 At Hazelden's Center for Youth and Families (CYF) we provide a program specifically designed to meet the needs of parents whose young person is addicted. It provides parents the opportunity, with both education and support, to begin their own journey of healing and recovery from the impact of alcohol or drug addiction. Recovery is stronger than the disease and works most effectively when all family members are involved.
Addiction is a disease that impacts the entire family system. It is therefore important that all family members have an opportunity to gain information and knowledge about the disease. It is also important for all family members to receive support for their own recovery process. The three "C's" of this disease apply not only to the person who is addicted, but to his or her family members as well. The three "C's" are:
At Hazelden, we believe it is important for parents to learn how alcohol and drug addiction has impacted their lives. During their stay in the Parent Program, the primary caregivers are shown how they have suffered some of the same symptoms of addiction as their young person. It is also important for parents to learn about what they have control over and what they do not. We believe that parents have control over themselves, their own behaviors and attitudes, and their own recovery. They also have control over how they spend their financial resources, allocate resources, and determine what is acceptable behavior in your home. We discuss how to let go of taking responsibility for the addicted person's disease and their recovery process. By the time most parents arrive at CYF, they often need to relearn how to focus energy into themselves and their significant relationships because all their energy has been focused on the addicted person. Often this is referred to as "Detaching with Love" which can be described as choosing to be in relationship with someone you love and care for without losing yourself in the relationship. It means not doing for others what they need to do for themselves. It means loving the person not their behaviors. Learning these new beliefs and behaviors is not a quick, easy task. That is why it is important for family members to get involved in their own Twelve Step program, such as Al-anon or Families Anonymous. The Twelve Steps are suggested tools to help build healthy relationships with self, others and the world/a power greater than yourself. Attendance of Twelve Step meetings can help provide the on-going support family members need to continue to use the skills learned during the Parent Program. |
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