Multi-Generational Drug Abuse
Drug abuse is a most divisive force within a family unit. It
causes people to lie to those that trust them, to use violence
against those that love them and above all, to loathe
themselves. In many cases the abuse of drugs goes on for many
years, causing an ingrained type of damage that becomes a
feature of daily life. (http://www.1drugrehabcentre.com) Yet
amidst the pain and suffering that is caused by drugs, there
often remains an inability for individuals to fully heal
themselves. In fact, the incidence of drug abuse amongst
children of drug addicts remains disproportionately high, in
spite of first hand experience with the devastating disease.
This fact clearly outlines the need for and the significance of
expert rehabilitation programs that counters the disease to the
same extent that drug abuse has negatively impacted the family.
There are a variety of methods and programs that exist with
regard to drug rehab programs but the priorities of almost all
drug rehab programs are defined by the level of abuse of the
drug addict. (http://www.rehabcentreinfo.com) The process of
successful drug rehab programs is usually based upon a series of
fundamental needs which are designed to:
-Allow the immediate effects of the drugs in your system to
dissipate -Safely detoxify the body and remove lasting traces of
drugs from the body -Avoid relapse by undergoing individual
counseling -Identify the things that may trigger a relapse
-Undergo family or marital counseling as appropriate
The last point which relates to family and marital counseling
can be extremely significant for the purposes of breaking a
lasting cycle of abuse. Most rehab programs are keen to point
out the need for families to tackle drug abuse and agree that
the role of family and friends as a means of support cannot be
overstated. (http://www.rehabinfocentre.com) Hand in hand with
this issue is the need for individual members of the family to
be reconciled with the pain of their experiences. Family members
simply cannot provide a supportive network for recovering
addicts if they are continuing to harbor resentment or
unresolved issues that stem from the drug user. Secondly, the
chances of forming a multi-generational pattern of drug abuse
are far greater if family reconciliation is not undertaken.