Substance Abuse Substance Abuse and Family and Family FunctioningFunctioning

By Tara SpoerlBy Tara Spoerl

Substance Abuse and Family Substance Abuse and Family FunctioningFunctioning..

How well do you know how your How well do you know how your family works?family works?

If you have an addicted family If you have an addicted family member ask yourself if you are member ask yourself if you are happy… is your family happy?happy… is your family happy?

This presentation This presentation identifies how identifies how

addiction plays a addiction plays a part in families part in families

and how it can get and how it can get better. better.

Substance Abuse and Family Substance Abuse and Family Functioning Important Questions.Functioning Important Questions.

Is your family healthy?Is your family healthy? Is there substance abuse in your Is there substance abuse in your

family?family? What ways have you or your family What ways have you or your family

dealt with this family member?dealt with this family member?It can be hard to survive in a family It can be hard to survive in a family

dealing with addiction. dealing with addiction. You are not alone!You are not alone!

Facts on FamiliesFacts on Families ““13% of children lived in a household 13% of children lived in a household

where a parent or other adult used illicit where a parent or other adult used illicit drugs”drugs”

“ “24% of children lived in a household 24% of children lived in a household where a parent or other adult was a binge where a parent or other adult was a binge or heavy drinker”or heavy drinker”

““Approximately 53 percent of adults in the Approximately 53 percent of adults in the United States have reported that one or United States have reported that one or more of their close relatives have a more of their close relatives have a drinking problem.” drinking problem.” (Caron.org 2014)(Caron.org 2014)

Families deal with addiction in Families deal with addiction in different ways!different ways!

DepressionDepression

Loss of trust and faith.Loss of trust and faith.

Emotional Disconnection or hiding Emotional Disconnection or hiding feelings.feelings.

Do you hide your feelings so that there Do you hide your feelings so that there is less conflict?is less conflict?

Survival RolesSurvival RolesHow a family member copes with the situation in an unhealthy mannerHow a family member copes with the situation in an unhealthy manner

The Scapegoat: The Scapegoat: The member who gets into trouble The member who gets into trouble and seems not to care. This is the other focus of the family.and seems not to care. This is the other focus of the family.

The Lost Child: The Lost Child: The ‘uninportant’ one who seems to The ‘uninportant’ one who seems to disappear.disappear.

The Enabler: The Enabler: They do things that allow the addicted They do things that allow the addicted person to continue their behavior. They may make excuses for person to continue their behavior. They may make excuses for the addicted the addicted

Survival Roles.. continued..Survival Roles.. continued..

The Hero: The Hero: This person is seen as a success and tends This person is seen as a success and tends to have poor self esteem. to have poor self esteem.

The Mascot: The Mascot: Everyone may try to protect this child Everyone may try to protect this child by not telling them things, but he or she is probably aware by not telling them things, but he or she is probably aware that something wrong.that something wrong.

Take a minute and Take a minute and think about what think about what

survival roles you or survival roles you or other family members other family members

take. take.

Co-dependencyCo-dependency Codependents feel the need to help others Codependents feel the need to help others

when they have a problem and this when they have a problem and this includes addiction. includes addiction.

It makes the addiction worseIt makes the addiction worse They ignore problems or pretend that they They ignore problems or pretend that they

don’t exist.don’t exist. Feel shame that does not pass. Feel shame that does not pass. Codependents and addicts often end up Codependents and addicts often end up

together. together.

The AddictThe Addict

The addict in the family may not be The addict in the family may not be aware the s/he is causing problems aware the s/he is causing problems

within the family. within the family.

Behaviors of the AddictBehaviors of the Addict They are obsessed with the addiction of They are obsessed with the addiction of

their choice. They may be distracted when their choice. They may be distracted when they are not using. they are not using.

They will deny having a problemThey will deny having a problem Will try to hide the behavior. Will try to hide the behavior. They will continue to do this behavior even They will continue to do this behavior even

though it causes issues within their lives. though it causes issues within their lives.

Behaviors of the AddictBehaviors of the Addict When the family member is using When the family member is using

their choice of addiction they may not their choice of addiction they may not remember what happens. remember what happens.

When they cant get their addiction of When they cant get their addiction of choice they may experience choice they may experience withdrawal symptoms which may withdrawal symptoms which may include: include: irritability, fatigue, insomnia, irritability, fatigue, insomnia, sweating, headache, and difficulty sweating, headache, and difficulty concentrating concentrating

Behaviors of the AddictBehaviors of the Addict At times there may be a loss of At times there may be a loss of

control and the addict will binge their control and the addict will binge their addiction of choice. addiction of choice.

The addict may push away loved The addict may push away loved ones. This includes family. ones. This includes family.

They may have mood swings. They They may have mood swings. They may become angry for no reason. may become angry for no reason.

