Treating addiction successfully is rarely a one-person solution.  A study in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment found that people with families who supported their loved one's addiction treatment had twice as much success after six months, one year, and three-or-more years. ​

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Anyone who has experienced a loved one struggling with addiction is at a far greater risk of unhealthy dynamics, such as codependency, enabling, and feelings of shame, guilt, and resentment. Family members who have dealt with addiction are far more likely to have experienced:

• emotional distress

• financial strain

• a feeling of helplessness in relation to their loved one's addiction

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What is Structured Family Recovery?

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Structured Family Recovery is a program that uses the power of the family to support a loved one in recovery. By working on the very dynamics that existed prior to or were created through someone's active addiction, the family learns and heals together. As a program, it is the product of studying certain populations with higher long-term recovery rates; isolating variables, and extrapolating what elements are correlated to lower rates of recidivism.

 

Over 90 percent of the general population going to treatment relapses within the first year. One group of populations: doctors, lawyers, some nursing positions, and other professionals who have an institutional support system, have a one-year recidivism rate of only about 20 percent? This kind of disparity/observations is what began the creation of a program known as Structured Family Recovery. 

 

A common first thought is, "Of course this population has a higher rate of success in recovery; they are highly-educated, and mostly medical professionals." But that is a fallacy. In fact, medical professionals, in general, test very low in virtually every area of compliance -- including int their work. "Okay, well maybe it's because of their level of incentivization?" If you're having that thought, please compare the lives and consequences encountered by someone you know with SUD. Medical professionals are the most difficult group with which to work as patients. In a treatment-space where one percent is a major difference, this, combined with the counter-intuitive results, warranted further examination. What we've discovered is that this population shares a eight similar elements, virtually mirroring those prescribed by the Physician’s Health Program. That program requires the following eight "essential items" for providers to be able to practice medicine:

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• Positive Reward and negative consequences

• Establishing frequency of random drug testing

• Fellowship-based Program Attendance

• Viable Role Models and recovery Mentors

• Modified Lifestyles

• Active and sustained monitoring

• Active Management of Relapse

• Continued Care Approach

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Providing these eight essential elements recovery rates can rise.  This structure is for the whole family, not just the addict. Structured Family Recovery can begin even before treatment starts. This starts with bringing the family together as a team to address the situation. Moving the family from crisis to health.