Families in crisis require professional attention to help them back to a functional coexistence. There are a number of reasons that a family may be experiencing a crisis, ranging from domestic violence to addiction to mental disorders. What they have in common is that they are not things the average person can navigate with common sense alone. The reason there are so many services available to help families in crisis is because the origin of the problems is often very hard to understand. Professionals are needed in order to understand the underlying cause of the crisis and help remedy it.
There are different services available to families in crisis depending on the severity and urgency of the crisis. For example:
- Urgent crisis’ such as domestic violence, severe addiction or severe mental disorder. If any family member is in danger of physical harm, medical professionals and law enforcement should be brought into the situation. Shelters are also an intelligent option as they offer protection from violence and a place to heal. When a family member is struggling with a severe addiction that is threatening their physical health, rehabilitation services and medical detoxification services should become involved to separate the person from the object of their addiction.
- After the initial step has been taken and help has been solicited. This stage of recovery is largely dependent on the situation. If there is still a threat of violence, continued separation, a restraining order or supervised visits may be in order. If the family member causing harm is having some success with their recovery, other forms of treatment are viable. A recovering addict has the option of living in a halfway house or sober living unit until they are ready to be independent again. Intensive family counseling is a wise step for families who experienced trauma together.
- When families are becoming secure in their recovery. When recovery is starting to become a way of life, families are typically ready for a transition into a different phase of recovery. Professional counseling may still be important, but many families begin turning toward sponsors, extended family, friends and support groups for ongoing encouragement.
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