Cumberland Heights recognizes addiction is a family disease and developed its family program to help educate and guide patients’ families as they navigate their way toward recovery. In our Family Program we show families how to rebuild vital pieces of their relationships, including trust, boundaries, and communication by utilizing experiential and therapeutic group exercise.
If you find yourself stuck in any of the following patterns you may find a family program helpful:
- Repeatedly bailing your loved one out – of jail, financial problems, and other tight spots
- Giving them “one more chance” – then another…and another…
- Ignoring the problem – because they get defensive when you bring it up, you hope it will magically go away, or they will grow out of it
- Joining them in the behavior when you know they have a problem with it – drinking, gambling, etc.
- Joining them in blaming others – for their own feelings, problems and misfortunes
- Accepting their justifications, excuses and rationalizations – “I’m destroying myself with alcohol because I’m depressed.”
- Avoiding problems – keeping the peace, believing a lack of conflict will help
- Doing things for them they should be able to do for themselves
- Softening or removing natural consequences
- Trying to fix them or their problem or situation
- Repeatedly coming to the rescue
- Feeling Responsible for their problem
- Trying to control your loved one’s behaviors, whereabouts, activities, friends, etc.
- Waiting for the other shoe to drop
- Walking on eggshells
- Being caught in the middle attempting to keep or create peace
- Keeping secrets
- Isolating from friends or family
- Making excuses for inappropriate behaviors
- Unable to focus due to preoccupation with your loved one
- Feeling exhausted, unappreciated, and cannot seem to do enough
