Mothers whose children are in the process of addiction recovery often feel like they’re helpless. They may not know where to turn or what to do.
Sadly, their efforts to help can feel like they’re causing more harm than good. Mothers have an important role to play in their child’s recovery, though, and there are a number of resources available to help them in this difficult time.
Resources for moms and addiction recovery are plentiful and can meet a variety of needs. Mothers who want to help their children recover can find support groups, books, and online resources, while mothers who need help coping with their feelings may benefit from individual counseling. Mothers who find themselves addicted can find a variety of resources.
Whether you’re a mother who is trying to recover from her own addiction to drugs or alcohol or you’re a mother whose child is on the road to recovery, it’s important to know where you can turn for help. It may seem hopeless, but the important thing to remember is that you’re not alone. Keep reading to find out about the best resources available to help you.
What Resources Are There for Moms?
Resources that are available to mothers specifically in reference to addiction can vary whether you’re a mother whose child is going through recovery, or if you’re a mother yourself who’s trying to overcome an addiction.
Mothers with Recovering Children
- Family therapy sessions
- Online support groups
- Books and videos
- Individual counseling
Mothers Recovering from Addiction
- Inpatient rehabilitation facilities
- Outpatient rehab programs
- Individual counseling
- Local in-person support groups
- Online support groups
The important thing to remember is that, with the amount of technology available, there have never been more ways to connect with resources that can help you get through difficult times.
Mothers with Recovering Children
Being a mother to a recovering child can be a difficult situation, but there’s always hope. If the child is truly trying to recover, a mother can provide valuable help and support. It’s important to remember, however, that you can’t change your child’s behavior; they have to change it on their own. Here are some resources to help you provide that support.
Family Therapy
Good family therapy sessions can be some of the most beneficial ways that mothers can support their children through recovery. In a typical family therapy session, mothers can come to understand how their child’s addiction has affected them, and hopefully help the child understand that too.
Re-building broken relationships is one of the main focuses of family therapy, which often seeks to help repair relationships by emphasizing that problems are between individuals, not with individuals. A mother’s input can be valuable to helping a child come to grips with how their addiction affected those around them.
Family therapy is available as part of a recovering addict’s rehab plan, or can be arranged for through local rehab programs or with local mental health providers who specialize in helping with drug or alcohol addiction recovery plans.
Online Resources
These resources can take the form of online support groups or blogs, videos, or books that help a mother understand what her child is going through, and what her own role is in assisting in recovery. A quick Google search can return thousands of blog pages where parents recount their own experiences with adult children who are addicted to drugs or alcohol.
These parents can provide some hard-learned wisdom to mothers who may be just at the beginning of a difficult journey, or whose children have started the recovery process. It can be especially valuable to gain this understanding early, before a mom spends years on it herself. At the very least, it can help a mother be aware of what her struggles will be.
Beyond blogs or videos that can give mothers an idea of what to expect and coping strategies, there are a number of online support groups for mothers with adult children recovering from addiction. Social media platforms like Facebook have many groups where mothers can gather to share hope and encouragement.
Mothers Recovering from Addiction
Mothers aren’t perfect, though it can sometimes seem like it to their children. Plenty of mothers struggle with addictions to medication, drugs, or alcohol. These women can be particularly hard on themselves because of their roles as mothers, but it’s important to remember that there’s hope for everyone to recover from addictions.
Resources for mothers are similar to resources for other recovering addicts, and come in the form of rehab centers for individuals with particularly strong addictions to support groups and individual counseling for those who have been through rehab and are on the road to long-term sobriety.
Rehab Facilities
When deciding on an inpatient vs. outpatient experience at a rehab facility, a mother may only be able to do outpatient if she has young children at home and no spouse. She may also have family that can take the children while she completes a month-long inpatient program. It is a consideration that single people don’t necessarily have to worry about.
Local Support Groups
There are a variety of national-level addiction recovery support groups that are specifically geared towards women, like Women for Sobriety. It can be helpful for a woman to get the perspectives of other women who have already struggled on their own journey and can speak about the particular challenges of being a mother recovering from addiction.
Individual Counseling
Often continued individual counseling is absolutely necessary for an ongoing recovery plan, and that’s true for mothers as well. A good sobriety counselor can help a woman come up with coping strategies that don’t involve returning to drugs or alcohol, help her understand the root causes of her addictions, and help her identify goals and strategies for the future.
While individual counseling can be expensive, there are nonprofit organizations that can provide resources for women who may not be able to afford it on their own. Insurance plans can also help ease the financial burden, and some rehab centers also provide ongoing care in the form of group therapy sessions and meetings to alumni.
Books for Mothers and Addiction
There are a number of good books for mothers who are dealing with addiction, whether their own or a child’s. Here are some of the top picks if books are something that helps you.
- Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America’s Greatest Tragedy, by David Sheff.
- Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Though His Son’s Addiction, by David Sheff.
- Don’t Let Your Kids Kill You: A Guide for Parents of Drug and Alcohol Addicted Children, by Charles Rubin.
- The Addicts’ Mom: A Survival Guide: A financial, Legal, and Personal Guide for Parents of Teens and Adult Children with Drug and Alcohol Issues, by Cassandra A. Collins
Books may not be a good resource for everyone, but they can provide a wealth of knowledge and encouragement for some. While addiction is a debilitating disease that can affect not only the person but the people around them, these books can provide encouragement as well as practical advice for people whose loved one is recovering from addiction.
Steps Recovery Centers is Here for You
Mothers with adult children who are in addiction recovery from drugs or alcohol, or those who are addicted themselves, don’t have to go it alone. There is a wealth of resources for struggling mothers that can help ease their pain, give them hope, and give them advice on how they can help. Steps Recovery Centers is a residential treatment center that strives to meet its residents’ psychological and physical needs while they’re in recovery. We have locations in Salt Lake City, St. George, and Utah County, Utah. Get in touch with us today.
