Family & Friends
We know that you need support, and just as importantly we also know that your friends and family need support. Not only have they potentially had turmoil created in their lives by living with an addict, they have been knocked about physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually by not knowing how to help you. It can feel ‘helpless’. Alcohol and drug abuse is a vicious cycle that actually causes changes in the brain, leading to stronger and stronger impulses; addiction is not a result of moral weakness or faulty willpower. Left uncontrolled however, it can ruin families and take over lives. There is hope.
Initially family and friends may feel relief when you choose to seek treatment for your addiction. This can be followed just as quickly by confusion as to why they couldn’t have helped you, particularly when you choose to continue your alcohol and drug free journey.
Thankfully there is help throughout New Zealand, 12 Step Programmes are available to help family, friends and children of alcoholics and addicts.
With a new understanding of addiction, families will learn that they can’t control addiction, they didn’t cause addiction, and they can’t cure addiction. Participants who take the time to learn and become aware of these aspects of addiction leave with the skills to cope with addiction and move forward into having healthy relationships.
We understand this is a tough process for all involved. The team at The Turning Point are available to help friends and family of the addicts by connecting them with the appropriate resources and groups. We offer a Friends & Family 12 Step based meeting that takes place on Sundays from 1-2pm in both our locations. Individual family counseling with our A.O.D. Clinician is also available.