Treating the Anxious or Depressed Parent and the Affected FamilyFamily ResourcesBy PromisesMay 23, 2017Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the U.S., impacting at least 40 million adults aged 18 and older, or 18% of the population. Depression affects 16.1 million U.S. adults aged 18 or older, or about 6.7% of all U.S. adults. Out of every five people you meet, one of them is likely…
Coping Mechanisms for Families of Recovering AddictsFamily ResourcesBy PromisesMarch 15, 2017The process of recovering from addiction can be very challenging. It generally requires learning new coping mechanisms, and getting help and support from health care professionals as well as family and friends. While there are a variety of resources available to aid individuals in recovery from addiction, help and support for the family members of…
Best Family Counseling Resources After Addiction TreatmentFamily ResourcesBy PromisesMarch 2, 2017After drug addiction treatment, it’s important to do whatever it takes and use as many possible resources to be sure that the addict continues on the path of recovery. When one family member struggles with addiction, most if not all other members of the family are affected. Working together as a family can be an…
5 Self-Care Habits for Family Members of AddictsFamily ResourcesBy PromisesFebruary 19, 2017There are more than 23 million Americans struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, and millions more with compulsive behaviors such as gambling, gaming and sex addiction. Struggling along with them are the millions of people who love them. Partners, parents, children, close relatives and friends deal every day with the same problem as the addict,…
Maintaining Strong Boundaries with an AddictFamily ResourcesBy PromisesDecember 22, 2016Detaching your emotions from your behaviors is an important skill to learn when a loved one is an addict. It means that no matter how upset, angry or manipulated you feel, you will always behave in the same way toward the addict and her addiction. Understanding that emotions and actions can be separated is the…
How to Help an Alcoholic SiblingFamily ResourcesBy PromisesDecember 22, 2016It is often said that alcoholism is a family disease. Maybe only one family member is drinking, but the whole family reels. Figuring out how to help an alcoholic family member can be confusing and frustrating, but there are a few guidelines that can help you, as a brother or sister of an active alcoholic,…
Eat, Drink and Be Wary: Tips for Surviving the Holidays Without Family DramaFamily ResourcesBy PromisesNovember 22, 2016The holiday season is a time to reunite with those we care about. But togetherness doesn’t necessarily translate into those heartwarming scenes we’re taught to expect by songs, movies and advertisers. Instead, we may end up stressed, frustrated and resentful as old patterns repeat themselves, priorities clash and memories resurface. That family baggage you’ve accumulated…
Is Your Addicted Loved One At Risk for Suicide?Family ResourcesBy PromisesJune 23, 2016People with addictions are at high risk for suicide. That’s why early intervention with treatment that addresses both the physical and emotional components of substance abuse is critical for addicts. Suicide and Addiction: The Silent Killer According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death in the…
4 Things to Remember When Dealing With a Loved One’s RelapseFamily ResourcesBy PromisesJune 3, 2016It’s heartbreaking when someone you love relapses into drug or alcohol use and all the hope and joy you felt upon believing they had conquered their addiction evaporates. The mental torture then begins: “I should have seen this coming,” “I feel so stupid” and “How could they choose this over me?” It’s a painful time…
How Your Substance Abuse Is Affecting Your PartnerFamily ResourcesBy PromisesMarch 3, 2016You may think that your drug abuse only affects you, and you wouldn’t be alone. Many drug abusers use this as an excuse not to stop or not to make positive changes. You claim that what you’re doing harms no one else, so it’s no big deal that you’re abusing flexeril that you were prescribed…
