Seeing your parents struggle with a drug or alcohol addiction is sad and heartbreaking, regardless of your relationship with them. Because they're your parents, you may feel uncomfortable or hesitant about approaching them with a sensitive subject such as addiction. Thankfully, professionals and resources can help struggling parents seek treatment for their addiction.
Professional interventions, learning to initiate conversations and additional services we offer at NorthStar Transitions can prepare you for helping a parent with substance use disorder (SUD). Recovery is possible, but unfortunately, you can't change people alone. They must want to change for themselves. The proper steps can encourage your parent to seek treatment and teach you to help them.
When addiction is involved, the whole family struggles, but the children of parents with SUD experience unique struggles. The effect of addiction often depends on the age of the children. For example, younger children are sometimes oblivious to parental substance use. However, older kids can easily recognize a problem and experience adverse effects from drug or alcohol addiction. As an adult, there may come a day when you need to recognize the signs within your parents to aid them in getting help.
Drugs and alcohol cause physiological changes in the brain, which makes recovery more challenging. However, before anyone can seek treatment, they or their loved ones must recognize and accept the signs of addiction. Some of the indications your parent may exhibit include:
Signs and symptoms may vary depending on the substances involved. In any case, recognizing them is only the first step. Learning to initiate conversations with struggling parents is another challenge.
Starting a conversation about addiction isn't easy, but it's necessary. First, do some research and become more knowledgeable about addiction. Then, pick the right time. You must be emotionally ready for the conversation. Even though it's a time to talk, it's also a time to listen. Be prepared to make your parent feels heard about their struggles.
The best time to intimate the conversation varies. It's not a conversation that should be rushed. Set aside time in your schedule and find a private place to express your concerns calmly and compassionately. If you're afraid, you may consider professional help and host an intervention.
An intervention is an effective way to help loved ones seek addiction treatment. Discussing addiction with struggling parents can be challenging as they may respond negatively. It's natural to experience complex emotions, but an intervention can help showcase your concern for them.
Interventions are planned with friends, family members, and loved ones to help a person seek professional treatment. You can host a successful intervention by:
A significant part of a successful intervention is showcasing your support. That means continuing to be involved, as family involvement can benefit someone struggling with addiction.
Unfortunately, many individuals have unsupportive or toxic family dynamics. However, for individuals with healthy family dynamics, family involvement can be an asset to addiction recovery. When working with a facility, individuals can utilize family therapy to incorporate their family members more into the recovery process. Some potential benefits include:
Families can sometimes cause great annoyance for individuals, but they can also serve as a natural support system for people. Nothing can replace the support of peers and professionals, but family involvement is another excellent way for parents to seek treatment and maintain recovery long-term.
It's a parent's job to take care of their children, but at some point in life, the roles will reverse. For struggling parents, that day of reversal may come sooner. So, you must learn additional ways to help a parent seek treatment. Some of those ways include:
Helping your parent seek treatment can be physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting, and there's no shame in needing more support. Call NorthStar Transitions for help with your struggling parent today.
It's a parent's job to care for their children, but at some point in life, those roles reverse. For the children of parents struggling with addiction, that day may come sooner than they realize. Addiction impacts people of all ages and stages of life, including parents. Children may have trouble starting a conversation about addiction with struggling parents. However, for a parent to seek treatment, these conversations are necessary. By recognizing the signs, initiating a conversation, and hosting an intervention, you can help your parent seek treatment and maintain long-term addiction recovery. For more information and resources or to learn about our programs, call NorthStar Transitions at (303) 558-6400 today.
