{"id":594,"date":"2024-07-19T07:44:59","date_gmt":"2024-07-19T07:44:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paserocounselling.co.za\/?p=594"},"modified":"2024-07-19T07:44:59","modified_gmt":"2024-07-19T07:44:59","slug":"stages-of-family-recovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paserocounselling.co.za\/?p=594","title":{"rendered":"Stages of Family Recovery"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/span><\/p>

Researcher Stephanie Brown, with a\nfocus on addiction recovery, developed a four-stage recovery process for those\naffected by a loved one’s addiction, including family, friends, partners, and\nchildren. She recognized that supporters of recovering addicts also deserve\nhealing and positive change.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n\n

Here are the four stages of\nrecovery for supporters:<\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n\n

       \u00b7        \n<\/span><\/span>Active addiction or use<\/span>
\u00b7        \n<\/span><\/span>Transition<\/span>
\u00b7        \n<\/span><\/span>Early recovery<\/span>
\u00b7        \n<\/span><\/span>Ongoing recovery<\/span>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n\n

Stage 1: Active Addiction<\/o:p><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

In this stage, the addict is often\nin denial, refusing to admit their life is unmanageable and that they cannot\nstop their substance abuse alone. This period is characterized by constant fear\nand rage, with the addict\u2019s behaviour being erratic, confusing, and\ntraumatizing. Families may respond with yelling, crying, bartering, and\nbegging, either threatening (fight response) or retreating (flee response). The\nstigma and shame surrounding substance abuse lead to increased isolation, and\nfamily members develop patterns of constant worry, even when their loved one\nenters recovery.<\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n\n

Stage 2: Transition<\/o:p><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

This stage begins when the addict\nmoves from active use to abstinence. Family members often feel overwhelmed by\nthe myriad of treatment options and remain involved even after their loved one\nenters rehabilitation. They may feel like they are constantly on call for small\nneeds but receive little communication. Some families start their own\ntransition, healing their wounds regardless of their loved one’s long-term\nsobriety. This journey begins with acknowledging the impact of substance abuse\non their lives and realizing there is a way to live healthier, no matter the\noutcome.<\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n\n

Stage 3: Early Recovery<\/o:p><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

This is a tense period for family\nmembers, marked by the fear that recovery might not last and the realization\nthat this is a lifelong journey. The loved one’s steps toward recovery involve\ntrial and error, with fear often looming over every conversation. Families may\nfeel like they are walking on eggshells, worried that anything they say or do\nmight cause a relapse. It is crucial for families to have their own support\nsystems, such as support groups, to share experiences and receive guidance. A\nrobust support network is essential for the long term and should be part of the\nfamily’s aftercare plan.<\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n\n

Stage 4: Ongoing Recovery<\/o:p><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Ongoing recovery for someone with a\nsubstance use disorder (SUD) means integrating recovery into daily-life,\nfulfilling roles and responsibilities with the same mistakes as any other\nperson. They face stress and hardships but have the tools to cope without using\nsubstances. Although they maintain sobriety, they may still be edgy and\nunpredictable. Families also adapt to a new normal, building something new with\nadded boundaries and stronger support. In this stage, it is vital for families\nto address the long-term emotional impact of addiction, or they risk prolonged\nstruggles with anxiety, worry, and resentment. There is hope for overcoming\nthese challenges and achieving wellness alongside their loved one in recovery. <\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n\n

If family members struggle with\ntheir own recovery journey, they should seek help from a counsellor, addiction\ncoach, or other mental health practitioners for their well-being.<\/span> 

Author: Elmarie Spingies<\/span><\/p><\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Researcher Stephanie Brown, with a focus on addiction recovery, developed a four-stage recovery process for those affected by a loved one’s addiction, including family, friends, partners, and children. She recognized that supporters of recovering addicts also deserve healing and positive change.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":595,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-594","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-addictions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paserocounselling.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/594","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paserocounselling.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paserocounselling.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paserocounselling.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paserocounselling.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=594"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/paserocounselling.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/594\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":599,"href":"https:\/\/paserocounselling.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/594\/revisions\/599"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paserocounselling.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paserocounselling.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paserocounselling.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paserocounselling.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}