Substance use disorder (SUD) not only affects the individual with addiction but their surroundings as well. Parents, spouses, and children may all be negatively impacted by an individual’s addictive behaviors. This can be especially so if one has been diagnosed with a co-occurring mental health condition. Structural family therapy can help everyone involved better understand the root cause of their loved one’s disorder and learn new coping strategies to manage the stages of addiction.
Participating in structural family therapy with 12 South Recovery can effectively help everyone involved. Therapy can help everyone adapt by developing different skills. New skills can help family members provide the support needed to ultimately move forward in recovery from alcohol or drug addiction.
What Is Substance Use Disorder?
As stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 40.3 million American citizens were diagnosed with SUD in the year 2020. SUD continues to be a worldwide problem. It is classified as a serious chronic brain disease characterized by continued substance use despite adverse consequences. An individual facing challenges with SUD may experience physical health complications, impaired social relationships, and a lack of control. Cognitive, psychological, and behavioral changes may also occur.
SUD can range in severity and may affect anyone of any race, gender, income, or social class. When an individual reports these concerning symptoms, this can help a professional provide a proper diagnosis. With an accurate diagnosis, a treatment center can then create an effective individualized treatment plan of action.
How Can Substance Use Disorder Affect Family and Friends?
According to the journal Social Work in Public Health, an individual’s family is typically the primary source of nurturing, attachment, and socialization in today’s society. When someone in the family has SUD, every member is affected. Depending on the family, members may present problems with communication, parenting, external conflicts, and attitudes toward substance abuse. Therefore, the effects of SUD can negatively impact the entire family. Each family member can be uniquely affected, especially children.
These effects may include:
- Unmet developmental needs
- Economic hardship
- Impaired attachment
- Emotional distress
- Legal problems
- Violence
- Negative exposure
- Risk of developing SUD themselves
How Families Can Affect Substance Use Disorder
A study by Social Work and Public Health points out that both genetics and one’s environment can impact one’s chances of developing a substance use disorder (SUD). This makes it incredibly worthwhile to consider the place a family system has—not just in one’s past, but also in one’s ongoing recovery. For many, home is where their relationship with alcohol or drugs began. Growing up around substance use, witnessing addiction firsthand, or living in an environment where the use of these substances was minimized or denied can have a lasting impact. As kids witness frequent drug or alcohol use, especially by people they trust and love, it might send a subtle message that this is simply an ordinary, perhaps even unavoidable, coping mechanism.
The battles aren’t over once the treatment is finished. If a recovered loved one returns to a setting where use continues to go on, it may be like entering the storm they just fought their way out of. Even small things, like a parent enjoying wine over dinner or having prescription medication in the home, can bring about intense emotions, cravings, and memories. It’s not a question of willpower; it’s a question of living among reminders of shame, pain, or survival. Triggers have a way of making sobriety feel all but impossible. That’s why family therapy takes top priority. Family therapy is a place where families can work through these dynamics together as a family, to process old traumas, and learn how to enable, not undermine, the recovery of their loved ones. Because real recovery doesn’t happen in treatment centers alone. It happens at the kitchen table, in the midst of late-night conversations, and in the everyday moments that shape how we present to one another.
How Individuals With Substance Use Disorder Also Affect the Family
When someone completes addiction or mental health treatment, they often return home hoping for a clean slate and a chance to rebuild their life. But if that home is filled with unresolved conflict, emotional neglect, or past abuse, it can make recovery feel like an uphill battle. Healing doesn’t happen in a vacuum—it happens in the context of our relationships. And when the family system itself is strained or dysfunctional, it can unintentionally reignite old wounds, stressors, and behaviors that contributed to the individual’s struggles in the first place.
That’s why family therapy isn’t just a supportive add-on to recovery—it can be an essential part of long-term success. One powerful approach, structural family therapy, helps families understand and shift the patterns that may be holding them back. By identifying unhealthy roles, poor boundaries, and communication breakdowns, this form of therapy works to reorganize the way a family functions as a whole. It gives each member a voice, helps reestablish trust, and creates a more stable, compassionate environment—one that supports recovery rather than sabotaging it.
In some cases, the recovering person may be the one who caused much of the pain within the family. Substance use disorders can lead to harmful behaviors like stealing, lying, verbal or physical outbursts, or causing financial hardship. These experiences can leave deep emotional scars, making forgiveness feel out of reach. But with the tools learned in psychotherapy—like accountability, empathy, and healthy communication—there’s a real opportunity for healing. Family therapy provides a safe space for these conversations, allowing each person to process their hurt while working toward reconciliation. By addressing the damage and rebuilding trust together, families can move forward with a stronger, healthier dynamic—one grounded in mutual understanding and support.
The Value of Structural Family Therapy
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), structural family therapy can help families facing SUD in many different ways. Structural family therapy primarily focuses on family structure and mending relationships between family members. The main goal of this therapy is to create a healthier family system. Through attending these sessions, family members can better understand what to expect while their loved one is in treatment or recovery.
Therapy can help family members understand how their behaviors may be contributing to their loved one’s problem. By gaining a new perspective, they may be able to better support their loved ones through the stages of addiction.
Structural family therapy works to help families effectively interact with each other to promote a more positive home environment. Family members can become more responsible for their emotional and physical behaviors and create a more respectful atmosphere. The techniques used in family therapy can help family members prepare for a healthier future generation.
How Structural Family Therapy at 12 South Recovery Builds Stronger Bonds
At 12 South Recovery, healing isn’t just about the individual—it’s about the entire family. That’s why a variety of family-based interventions are offered, including cognitive-behavioral family therapy, solution-focused brief therapy, and structural family therapy. These approaches are designed to address the unique challenges families face when a loved one is in recovery.
Structural family therapy, in particular, focuses on reshaping how family members relate to one another. It helps families recognize the early warning signs of relapse and work together proactively to prevent setbacks. More importantly, it gives each person the tools to communicate more effectively, establish healthy boundaries, and rebuild trust. The journey isn’t always easy, but with support and consistent effort, families can move from conflict to connection. The skills learned in therapy don’t just support recovery—they lay the foundation for lasting peace, understanding, and unity at home.
Reach Out to 12 South Recovery!
Substance use disorder (SUD) can be negatively felt by the whole family. Structural family therapy can provide improved treatment retention and increased support and understanding of SUD. As a licensed and Joint Commission Accredited Mental Health Treatment Center, 12 South Recovery is a leader in Orange County mental health treatment. We understand that millions of Americans struggle with a substance use disorder, only a small percentage ever seek help.
At 12 South Recovery, family therapy is an important part of our substance abuse program that can help individuals and your loved ones heal and move forward. If your family is facing challenges coping with the effects of SUD, call 12 South Recovery today and let us help you rebuild trust, restore connection, and create a healthier path forward—together.
