Anyone who grew up with siblings knows that the relationship between siblings is truly unique. One minute you can be at each other’s throats, and the next minute you can be laughing so hard that both of you have tears running down your faces. Siblings are unlike any other family member. When a sibling struggles with drug or alcohol addiction, a sibling is often one of the first people to realize something is going on. As a teen enters an addiction recovery program at Teen Challenge USA, the support and encouragement of a sibling can go a long way in aiding in their addiction recovery process.
A Different Family Relationship
Siblings have a different relationship than that of a parent and a child. Siblings grow up together, experience life together, and are there when others are not. When a teen is going through addiction recovery, they can sometimes feel like they’ve damaged their family relationships. When overcoming addiction and finding identity in Christ, your teen needs the support of their family, especially their siblings.
Lifelong Connections
Family is a series of connections that last throughout life. While it often takes a lot of work, maintaining these family connections and relationships is extremely beneficial for most people, especially those going through addiction recovery. Siblings can help each other throughout life, not just when they are teens or young adults. A sibling is someone who has been with you from the start and knows when you’re struggling and when you are doing well. These lifelong plans can help you keep your addiction recovery on track throughout life.
Forgiveness from Shame
Battling with addiction often brings feelings of shame, especially in regards to seeming weak or like you have failed to the important people in your life. A strong relationship with your siblings as you go through an addiction recovery program can help break those feelings of shame, allowing you to truly overcome your obstacles and get the healing and breakthrough you need to triumph over your addictions and find your identity in Christ.
