Having a child battling addiction can be a frightening experience. You desperately want to take away your child’s pain and fight the battle for them. As you know, you cannot do that for them.
Addiction is one battle that they must work through on their own. However, there are many different ways you can support your child as they work to avoid relapse. Here are a few suggestions to help you as your child journeys through recovery.
Encourage Open Dialogue
Creating an environment where your child feels safe talking with you is a vital part of their recovery. Recovery is a life-long process filled with many ups and downs.
You can help your child by creating an environment where they feel comfortable coming to you if they are experiencing challenging moments in their recovery.
Encourage Professional Support
Encourage your child to keep receiving professional support even after treatment. Maintaining recovery and sobriety can be difficult and stressful. A mental health care provider can help your child navigate life and sobriety and help them work through the challenges they face daily. Your goal is to maintain open lines of communication.
Encourage Healthy Routines
For most people in recovery, healthy routines can provide structure and stability. Routines in the morning and at bedtime, as well as structured time for exercise or education, can all be beneficial in helping to navigate life in recovery.
Everyone is unique and will form different routines to help with specific stressors or triggers. You may even find your child responds best if the entire family takes on these routines as a team.
Outward Continued Support
Do not just assume your child knows and feels your support. Talk with them about how proud you are of them and that the entire family is behind their progress and journey. Ask what they want from you in terms of support because support from family and friends can significantly impact recovery.
Having a child in recovery can be frightening. As a parent, it’s natural to want to keep your child or children safe and help them lead a healthy and prosperous life. The possibility of your child facing relapse can be terrifying. Always try to keep a dialogue open and talk with your child about their recovery and what they need from you in terms of support. You may also encourage daily healthy routines and continued professional support. Here at The Guest House, we understand that addiction affects the entire family. Every member needs to learn to cope. We are here to help. Call us today at (855) 483-7800.