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Substance Use Disorder

We acknowledge and honour the experiences of family members, friends, colleagues, and all those impacted by addiction.
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Want to learn about Substance Use Disorder and how it affects one's lifestyle and relationships? Scroll through the information below.
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1. Since families are complex social systems where all members interact physically, mentally, and emotionally to influence each other’s behaviour…
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2. It means family members are part of the system of care whether they engage in the recovery process or not.
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3. This means that those closest to people with substance use disorder will act as either a barrier or a resource to the individual’s overall recovery which can impact their participation in treatment and the outcomes.
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4. When wrapped in support and guidance, families have a greater capacity to effect lasting change than professional intervention alone.
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5. This saves lives as the change process can begin right away and no longer depends on the choices made by those whose ability to make decisions is currently impaired.
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6. When trauma becomes chronic, as we see with addiction, family members often forfeit their own values, needs, emotional experiences and guiding principles in an attempt to maintain balance.
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7. This approach is known as survival mode. These prolonged periods of neglect strip us of our sense of self, significantly diminish our self-worth, promote deep exhaustion and burnout, and contribute to stress-related disorders that leave us debilitated in almost all aspects of our lives.
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8. When we understand addiction as an illness and our automatic response a coping strategy, we begin to adjust our own behaviours to break down the systems that allow the illness to progress while at the same time re-establishing and nurturing our sense of self. These changes cause a ripple effect that becomes the foundation for future generations.