Roots of Family Trauma

Recovery centers often encourage people to reconnect with family. Many people turn away from their families as they fall deeper into their addictions. However, there are some people whose issues stem directly from family trauma and trauma caused by family members. When this is the case, they may need to turn to others for post-rehab support.

Roots of Family Trauma

For people going through recovery, one of the first things explored is trauma. Addiction often stems from trauma, and though it may come from a variety of places, it often stems from childhood.

When childhood trauma is identified, the actual roots may include the following:

• Sexual trauma
• Physical trauma
• Emotional trauma

In some cases, it may be all three. Although this trauma may have started with an educator, bully, family friend, or even a stranger, it is more often than not a direct result of a family member.

This trauma will often cause a person to push certain family members aside and, in some cases, anyone that would have defended these people. Individuals are left with a lack of a support system that might have been effective in helping with their addiction issues.

Why Family Trauma Is Especially Painful

When a person is young, their primary means of support is their family. This means that when they want to share things like happiness, fear, worry, and more, they turn to those closest to them. Often, this means turning to:

• Mother/father
• Stepfather/stepmother
• Siblings
• Grandparents

Depending on the family situation, there may even be others that can be added to this list. However, the main thing to keep in mind is that no matter who the person is that these children turn to, they are seen as the most trustworthy.

When this person, or people, end up being the ones who inflict trauma, it has a lasting effect on trust and may cause individuals to seek solace elsewhere. Unfortunately, these people may only find temporary reprieve through illicit substances.

Family is often the one place our society tells people they can indeed be themselves. A place where there is no judgment and no fear of reprisals for who we are and what we do. We are taught that these people have our backs and will stand up for us even in the most painful times.

The problem is that the family paradigm has shifted in the past hundred years and has been shown to be completely false. Where people were once told that their families were their best option, it is now known that this may not be the case. People who have been traumatized by family to the point of resorting to addiction may feel they have nowhere else to go. This leaves them to either deal with their problems alone or to look past family to those they choose to associate with.

The Purpose of Chosen Family

People who are going through recovery need an anchor. They need to know that there are people waiting for them when they are finished with treatment and ready to reenter society. When a family cannot be there or cannot be trusted, these people must create their own chosen family.

A chosen family is a person or community that comes together to support an individual during difficult times. These are often friends that know the person better than anyone else. For those exiting rehabilitation, these people can offer assistance in a variety of ways:

• Food
• Housing
• Being a confidante
• Taking the person to meetings
• Helping with finances
• Being a mentor

There are so many ways in which members of a chosen family can assist in the recovery process. It is important that the individual realize that they are supported.  f there are any further issues they have a group they can turn to.

How Twilight Recovery Center Helps

At Twilight Recovery Center we are focused on the care and rehabilitation of each individual that comes through our doors. It is our belief that although we can provide initial treatment, recovery is an ongoing process. There is no time limit on how long a person will deal with their addictions. We want to be sure that they have a group that supports them throughout the recovery process.

During our program

We will encourage individuals to determine these connections and understand that they are not a burden on these people. In fact, a chosen family can be as supportive, if not more so, than a typical family unit.

It is our goal to create the necessary connections that will place individuals on the road to a better life. This means that no matter who is waiting for them post-recovery, they are ready and willing to be there for the people they love.