You’ve done everything you can.  And, finally, you got the result you hoped for.  

Or so you thought.

Finally see a loved one make it to -- and through -- a rehab program can bring relief to many families.  But making it to rehab is not the end to the long road to addiction recovery.  Just the contrary, many times it is just the beginning.

Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation

Parents don’t know how to parent a young adult who is an alcoholic and/or drug addict. Period! What they do know, is that there comes a point when they reach outside of themselves, their family unit and ask for help. Usually, when everything they have tried to do to save their child from alcohol and drug addiction hasn’t worked. And, when they get to this point, we the addiction professionals can hear their emotional exhaustion and psychological desperation. But most importantly, we can hear the unconditional love that they have for their children. We can only hear it, if we are actually listening. And if we are listening; it is that love, that bond that we the professionals should be nurturing.

We should be utilizing every clinical skill we have attained to strengthen the individual and secure the foundation of their relationships, which are based on unconditional love.

Are you struggling with drug and/or alcohol addiction? Do you suspect a loved one might be? Drug and alcohol addiction is a pervasive issue in this country that affects the lives of countless millions. In fact, more than 8 percent of the U.S. population is reportedly dependent on drugs and/or alcohol, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). And sadly, more than 94 percent of these individuals claim to not need treatment.

There are many steps to addiction recovery and the first step is to admit there is a problem. Knowing the symptoms of addiction can help you or a loved one break through the denial that is common in addiction. The next step is to seek addiction treatment. It cannot be stressed enough that addiction is a complicated disease that requires professional treatment.

The loss of a loved one is never an easy topic, regardless of the contributing circumstances. If you have lost a loved one to a drug or alcohol-related overdose, we at the 12 Palms Recovery Center extend our deepest sympathies to you.

During this difficult period, please give yourself time to grieve. As you know, your life will be changed forever. Grief recovery is a process that can take a long time for you to heal emotionally. Please be patient with yourself and accept the various emotions that you will experience. You will likely experience many different emotions that will include sadness, anger and self-blame. It is important to remind yourself that the passing of a loved one due to an overdose is not your fault. You, as a loved one, can only provide support to another. You cannot control or change another.

Addiction and Codependency: Breaking the Cycle of Enabling

Drug and alcohol addiction affects the addict and everyone around them. It’s this circle of influence that plays a key role in either enabling the drug or alcohol addiction, or encouraging recovery. That’s why it is crucial to understand the fine line between encouraging your loved one to get help – or becoming codependent and helping to maintain the addict’s destructive behavior.

What is Codependency?

A ‘codependent’ is someone who has developed an extreme dependency on someone else – in this instance, on the addict. They are often spouses, children or other relatives of the addict.

Addiction to alcohol and drugs can affect anyone, regardless of their race, age, socioeconomic status, education or religious affiliation. Thanks to advances in medical and psychological research, the social stigma attached to substance abuse and addiction are slowly eroding as society becomes more educated and understanding of this disease.

And it is a disease…but did you flinch for a second when you read the word ‘disease’?