these questions and more become much clearer to answer with our professional help.

By attending a family programme with the Rehab Guide, you will gain many benefits, including:

• 24/7 telephone support in case of an emergency
• Follow up care to check how everyone is managing
• Professional counselling and guidance within our rehab centres
• Advice on rebuilding healthy relationships, codependency and enabling
• Practical tips on how to support the recovering addict
• The feeling of not being alone anymore in your predicament
• The benefit of feeling ‘heard’ by someone
• Learn about ‘healthy boundaries” and when they are needed

Rehab Guide provides support for families of drug users in the UK, including London, Glasgow, Aberdeen. Call us today to find our more.

What if my family member relapses?

This has to be the biggest fear for any family member and understandably so. By attending our family programme, you will come to understand addiction as an illness and learn where to draw a line for what and whom you are responsible for.

The reality is that due to the nature of addiction being a brain disorder that your family member may relapse despite any efforts you do to support them. However, by them undergoing intensive professional drug and alcohol treatment, learning essential relapse prevention techniques and attending aftercare, with your support also, their chances of relapse are dramatically lessened.

If your family member does relapse or is currently in need of help for a drug or alcohol problem, please call Rehab Guide direct on 02072 052845 and speak with one of our friendly addiction treatment experts.

We will ensure that you access the correct help without delay and talk you through your options.