My Recovery Day offers the “My Family Recovers” Program, an innovative initiative focused on Education and Family Peer Support. This program is designed to offer vital education and collaborative group facilitated peer assistance to families navigating the challenges of addiction alongside their loved ones. As addiction deeply impacts both individuals and their family units, it gives rise to intricate emotional, psychological, and societal dynamics. The “My Family Recovers” Program endeavors to provide families with the means, tools, and peer-based aid required to gain a better comprehension of addiction, manage its effects, and foster a supportive environment conducive to their loved ones’ path to recovery.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Parents, spouses, other family members or significant others who are concerned about a loved one’s use of alcohol, other drugs and substances.
FORMAT AND TIMES: My Family Recovers consists of 6 open ended meetings. Meetings are held online through Zoom, weekly on weekday evenings from 6pm to 8pm. The first hour is education and the second hour is group facilitated peer support.
HOW DO YOU REGISTER: The My Family Recovers Program is offered through organizations that partner with us to support their clients’ families. Please ask your provider or the sponsoring organizations if they have this program. If not, they can reach us at sober@myrecoveryday.com for more information.
BACKGROUND
Estimations reveal that approximately 46.3 million Americans aged 12 and older meet the criteria for substance use disorder. This disorder knows no bounds of race, ethnicity, location, economic status, religion, or education; it is a universally impartial ailment. The progressive and detrimental impact of addiction on those afflicted is life-altering. Over time, these behaviors become evident to family members and those in their surroundings. Yet, what may not be immediately apparent or fully comprehended are the subtle but profound effects of the addicted individual’s actions on their loved ones and the larger systems they are a part of. Research suggests that for each individual grappling with substance use disorder, around 5 to 6 family members are significantly affected by the consequences and associated issues stemming from their loved one’s addiction-driven behaviors. This implies that approximately 246 million individuals could be touched by these circumstances.
In 2019, a Gallup Poll survey disclosed that 46% of adults in the United States have confronted substance use disorder within their families. Left untreated, substance use disorder contributes to divorce, child abuse and neglect, elevated healthcare expenses, crime rates, and hundreds of thousands of untimely deaths annually. The present annual economic toll due to substance use disorder is projected to exceed $850 billion in the United States. Despite the medical community’s consensus from years ago that addiction is a multifaceted, chronic brain ailment, individuals afflicted by addiction are still often held accountable for their condition. Even well-intentioned professionals may perceive these individuals as morally deficient or as having consciously chosen addiction.
This prevailing perception significantly contributes to the higher likelihood of those with addiction being arrested or experiencing premature death, rather than receiving appropriate treatment. Only 1 out of 10 individuals necessitating treatment for addiction actually receive it.
The struggle to dispel the stigma surrounding substance use disorders has seen minimal advancement. Beliefs such as “this couldn’t happen in my family” or “it’s just a passing phase” often foster years of denial. During this period, emotional and financial hardships take a toll on family members. Without intervention, family members remain traumatized by the physical and emotional upheaval, attempting to manage their loved one’s addiction-induced repercussions.
Especially in the case of parents of addicted individuals, family members can become entangled in their own dysfunctional patterns while striving to maintain a connection with their loved one. They may wrongly believe that their loved one’s disorder or addiction is their own fault, leading them to think they possess the power to rectify it. Engaging in a lengthy and arduous battle, they hope to control the behaviors, which in turn perpetuates an unhealthy enmeshed relationship. The My Family Recovers Education and Support Group Program is meticulously crafted to address the needs of family members and concerned individuals grappling with the addictive use of alcohol, drugs, and other substances by their loved ones.
THE My Family Recovers EDUCATION AND Facilitated family peer SUPPOrt Program
Educational Seminars: Our program hosts regular educational seminars to empower families with enhanced insights into addiction, its consequences, and evidence-supported treatment avenues. Proficient professionals, mental health authorities, and individuals with personal experience lead these seminars, promoting empathy and insight.
Peer Support Sessions: “My Family Recovers” has established group facilitated, structured peer support sessions, uniting families confronting similar trials. These sessions furnish a secure, non-judgmental space for families to exchange their stories, articulate their sentiments, and extend mutual assistance. Peer support has demonstrated its efficacy in catalyzing healing and personal advancement. The sessions are run online following the educational seminar. Individuals that attend the live online sessions can also join the private Facebook group called “My Recovery Family.” In this Facebook forum, individuals can also share information.
Resource Hub: An extensive resource hub, replete with educational materials, recovery manuals, and links to directories of community support services. This hub enables families to conveniently access additional information and assistance whenever they require it.