FACES Alcohol and Drug Recovery

Drug and Alcohol Recovery

No one plans to become addicted to alcohol and drugs, yet so many; including adolescents; who do become addicted, enter a pattern of use that spins out of control before they know it's happening. But there is hope; addiction is a medical condition that can be effectively treated, just as numerous other illnesses are treatable. In fact, treatment for addition can be just as effective as treatments for other chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, asthma, and diabetes.

Core Principles of Recovery:

1. Addiction recovery is a reality.
2. There are many paths to recovery.
3. Recovery flourishes in supportive communities.
4. Recovery is a voluntary process.
5. Recovering and recovered people are part of the solution; recovery gives back what addiction has taken.1

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Families: The Unsung Heroes of Recovery

A Family Disease

Substance use conditions can be isolating for people suffering from them as well as for their families. All involved may suffer from health consequences or face stigma and discrimination. And alcohol and/or drug addiction can become so consuming that many people lose sight of what really matters. In addition to becoming separated from their communities, people with addiction often detach from their families, whose needs also must be addressed throughout the recovery process

The consequences of addiction and hope of long- term recovery affect all members of a family. It is important for families to understand that recovery from addiction can be a long term process requiring multiple episodes of treatment. The treatment and recovery process can be healing for the entire family and it's important to have individualized care addressing the specific needs of the family for a more successful treatment20and long term recovery.

A successful treatment program matches treatment settings, interventions, and services to each person's specific problems and needs. This is critical for success in rejoining the community and becoming a productive member in the family, work place and society.

Whether you are a family member or someone with a substance use condition, an employer, a member of the faith community, a civil service worker, or involved in the recovery community, it is important to keep in mind that recovery is different for each individual and his/her family members.

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Recovery and Co-occurring Conditions

Treatment for substance use disorders, and other co-occurring conditions , such as medical, psychological, and familial problems, should reflect the interconnected relationships of each condition and be coordinated as much as possible.

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Families and Support:

Fortunately, family members can help motivate their loved ones to access treatment and celebrate their successes and long term recovery. Treatment and recovery support programs can make the difference in engaging family members and utilizing family strengths and resources to promote a lifestyle without alcohol and drugs. These programs also can help families recognize their own needs, provide healing for each other and help prevent addiction from moving from one generation to another.

Family oriented support programs are widely available and effective. In Vermont, mutual support groups such as Wit's End, Al-Anon Family Groups, Nar-Anon and Families Anonymous are open to anyone affected by someone else's drinking or using drugs. Recently, Al-Anon found that 82 percent of their members reported much improved mental health and well being due to Al-Anon and 73 percent reported a greater ability to function at home, school, or work.

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Adolescents and Recovery

Defining Recovery

A factor inhibiting adolescent recovery research is the lack of scientific consensus on a definition of recovery. There is general agreement among adolescents who have resolved AOD(Alcohol and Other Drugs) problems and those who have assisted in that process that recovery is more than the removal or radical deceleration of alcohol and drug use from an otherwise unchanged life. Adolescent alcohol and other drug problems are often closely bundled with other personal or family problems. Recovery connotes the broader resolution of these problems and the movement toward greater physical, emotional, and relational health. Recovery also frequently involves improved educational and vocational performance, the formulation of and movement toward life goals, and acts of service to the community. 1 1 White, W. & Godley, S. (2007). Adolescent recovery: What we need to know. Student Assistance Journal, 19(2), 20-25.

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The Bottom Line:

The bottom line is that family members have the right and a responsibility to support their loved ones in their efforts to achieve and maintain recovery, without losing themselves in the process. It is vital that family members reach out for their own support while going through the recovery process with a loved one. It can be a long and arduous journey full of ups and downs, but in the end can lead to a life beyond measure for loved ones and their families.

Recovery is possible and many in recovery reach a stage in which their addiction is reframed from a curse to an experience that brought an immeasurable gift into their lives. 1

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