Codependency and Addiction
There is a reason why addiction is called a “family disease.” This is because addiction affects far more people than just the individual who is struggling. In fact, codependency and addiction are much more common than many people may think. The good news is that there are many ways for everyone involved to recover from addiction.
Understanding Addiction
Addiction is much more than simply overindulging in alcohol or substances. It is about the underlying issues that go along with it. This is why addiction is a “disease.” It affects the individual at their very core.
Many people are under the misconception that addiction is some type of moral failing or choice. This is simply false. In fact, addiction has more in common with other chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease than it does with a “choice.” As previously mentioned, addiction is also a family disease that causes codependency.
Understanding Codependency and Addiction
Codependency and addiction are serious health issues for the entire family. As stated in the journal Quality of Life Research, “In addition to the direct impact on family health of a substance use or addiction disorder, family members are at risk of developing distinctive psychological characteristics that leave them vulnerable to other health problems. These characteristics include a tendency to self-sacrifice by self-restriction such as suppressing feelings to accommodate the relative’s substance use. Given the large scale of the addiction problem and the obvious relevance to public health of these experiences of family members, these underlying characteristics and their association with health and well-being require examination.”
Codependency also causes serious character and emotional traits that can be particularly harmful to family members, partners, and close friends. According to Addiction & Health, “The untrustworthiness of addicts creates chaos, clutter in family and emotional confusion, and their unstable and unpredictable behaviors cause chronic anxiety, disturbance and fear within family. Family members try to control the harmful situation, blame themselves, and feel shame over the circumstances. Characteristics like low self-esteem, the tendency to minimize personal demands, and prioritization of others’ needs, exaggerated caretaking behaviors, obsessive involvement with others, and having trouble in intimate relationships are frequently reported by addicts’ families, especially their wives.”
The good news is that recovering from codependency and addiction is possible. The key is to use as many modalities as possible. This includes modalities like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), nature immersion therapy, and yoga therapy, among others.
Experiential Therapy for Codependency and Addiction
When it comes to codependency and addiction, experiential therapy can be highly beneficial. This is because it is about having more experiences that create positive attitudes and outlooks, something that is lacking in strained co-dependent relationships.
Nature immersion therapy can be a particularly beneficial experiential therapy for codependency and addiction. It also offers many other benefits. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “Besides improvements to physical and psychological well-being, exposure to natural environments has been shown to bring about positive impacts on cognitive functioning… While cognitive restoration and physiological well-being are the prominent and renowned benefits of nature exposure, there is one important construct that is often overlooked in environmental psychology research studies – that is, the human-nature relationship; also known as connectedness to nature (CN).” This “CN” can also be gained via holistic healing methods.
Holistic Healing Methods for Codependency and Addiction
There are many effective holistic healing methods for treating codependency and addiction. These can be particularly effective because they can be practiced both together and alone. One specifically helpful holistic tool is yoga therapy.
Yoga offers a myriad of benefits. According to the International Journal of Yoga (IJOY), “Therapeutic yoga is defined as the application of yoga postures and practice to the treatment of health conditions. Yoga therapy involves instruction in yogic practices and teachings to prevent, reduce or alleviate structural, physiological, emotional, and spiritual pain, suffering, or limitations. Yogic practices enhance muscular strength and body flexibility, promote and improve respiratory and cardiovascular function, promote recovery from and treatment of addiction, reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improve sleep patterns, and enhance overall well-being and quality of life.”
There are also many other helpful holistic modalities. These include mindfulness meditation, acupuncture, massage therapy, and reiki.
The Phoenix Difference at The Phoenix Recovery Center
Here at The Phoenix Recovery Center, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” This is also embodied in what we call the Phoenix Difference – “Empowering individuals and families suffering from addiction and mental health disorders, to celebrate life through lasting solutions.”
Yes, codependency and addiction can be devastating, but there is a solution. The key is to reach out and ask for help. Recovery is possible. There is hope. We can help.
Codependency is a serious issue that many families and partners deal with when their loved one has an addiction problem. It is important to understand that an individual who is codependent also needs help to recover. When the whole family recovers, there is a much smaller chance of a potential relapse happening. If you feel like you or a loved one are struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or co-occurring disorders, we can help get you on the positive path toward recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. To begin your healing journey complete this short form or call The Phoenix Recovery Center at (801) 438-3185.
