Addiction may start with one person, but the impact spreads far beyond the individual, touching parents, partners, siblings, and especially children. Research has shown that an estimated three in ten family members of individuals with a substance use disorder experience their own mental health challenges. This is almost double the risk of mental health problems of those without addiction exposure. For children, the risk of mental health issues is even more widespread. Approximately one in four children living in the United States, that’s around 19 million minors, live in a household with one or more parents who have a substance use disorder. The numbers are clear: addiction is not one person’s struggle; it’s a family disease, and supporting the mental health of loved ones is a key piece to complete healing for the whole family.
Here, we’ll help you begin to understand that mental and emotional struggles for the family members of an addicted individual are common experiences. Affecting everyone close to it, substance abuse causes emotional, psychological, and relational challenges for all. By discussing the unique challenges faced by different family members, such as parents, partners, siblings, and children, you’ll begin to realize that mental health support is vital for the entire family. We will also look at various types of mental health support available, ranging from individual counseling to family therapy, peer support, and outpatient mental health support programs. First, we’ll begin by learning why addiction is considered a family disease.
Addiction as a Family Disease
The focus of addiction and rehabilitation is often centered on the individual abusing the substance. But if you have ever been close to someone battling addiction, you know that the effects ripple through family, friends, and the community. The family is often affected the most, dealing with not only emotional and psychological issues but also financial and social struggles. Families experience stress, guilt, and fear as their loved one goes down a destructive path. They may also experience anxiety, shame, or helplessness, all because of something out of their control.
While having your loved one enter recovery is a victory worth celebrating, it is just the beginning of the battle. Once a loved one begins recovery, this is when the family can truly begin to heal, but it often takes some help. Each member of the family experiences addiction differently and may battle their own unique set of struggles, requiring customized treatment plans for each person. Let’s take a look at the impact on specific family members and why each needs support.
The Impact on Specific Family Members
Parents, partners, siblings, and especially children of those in recovery are faced with many challenges that affect mental health. Each family member in need of support comes with their very own perspective and individual experiences, making tailored treatment ideal. Below, we will break down the different challenges each member of the family faces and discuss why each needs support.
Parents
Challenges: Parents, responsible for the well-being of their children, are often faced with feelings of extreme guilt and wondering if they have done something to cause the addiction. Substance abuse leaves parents feeling like failures and facing high levels of stress and worry about their child’s safety and future (among many other things). The balance between hope and disappointment can cause feelings of instability, making it harder to navigate these up and down cycles as time goes on. If the parent has been left with financial burdens caused by the addiction, such as legal issues, that adds another heavy burden for them to carry.
Why They Need Support: Parents need a safe and supportive environment where they can process feelings of guilt, grief, and the heavy weight of having a child (no matter the age) with a substance abuse issue. Counseling can help parents learn how to set healthy boundaries and avoid enabling behaviors, while peer support groups can offer understanding and support that only others in the same kind of situation would understand. Seeking outpatient mental health support can teach the skills parents need to manage stress and maintain their own mental health. After all, it’s hard to take care of anyone else if you are not taking care of yourself.
Partners/Spouses
Challenges: Nothing damages relationships more than broken trust. This is true of all relationships, but especially romantic partnerships. The emotional distance that addiction causes can be a breaking point, damaging the intimacy that is the foundation of any healthy romantic relationship. Not only do partners and spouses often feel abandoned in the relationship, but they can end up feeling like caretakers, trying to balance their needs with the needs of the recovering individual. And, of course, financial stressors are always tied to addiction and end up being shared problems for both people in the relationship.
Why They Need Support: To rebuild trust and develop better communication skills, partners of addicted individuals need help, too. Couples counseling can help address the feelings of betrayal, abandonment, and anger that are often felt by spouses and partners. Individual counseling may be beneficial to manage feelings of burnout, and holistic activities can help regain their sense of identity and peace after living in the chaos called addiction. Relationships are partnerships; when one person struggles, so does the other one.
