Whether family members hung in with you through the thick and thin of addiction, or stepped back to stop enabling your disease, once you are on your new path, you may feel you need to speak to your family about your recovery. This may be a difficult challenge, but it’s actually an important part of the healing process. Moving forward will depend in large part on clearing the air and cleaning up the wreckage that can be caused by addiction. When talking about your recovery to loved ones, try to consider each person’s point of view. For instance, you may encounter resistance from those who are skeptical about your intent to recover, or who may even deny that you had a problem. Some family members have probably experienced you at your worse, and they could be expecting an explanation – maybe even an apology. Acknowledge their feelings but stick to your goals of clearing the air and moving forward in your recovery. Also consider that your family members may not understand the disease aspect of addiction. They may believe that you were in full control of your faculties and engaged in addictive behavior as a matter of choice. Rather than going into medical and biological details, keep it simple: Explain your recovery to family members by telling them you believe addiction is a disease you can recover from, and that you are seeking help from professionals and counselors who understand the intricacies of substance use. When speaking to your children about recovery, answer all of their questions in a way they can easily understand. You might also create a group of people your children can feel safe turning to when they aren’t comfortable turning to you for answers. Most important, reassure them of your intention to get well and to play a fully participating and supportive role in their lives.
