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The Power of Family: How CRAFT helps loved ones influence addicts?
In families dealing with addiction, loved ones often feel like they are in a whirlpool. Based on Community Enhancement Therapy and Family Training (CRAFT), pioneered by psychologist Robert J. Myers in the late 1970s, this behavioral therapy has gradually become an important tool for helping family members. CRAFT focuses on teaching relatives how to be a positive force in promoting addictions into treatment while helping them improve their own well-being. This approach reflects the key role of family strength in supporting change and provides insight into how CRAFT works and its effectiveness.
The purpose of CRAFT is to provide loved ones of addicts who are unwilling to seek treatment with the support and knowledge to more effectively encourage them to enter treatment.
How does CRAFT work?
CRAFT Motivation-Based Family Therapy explains how to change the interaction between families and addicts through positive reinforcement techniques. The main goals of this approach are threefold:
- Guide addicts toward treatment.
- Reduce their use of alcohol and drugs.
- Also improve the quality of life of family members.
Research shows that CRAFT interventions can effectively involve family members in guiding addicts to seek treatment, with success rates as high as 70% in different studies.
“CRAFT significantly increases the likelihood that individuals who are resistant to treatment will enter treatment.”
Family influence
As part of CRAFT, family members learn how to use positive reinforcement, effective communication skills, and natural consequences to influence the addict's behavior. Many times, Myers noted, addicts report family pressure that led them to seek treatment. This suggests that family support not only helps the addict improve his or her health, but also improves the mental health of the family members themselves. Through learning CRAFT, family members can become more independent and reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and anger.
Effective communication skills
CRAFT provides seven steps for effective communication among family members to promote open and constructive dialogue:
- Concise and clear
- Stay positive
- Point to specific behavior
- Express personal emotions
- Understand and accept partial responsibility
- Provide help
The core of these techniques is to reduce the addict's defensiveness and make them more receptive to the care and support of loved ones. Myers and Wolff's book "Getting Your Loved One to Stop Drinking: Alternatives to Bargaining, Begging, and Threats" explores this topic further.
“Consistency plays a key role in giving consequences and rewards, which not only conveys information but also increases trust.”
Achievements and challenges of CRAFT
Although most medical institutions agree that alcoholism is a disease that requires treatment, skepticism remains. The advantage of CRAFT is that it does not rely on the patient's self-awareness and relies heavily on the help of relatives. In numerous studies, CRAFT has been shown to be effective in helping addicts enter treatment, reduce their use, and improve the mental health of family members.
Practical application of CART
Currently, CRAFT is used by many treatment institutions and self-help organizations. Through a series of video teaching and guidance, parents and relatives have benefited a lot. Public health agencies in four states are also offering free resources to families. In addition, some organizations, including Re-Education Support Teams (REST), focus on using CRAFT to help members face the challenges of addiction.
"CRAFT helps family members get out of trouble while giving addicts a chance to regain hope."
Conclusion
As we delve deeper into the impact of the CRAFT approach, it is undeniable that the power of the family is integral in supporting an addict in their treatment journey. In today's society, families dealing with addiction should seek effective support and guidance. This is not only responsible for the one you love, but also a process of seeking self-healing. After all, has your family found the right way to overcome addiction?