Siblings
Challenges: The siblings of an addict often feel unseen or uncared for. With the addict always stealing the attention, even if it’s bad, siblings can feel neglected due to the focus of the family always being on the addict. Feelings of resentment and anger can boil up, frustrated by the constant disruption of family life. Some may even feel pressure to be the good, responsible, or strong one. Socially, siblings are greatly impacted by this disease, feeling embarrassed or ashamed about the addiction, even though it’s not theirs.
Why They Need Support: Having mental health support, siblings can address their feelings of neglect, isolation, or unfair treatment with a counselor who can help them develop coping strategies to better manage these feelings. Family counseling can help siblings rebuild relationships with one another, while individual counseling can help them work through the complex emotions of jealousy or worry.
Children
Challenges: With an astonishing 19 million (and counting) children who live with one or more parents with a substance abuse problem, one can only imagine the number of problems they might face each day. The complex emotions they feel may be age-dependent, but one thing remains constant: they are the most affected. They may live in fear of their parents’ behavior, absence, or both, and are subject to a life of instability. This unstable environment can lead to anxiety, depression, feelings of insecurity, and behavioral issues. The fact is, children of addicts are at increased risk for long-term emotional and developmental problems.
Why They Need Support: Children need reassurance, routine, and open communication to feel safe, supported, and loved. Mental health support can provide professional help with a customized approach to each child’s needs. This support can help them process trauma, prevent internalization of blame (which children often do), and reduce feelings of shame. Outpatient mental health programs can offer a place where kids can feel safe and understood in a turbulent family dynamic.
You can see that each family member experiences addiction differently, but a common thread is clear. Addiction touches everyone, from the youngest to the most senior, and each person’s healing matters just as much as the recovery of the individual struggling with substance use. Seeking help and healing as a family can restore relationships, build resilience, and protect your family from the consequences of addiction well into the future. Let’s learn about the different types of mental health support available for those who need it.
Types of Mental Health Support for Families
Finding support for mental health concerns is a proactive step towards healing, not only as families but as individuals. Mental health challenges are common for anyone who has been touched by addiction, even if they are not the user. Support is accessible, and with certain programs, like our Ogden outpatient mental health programs at Diamond Recovery Centers, treatment can be tailored to individual needs. Read below and learn the various types of mental health support for families of addicted individuals and those in recovery.
- Individual Therapy: Individual treatment provides a safe space where people can process personal emotions and challenges without feeling inhibited by other people’s presence.
- Family Therapy: Family therapy is typically incorporated into substance abuse recovery programs and is used to help all family members rebuild trust, have open communication, and set healthy boundaries.
- Support Groups: Support groups can be found in residential treatment programs, outpatient programs, through churches, and also community resources. Support groups provide a space where people can share their circumstances with those who face similar challenges.
- Education: A little knowledge can go a long way. That is why many mental health programs provide educational opportunities to learn about addiction, relapse, and healthy coping skills, giving people the right tools to manage and understand addiction in the family
- Holistic Therapy: Well-rounded mental health treatment should address healing on a holistic level. Through activities like meditation, exercise, and outdoor recreation, people can learn to clear their minds and heal on both a physical and spiritual level.
Whether through counseling, peer connection, education, holistic practices, or a combination of all, mental health support offers families the tools to heal, grow, and thrive, even through the challenges that come with loving someone in recovery. This shared path can offer healing and hope for the entire family with the right mental health resources.
A Shared Recovery
Addiction, although a deeply personal battle, is never fought alone. Substance abuse touches every corner of the family, from parents to partners, siblings to children, each with unique emotional, psychological, and relational challenges. The good news is that healing is possible for the entire family. Seeking mental health support is not a sign of weakness but an act of strength, self-preservation, and family preservation. By doing so, families can find the tools to heal, rebuild trust, and develop resilience. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed, and it’s okay to ask for help. With resources like those offered here at Diamond Recovery Centers and other church programs or community resources, families can access tailored support to help them through the complexities of addiction together. By being courageous enough to take the first step and seek help, families can break the cycle of pain, restore relationships, and build a stronger, healthier future together.
