If you’ve noticed your substance use is causing problems in your life, you may be ready to seek help. Whether it’s negatively impacting your relationships, your work, your finances, and/or your health, you’ve recognized that it is a problem and are ready for change.
However, although you’ve admitted you have an addiction to yourself, your family may not be aware. Whether you tell your loved ones about your addiction is up to you, but there are factors you should consider before deciding to seek treatment without family support.
Common Fears about Addiction Treatment
If you’re feeling fear and trepidation about entering treatment for your addiction, it’s important to know you’re not alone. Every single person who seeks out treatment has one or more worries. Some of the most common fears include:
- Fear of failing. You may worry that you don’t have what it takes to gain sobriety. Though it won’t be easy, many people who achieve sobriety don’t relapse, and of those who do, many learn from it. One thing is for certain – if you don’t try, failure is guaranteed.
- Fear of being sober. Addictions develop due to substance use making you feel good. It may give you more confidence and create feelings of euphoria. It may also be your primary or only coping mechanism. Though you may worry about sobriety being boring and miserable, treatment will help you develop other coping mechanisms and find pleasure in other areas of your life.
- Fear of family finding out. When admitting to having an addiction, many people feel an immense amount of shame. You may feel like you’ve let down your family and fear being rejected. While this fear is valid, it is important to understand that getting help for addiction without family support is incredibly difficult and not recommended.
Stages of Addiction Treatment
Though addiction treatment plans will vary depending on the individual, the type of addiction, and the extent of the addiction, there are some general stages you can expect.
Detoxification
In the detoxification stage, you will experience withdrawal symptoms as your body is cleared of the toxins that have built up with consistent substance abuse. At a treatment center, you will be placed under medical supervision and support to make the detox process as bearable as it possibly can be.
Inpatient Treatment
After detoxification, you’ll enter the inpatient stage. In the inpatient stage, you’ll live at the facility 24/7 and undergo intensive individual and group therapy sessions. This is where the mental aspects of addiction are identified and targeted.
Family members are often encouraged to attend family therapy sessions during this stage, as the impact of addiction on relationships is significant. Choosing not to tell your family that you are getting addiction treatment means that these social factors of addiction will not be treated. It may also be difficult to keep this from your family, as you will be away from your own home for a period of time.
Outpatient Treatment
After completing inpatient care, you’ll transition to outpatient care, where you’ll rejoin your community and receive less monitoring. Intensive outpatient involves group therapy, individual therapy, and regular drug testing.
Leaving the addiction treatment facility can be a scary time for patients, as they are on their own again and may be exposed to triggers that lead to addiction in the first place. Family support during this stage is crucial for continued success.
Benefits of Family Support
Whether you have a strong relationship with your family or your support system has been severely eroded, there are many benefits to letting your family know that you’re getting help for addiction.
Getting your family involved in your addiction recovery can help repair broken relationships. In addition, the support of a loving family member who is always by the phone to talk through difficult experiences and encourage you with positive affirmations is invaluable to your recovery. They’ll also be there to keep you accountable to yourself.
Even letting one family member or friend know what you’re going through can make the difference between a successful recovery or relapse.
Get Help For Addiction
At the end of the day, whether you choose to get help for addiction without telling your family or choose to trust in their love for you and accept their support is your decision and yours alone. If your addiction is mild and does not require a long stay in inpatient care, you may be able to complete treatment without your family finding out. However, by choosing to get help for your addiction, you’re choosing to better your life. Relationships with family and friends are an important part of life, and to give yourself the best chance for success, it’s important, to be honest, and open with your loved ones.
To discuss concerns about telling your family you’re seeking addiction treatment, call the Robert Alexander Center today. Our professional and compassionate staff will be happy to discuss any questions and concerns you may have about addiction treatment and recovery.
