Outpatient care for addiction recovery is gaining popularity. It allows participants to balance their family lives with other responsibilities such as employment, childcare, and more. However, the individual receiving care is usually just one part of a larger web of people impacted by an outpatient treatment program.
The good news is that the members of the participant’s circle all learn how to adapt and support their friend or family member during recovery, which can become the cornerstone of stronger relationships.
In fact, many IOP participants report that their connections with friends and family members have improved after an outpatient program. To capitalize on this growth, all involved should understand what people accomplish during an IOP and how their closest circle is integrated into the process.
How am Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program Involve Family
Everyone’s IOP strategy is different because no two individuals are the same; there is no cookie-cutter approach that works for everyone. Despite that reality, many IOPs use similar strategies because they have been proven effective over time. Many of these techniques benefit from active participation from the people most involved in the life of the person receiving treatment.
For example, some of the most common treatment practices during an IOP include finding accountability partners, choosing new and more fruitful habits, and redefining roles within the family context. All of these tasks require that family and friends collaborate to make a more fulfilling, effective unit.
Why IOPs Strengthen Relationships
Because an intensive outpatient treatment program pushes participants to reform the way they live their lives, their relationships are also ripe for change during this time. Some of the most common ways an Intensive Outpatient Treatment Programs can strengthen a relationship include:
Clarifying boundaries
When an individual struggles with addictive behaviors or substance abuse, they and the people around them must reconsider what they deem acceptable behavior. The person receiving treatment may deepen their bonds with their friends by setting firm boundaries against attending happy hour or staying out late, causing the friend group to come together and find new activities.
Similarly, family members may set their own boundaries, such as identifying their own needs for private time and separation from the topic of addiction. This practice creates healthier communication between participants and their families so both can succeed.
Building active communication
Aligned with setting boundaries is the need for clear, active communication. Many people learn to talk and hear but do not effectively speak and listen; they may word their requests in confusing ways or fail to comprehend what they hear because they are thinking ahead to their turn to speak. IOPs teach families and friends how to actively listen, understand, and respond, which helps them build strong and stable relationships for years beyond the treatment window.
Finding communal activities
When a person is recovering from addiction and creating new strategies to avoid relapse, they must often find new hobbies or adjust their routines to avoid potential triggers. This can create stronger bonds among family and friends, as trying new things together can bring excitement and newfound passions. Hiking, art, playing games together, cooking, and more can all build relationships while providing an enriching hobby that fuels the IOP participant’s new lifestyle.
Creating support
One of the most important roles that friends and family play during intensive outpatient care for addiction is as support. Those in recovery need a strong network of people ready to help them overcome difficult challenges and to offer a safe space to share their feelings.
In many cases, people find that their relationships with their support network grow stronger because they are required to be vulnerable, honest, and thorough in their conversations with their loved ones.
Accountability partners are just one example of a bond that grows during recovery. When an IOP asks a participant to identify an accountability partner, they often select a friend or family member based on existing trust. This trust only deepens as the relationship is exposed to such a difficult situation.
Start Your Outpatient Treatment Program for Personal and Family Growth
Intensive outpatient care can be a highly effective method of overcoming substance use disorders and addiction. However, one less commonly known benefit is that those who participate actively and with intention can also see their relationships with others flourish.
If you are ready to fight back against your addiction, an intensive outpatient program could be an excellent choice. Contact Aquila Recovery Clinic to learn more about the recovery programs we offer and enroll in the program that is best suited for you.