AddictionAddiction

All of these behaviors that were All of these behaviors that were mentioned happen because of the mentioned happen because of the

addiction. addiction.

It’s not your fault that the family It’s not your fault that the family member is addicted or that these member is addicted or that these

behaviors happen. behaviors happen.

Family DynamicsFamily Dynamics When an addict pops up in a family the When an addict pops up in a family the

reactions are normal.reactions are normal. It is normal for families to want to help It is normal for families to want to help

other family members. other family members. When the family members problems When the family members problems

involve drugs any efforts on the part of involve drugs any efforts on the part of the family to help with the addict's the family to help with the addict's problems often continue the addict's problems often continue the addict's behavior.behavior.

FEARFEARLiving in an environment with an addicted family member can Living in an environment with an addicted family member can

create a lot of fear!create a lot of fear!

Fear of failure or success. Fear of failure or success. Fear of rejection.Fear of rejection.

It can also create lots of problems!

Such as problems handling conflict.

You may also have problems with communicating.

Problems with low self esteem

CommunicatingCommunicatingIn a family with addiction problems there In a family with addiction problems there

is likely poor communication or none at all. is likely poor communication or none at all. Remember: This is not your fault. Remember: This is not your fault. The message to everyone in the family The message to everyone in the family

most likely is not to talk about the family most likely is not to talk about the family members “problem”members “problem”

Family members calling each other names Family members calling each other names is another example of poor is another example of poor

communication. communication.

Help can be around the Help can be around the corner.corner.

Nar-Anon is an organization for friends Nar-Anon is an organization for friends and relatives of addiction. It can help and relatives of addiction. It can help

you deal with the problem. you deal with the problem.

Exercises to help your family.Exercises to help your family. An important aspect of a family or An important aspect of a family or

group of people is communication. group of people is communication. Remember in an earlier slide I talked Remember in an earlier slide I talked

about poor communication. about poor communication. In exercise 1 on the next slide I will In exercise 1 on the next slide I will

give you tools on how to have good give you tools on how to have good communication. communication.

Lets get started…!Lets get started…!

Exercise 1Exercise 1 Everyone in the family think of a Everyone in the family think of a

situation that you were unhappy in.situation that you were unhappy in. Write down what happened or just Write down what happened or just

the facts.the facts. Write down your thoughts about the Write down your thoughts about the

situation.situation. Write down the emotions that you Write down the emotions that you

felt. felt.

Exercise 1Exercise 1 Now one by say what you wrote Now one by say what you wrote

down. down. Discuss the situation. Discuss the situation. Taking turns explain how that Taking turns explain how that

situation could have better handled.situation could have better handled. Next time that situation happens Next time that situation happens

speak up and communicate how you speak up and communicate how you are feeling! are feeling!

Exercise 2Exercise 2 This exercise is for a single person to do This exercise is for a single person to do

by themselves.by themselves. Write on a piece of paper all the good Write on a piece of paper all the good

things about yourself. things about yourself. At the end of it write; “I am a good At the end of it write; “I am a good

person.” person.” Keep this paper with you and whenever Keep this paper with you and whenever

you are feeling down about yourself you are feeling down about yourself look at it and repeat the last line. look at it and repeat the last line.

http://www.nacoa.org/pdfs/The%20Set%20Up%20for%20Social%20Work%20Curriculum.pdfhttp://www.nacoa.org/pdfs/The%20Set%20Up%20for%20Social%20Work%20Curriculum.pdf

http://www.casacolumbia.org/addiction-research/reports/family-matters-substance-abuse-and-http://www.casacolumbia.org/addiction-research/reports/family-matters-substance-abuse-and-american-familyamerican-family

http://www.caron.org/knowledge-library/statistics-outcomeshttp://www.caron.org/knowledge-library/statistics-outcomes

http://addictioninfamily.com/family-issues/unhealthy-families/http://addictioninfamily.com/family-issues/unhealthy-families/

http://socialworklicensemap.com/recovery-month-and-the-role-of-family-dynamics-in-substance-abuse/http://socialworklicensemap.com/recovery-month-and-the-role-of-family-dynamics-in-substance-abuse/

http://www.thehillscenter.com/family/alcoholic-family-dynamics/http://www.thehillscenter.com/family/alcoholic-family-dynamics/

http://www.interventionsupport.com/family-therapy/addiction-family-therapy-models/http://www.interventionsupport.com/family-therapy/addiction-family-therapy-models/ therapy ideastherapy ideas

http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/hints/addictiveb.htmlhttp://www.indiana.edu/~engs/hints/addictiveb.html

http://www.resource-i.com/PDFs/Leadership_series4.pdfhttp://www.resource-i.com/PDFs/Leadership_series4.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02oi4UOqOF8https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02oi4UOqOF8