Reverberations of Addictions Impact in the Family Welcome to the - PDF document

Reverberations of Addiction’s Impact in the Family Welcome to the nine part series ‐ with Understanding Addiction and Supporting Recovery Reverberations of Addiction’s Impact in the Claudia Black, Ph.D Family with Presenter Claudia Black www.claudiablack.com Senior Fellow & Clinical Architect Claudia Black Center Webinar series brought to you by the National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACoA), with Co ‐ Sponsorship from the American The Meadows Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC), the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE), and the Entertainment Industries Council (EIC), and National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children (DEC) with support from the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Depression Anxiety Depression Anxiety Depression Anxiety Husband #2 Husband #2 Husband #1 Alcohol & Alcohol & Alcoholic Drug addict Drug addict 1

Father Father Mother Mother Violent Violent Family poor Codependent Codependent Rageful Father Alcoholic Father Alcoholic Emotionally needy absent/alcoholic Mother Mother chronically Depression Anxiety ill Depression Anxiety Husband #2 Husband #2 Husband #1 Husband #1 Alcohol & Alcohol & Alcoholic Alcoholic Drug addict Drug addict Rageful Father Emotionally needy Mother Father Mother Family poor Violent Rageful Father Codependent Family poor Father Alcoholic Emotionally needy Father absent/alcoholic absent/alcoholic Mother Mother chronically Mother chronically ill ill Depression Anxiety Depression Anxiety Brother Sister Compulsive Overeater Died Age 9 Husband #2 Husband #2 Husband #1 Husband #1 Alcohol & Alcohol & Alcoholic Alcoholic Drug addict Drug addict Therese’s Family of Origin Issues Grandmother Grandmother Died shortly Compulsive Grandfather Grandfather after birth of overeater Chronic Alcoholic father Rageful  Overlook (deny, rationalize,  Caretake others poverty gambler minimize) behavior which hurt  Fault self for family’s problems deeply  Discount own perceptions, give  Appear cheerful when hurting others benefit of the doubt  Make excuses for the hurtful  Believe no options are available behavior  Believe she is at fault, it is her job Father Mother  Avoid conflict to minimize Violent Family poor to find the answers Rageful Father Codependent Father Alcoholic Emotionally needy further anger absent/alcoholic  Not ask for help Mother Mother chronically  Tolerate inappropriate and hurtful ill Depression Anxiety  Accommodate behavior Brother  Prioritize the needs of other over Sister Compulsive own Died age 9 overeater Husband #2 Husband #1 Alcohol & Alcoholic Drug addict 2

Healthy Parenting Practices Grandmother Grandmother Died shortly Compulsive Grandfather Grandfather after birth of overeater Chronic Alcoholic father Rageful poverty gambler • Basic needs of safety, food, shelter • Appropriate role modeling • Warm and supportive relationship between the parent and child Father Mother Violent Codependent • Parental monitoring and supervision Family poor Alcoholic Rageful Father Father absent/alcoholic Emotionally needy • Maintaining awareness of the child’s peer Mother chronically Mother Depression Anxiety ill relationships Brother Sister • Understanding the child’s individual risk level Compulsive Died age 9 Overeater • Establishing appropriate parent child Husband #2 communication Husband #1 Alcohol & Alcoholic Drug addict Son Age 7 Daughter Age 10 Amelia Arria, Ph.D. Autonomic Nervous System On a daily basis, our nervous systems experience periods of increasing arousal and periods of decreasing arousal. Each one of us has a “Window of Tolerance” or an “Optimal Arousal Zone” where we can experience nervous system fluctuations while still having the capacity to regulate ourselves . Trauma “stress that causes physical or emotional harm from which you cannot remove yourself” Larke Huang (SAMHSA) Optimal Arousal Zone Present, embodied, open, curious, tolerable feelings, relaxed yet alert, able to think, relational Parasympathetic Nervous System Deactivation Sympathetic Nervous System Activation When a threat is no longer present, the parasympathetic branch helps During times of threat the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous to deactivate the autonomic nervous system. This deactivation system is activated. This activation prepares the body for FIGHT or restores balance and allows the body to REST and DIGEST by FLIGHT by increasing heart rate and breathing rate, inhibiting digestion, reversing the effects of the sympathetic branch. This deactivation of sending blood and energy to the muscles, pupil dilation, tunnel vision the nervous system also makes social engagement possible again. and narrowed range of hearing. Optimal Arousal Optimal Arousal Zone Zone Present, embodied, open, Present, embodied, open, curious, tolerable feelings, curious, tolerable feelings, relaxed yet alert, able to relaxed yet alert, able to think, relational think, relational 3

