Hawaii Island Recovery 
Addiction is a profound and powerful disease, with those living with addiction feeling its effects in every facet of daily life. From addiction’s impact on physical and mental health to its effects on personal relationships, professional life, interests, and more, the effects of addiction are widespread. Meanwhile, addiction affects not just individuals but entire families and communities. For many families, addiction in a loved one can birth various traumatic experiences, with families and alumni in recovery needing to work together with professionals like those at Hawaii Island Recovery to address family trauma after residential alcohol treatment or drug treatment.
Acknowledging Family Trauma
It can be exceptionally difficult for those in recovery to reconcile the mistakes made while using drugs or alcohol. However, avoiding these difficult discussions can often leave feelings of resentment, blame, anger, frustration, and more, all continuing to manifest in family members and loved ones. Addiction affects not just those engaging with drugs or alcohol but also their spouses, siblings, and children. Understanding how family trauma can manifest is paramount to opening an honest dialogue about healing and a more comprehensive approach to repairing these relationships.
These conversations can be difficult and should be handled carefully. While many of those in recovery will discuss these challenges through making amends with those affected by substance use, it is still important to work alongside professionals to take accountability and manage the emotional health of the family.
Discussing the Forms of Family Trauma
While addiction can have traumatic and lasting effects on entire families, not all families or individuals will necessarily experience the same traumas or their effects in the same way. Rather, it is important to be cognizant of the potential traumas while exploring the specific ways in which addiction has impacted individual family members.
Emotional Neglect
Addiction can be a very isolating disease, and those living with addiction may feel misunderstood throughout the challenges they face. Likewise, growing emotional distance between family members and loved ones is common, leaving many feeling as if they have to navigate the challenges of addiction alone. However, this emotional distance goes both ways, and family members may feel emotionally neglected as a result of these isolationist tendencies as informed by addiction and emotional unavailability.
This can be especially devastating among spouses and children. Missing important dates such as anniversaries or missing a child’s birthday can have profound traumatic effects. Feelings of neglect, abandonment, and resentment are common, especially if family members feel as if drugs or alcohol are more important than these relationships. Not only can this cause damage to the emotional health of loved ones at the time, but among children, it can inform compromised feelings of self-worth and other challenges.
Neglect of Household
Addiction can also cause an individual to be less reliable when tending to household responsibilities and daily obligations. This can result in not only a messy living space but also leave other important responsibilities unattended. For example, an individual engaging with addictive substances may not be able to provide sufficient supervision over children, leaving additional stress and strain placed upon spouses and other family members.
Furthermore, other members of the family may be tasked with taking over these responsibilities, birthing feelings of resentment and blame that affect the household atmosphere. This can turn what should be a safe and comfortable space into one that brings stress and feelings of betrayal.
The Financial Strain of Addiction
Addiction can also compromise financial budgets, affecting the finances of those engaging with drugs or alcohol while passing on financial burdens to loved ones. The financial cost of addiction can affect budgets for necessities like rent, groceries, and more, as well as the self-care and interests of loved ones or children, as their finances are compromised to cover these expenses.
This can be further exacerbated if an individual loses their job as a result of addiction, either through using substances while at work or due to compromised performance or attendance informed by drugs or alcohol.
Family Traumas Through Navigating Crises
Addiction can also cause an increase in the likelihood of crises affecting the family. Not only can it increase the chances of physical injury while under the effects of addictive substances, but arrests and accidents are also possible. DUI convictions, physical injury, and more are all common, even if unintentional, and family members are pulled along for these challenges and all of the stress that they entail.
Combined with the emotional toll of these crises, there are often lengthy repercussions. Some of these are financial, while others involve the stress of navigating the criminal justice system or other effects, such as having to provide transportation if an individual’s driver’s license is revoked if found convicted of a DUI.
Trauma is common in both individuals and families of those affected by addiction. Repairing these relationships can be difficult. Programs to address family trauma, like those at Hawaii Island Recovery, are necessary to explore the effects of trauma while effectively communicating change, healing, needs, and more. There is no avoiding these profound effects. Rather, taking time to address these challenges as an alumnus is necessary for truly transformative healing and sustainable sobriety for the entire family.
Trauma can be difficult to navigate, and it affects entire families. At Hawaii Island Recovery, we understand the familial and interconnected nature of addiction, and we are prepared to work with you and your family to explore the traumatic effects of addiction for a healthy, sustainable daily life. From residential alcohol treatment and drug treatment to ongoing outpatient support, we incorporated the family into each step of healing, providing education, strategies, communication skills, and more to develop a robust support system and reestablish trust among family members. We are also prepared to work with families to explore how trauma may have affected children and parenting for a comprehensive approach to your goals in sobriety. Learn more at (866) 390-5070.
