The Family Caught in the Vortex of the Opioid Crisis

Opioid Addiction isn’t just about the cruelty it causes and the havoc it wreaks on the addict… keeping addicts in the constant clutches of the addiction and disease, but it is also about the cruelty and havoc it affects on everyone around them including those closest to them– their family.

When you hear of someone addicted to opioids you think about them, their journey, their state of living, their reality and how to help them. But what’s not often thought about is their loved ones… their family and what their state of living has been degraded to as they face their new ‘reality’, a reality they never planned for or dreamed of or ever expected to experience in their lives. And, it seems that no one ever thinks of how to help them, the family, caught in eye of the vortex of their loved one’s addiction crisis.

As the Opioid crisis reaches epidemic proportions globally, people are searching for solutions and ways to help mitigate addiction. However, there is one key factor that is missing and that is how to help the families that invariably are thrust into trying to find solutions for their addicted son or daughter, husband or wife. As they search for help and solutions, all the while living this new reality of addiction through their loved one, it affects their sanity and well-being. It becomes draining upon the family emotionally, physically and financially. And to make matters worse, much like putting the oxygen mask on their addicted love one first, they end up not having enough oxygen (resources) to sustain and help themselves. The constant swirling of issues, crisis, emotions and everything else unimaginable, completely sucks the energy right out of them, taking with it any glimpse of hope they had of a normal life and future for themselves and their family.

Families today now shoulder the biggest burden of Opioid Addiction and in and of itself is becoming its own crisis, as featured on National Public Radio, April 18, 2018 in their article:

From one family of an addict to another family, the costs of shouldering the burden of their child’s addiction has become an enormous burden. Parents are finding themselves helping their addicted children with fines and court costs, rehab costs, living costs, medical and emergency costs, etc… and eventually funeral costs. The costs don’t stop there as many parent’s are having also assuming the parental role of their grandchildren, as their adult addict son or daughter can no longer cope or manage as a parent

Coast to coast the burdens and costs continue to rise for families. The hope that many parents have here at Back2Basics is a light at the end of the tunnel. A place where their addicted son can come and learn sober living and addiction recovery through an outdoor adventure recovery program centered on 12-step therapy, residential living and outdoor experience.

We work with parent’s and residents to figure out the best solution to bringing them on board and continuing support both individually and through group therapy while once in our programs. We also host monthly Family Workshop weekends as a way to promote healing and begin the crucial dialog. “We’re trying to bring everyone together to start a conversation about what went on and what we’re doing to move forward,” said Roy DuPrez, CEO and founder of Back2Basics. Back2Basics offers a year-long program, consisting of six months of in-patient care called Back2Basics and six months of a transitional program called Beyond the Basics. Family Workshops typically happen when a client has been at the treatment center for about three months.

At Back2Basics we strive to help parents from shouldering the full burden to working with their sons, teaching them accountability and to create positive change.

“Back2Basics is committed to the recovery of our residents through a series of concentrated hands-on therapy and life-skill building that is rooted by our unique programs, daily in-depth study of the 12-steps, and innovative and traditional therapeutic modalities.” said Roy DuPrez, CEO of Back2Basics