Sympathetic Hyperarousal Dysregulated Anxious, panic, restless, hyperactive, Arousal hypervigilant, exaggerated startle, emotional flooding, impulsivity, risk-taking, poor judgment Regulated Arousal Optimal Arousal Parasympathetic Zone Hypoarousal Present, embodied, open, Flat affect, depression, lethargy, curious, tolerable feelings, numb, disconnected, dissociation, relaxed yet alert, able to despair, self-loathing, hopeless, think, relational full of shame, victim identity Children of addiction are 2 to 4 times more likely to be sexually abused . They are prime for victimization as they… Are often starving for attention 1. Are less apt to speak up because of fear 2. of not being believed. Give others the benefit of the doubt. 3. Don’t trust their own perceptions. 4. Don’t know what they feel and can’t use 5. feelings and cues as signals. Are confused about appropriate 6. boundaries. Experience shame upon shame which 7. fuels powerlessness. Trauma Repetition Dear Lord – Doing something self destructive over and 1. Be good to me, the sea is so wide and my over again, usually something that took place boat so small. in childhood and started with a trauma Reliving a “story” from the past 2. Epigram for the National Children’s Defense Fund Engaging in abusive relationships repeatedly 3. Repeating painful experiences, including 4. specific behaviors, scenes, persons and feelings 4

Therese’s Family of Origin Issues Grandmother Grandmother that impact her parenting Died shortly Compulsive Grandfather Grandfather after birth of overeater Chronic Alcoholic father Rageful poverty gambler  Overlook (deny, rationalize,  Caretake others, not take care of minimize) irresponsible behavior self, allow others to take which hurt deeply advantage of her  Appear cheerful when confused,  Fault self for family’s problems hurting  Discount own perceptions, give Father Mother  Make excuses for the others benefit of the doubt Violent Codependent Family poor Alcoholic irresponsible hurtful behavior  Believe no options are available, Rageful Father Father absent/alcoholic Emotionally distant  Avoid conflict to minimize remain in victim position Mother chronically Mother Depression Anxiety further anger ill  Believe she is at fault, it is her job  Tolerate inappropriate and hurtful to find the answers, not hold son Brother Sister behavior accountable Compulsive Died age 9 Overeater  Prioritize the needs of others  Not ask for help, don’t want help, over own, diminish her own only wanting to stop Husband #2 Husband #1 needs, not expect respect for self Alcohol &  Accommodate , anything to avoid Drug addict Drug addict Son conflict, anything to feel loved Age 19 Daughter Age 22 Mindfulness is the ability to cultivate awareness of the Possibility for Recovery present moment while putting aside our lenses of judgment. It is being in connection with the direct experience of the present moment, the here and now.  Identify primary disorders  Potential for co-occurring disorders and multiple addictions  Prioritize treatment of intergenerational family dynamics Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation Therapy Practices  Reduced rumination  EMDR  Tai Chi  Stress reduction  Somatic Experiencing (SE)  Yoga  Boosts working memory  Sensorimotor psychotherapy  Focus  Expressive Arts (SP)  Less emotional reactivity  Song  Emotionally Focused Therapy  More cognitive flexibility (EFT)  Drumming  Relationship satisfaction  Neurofeedback  Chanting  Health benefits such as:  Action Based Psychodramatic  Meditation T echniques ▪ increased immune functioning ▪ reduced psychological distress  Labyrinth ▪ increased information processing speed 5