Helping a loved one through dual diagnosis outpatient treatment is one of the toughest things a family can go through.
It’s heartbreaking, stressful, and exhausting. Feels like nobody sees how hard the whole family is working too.
But here’s the deal…
Family support can be the difference between failure and lifelong recovery. When families are educated and involved with treatment success rates skyrocket.
The tough part is finding ways to help a loved one without sacrificing your own mental health in the process.
Luckily there are coping strategies families can use to care for both.
What you’ll learn:
- Why family support is so important in dual diagnosis treatment
- The biggest challenges families face during treatment
- 5x Coping strategies that will actually work
- How to avoid caregiver burnout
Why Family Support Is Important In Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Dual diagnosis refers to someone who is suffering from a mental health disorder as well as a substance use disorder simultaneously. These two conditions feed off of each other and make treatment more complicated.
Here’s the issue:
Only 10% of people who need treatment for both disorders actually receive it. That means for most people, only one problem is being addressed while the other one goes untreated.
That’s where family support comes in.
Educating yourself about the recovery process and becoming involved with treatment can provide accountability, love and encouragement that clinical treatment just won’t touch.
Families should know that dual diagnosis outpatient treatment has the best chance at success when everyone is involved. Families exploring outpatient rehab programs in NJ should understand that outpatient care allows the person to live at home during treatment. This means family can be directly involved with how treatment progresses.
Makes a big difference doesn’t it?
The Biggest Challenges Families Face
Ok ok… let’s get real for a second.
Supporting someone through treatment is hard. Like really hard.
There are a ton of emotions families feel while their loved one is in recovery. Many of them are overwhelming.
Some of the biggest challenges include:
- Emotional roller coaster. Watching someone you love destroy themselves with drugs or alcohol is heartbreaking. It’s natural to feel helpless, angry and sad all at the same time.
- Trust issues. Addiction breaks down trust little by little every day. Learning how to trust again is something that takes work from both parties.
- Financial strain. Addiction is expensive. Between the cost of treatment and lost wages, many families experience financial burdens like never before.
- Social stigma. So many families are afraid to talk about what their loved one is going through. This often leads to isolation from friends and family.
What most families don’t realize is that…
Every single one of these challenges is completely NORMAL to experience.
The key is having coping strategies to help manage them.
5x Coping Strategies That Will Actually Work
These are five tips that have been proven to help families remain strong throughout dual diagnosis outpatient treatment. Review each one and start implementing the ones that speak to you.
Educate Yourself On Dual Diagnosis
The first step to providing meaningful support is understanding what a loved one is going through.
Learning about dual diagnosis and how it impacts behaviour can change the entire approach to helping someone in recovery. When families understand that certain things their loved one says or does are a symptom of their illness, they stop taking it so personally.
Start by learning about:
- The particular mental illness they’ve been diagnosed with
- How drugs/alcohol affect mental health + vice versa
- The treatment process
- What to expect during recovery
Knowledge really is power when it comes to supporting a loved one through treatment.
Set Healthy Boundaries
This tip cannot be stressed enough.
Boundaries are not punishments or trying to control a loved one. Setting boundaries allows families to take care of their OWN mental health while still being supportive.
Healthy boundaries look like:
- Not making excuses for negative behaviour or “covering” for a loved one.
- Being clear about what behaviour is tolerated in the home.
- Following through with consequences.
- Loving the person WITHOUT enabling their addiction.
Boundaries are tough to figure out at first. But they send a message that enabling addiction is not an option.
Join A Family Support Group
Nobody has to fight this alone.
Other families who understand exactly what it feels like can be one of the biggest strengths during recovery. Research shows over 60% of caregivers experience some level of burnout. Family support groups can help reduce those feelings of overwhelm.
Look for groups like Al-Anon or NAMI’s Family-to-Family program. Many dual diagnosis outpatient programs offer support groups for family members too.
Make Self Care A Priority
This is going to sound like a broken record but hear this out…
If everyone in the family is burnt out, stressed and depressed there is no way to properly support a loved one in treatment.
Self-care looks like:
- Exercise
- Maintaining outside friendships
- Getting enough sleep
- Attending therapy or counselling
- Taking mental breaks from the caregiving role
Taking care of yourself is not optional. The whole family will be much better supporters when they are mentally and physically healthy.
Communicate Openly And Honestly
Communication is KEY when someone you love is in treatment.
Families should foster an environment where everybody feels comfortable sharing how they feel. This includes the person in treatment as well as the family members supporting them.
Try to avoid language that places blame or makes a loved one feel guilty. Instead of saying “you make me feel…” try “this situation makes me feel… when this happens.” Tiny tweaks in the way people speak can make a big difference.
Hold regular family meetings to check in with one another. Encourage open sharing of thoughts and feelings. Many outpatient treatment programs make this a major focus.
How To Avoid Caregiver Burnout
Caregiver burnout is draining and unfortunately, it’s pretty common.
Burnout can look like physical and emotional exhaustion. Some people who care for loved ones in treatment start to develop resentment towards them. That’s serious burnout right there.
Here are some signs to watch out for:
- Exhaustion, even after resting
- Loss of interest in hobbies
- Irritability
- Neglecting your own health and responsibilities
- Feeling trapped
If any of these symptoms start showing up, take action immediately. Call a therapist, lean on a support group or ask another family member to step in for a break.
Remember, recovery is a marathon NOT a sprint. Families have to take care of themselves in order to finish the race.
Wrapping Up
Helping a loved one through dual diagnosis outpatient treatment is NEVER easy. But it doesn’t have to completely overwhelm the family either.
If families implement coping strategies like the ones above they CAN get through this.
Quick recap:
- Educate yourself on dual diagnosis and addiction recovery.
- Set healthy boundaries so the family can stay strong.
- Lean on other families going through the same thing.
- Take care of yourself mentally and physically.
- Communicate with each other openly and honestly.
The families that succeed during recovery are the families that take care of themselves along the way. Implement these tips and feel the difference they can make in the entire recovery process.