Blue-Blooded Life – The Unseen Side of Addiction

Addiction creates a dark storm of destruction within families, and wealth offers no protection from this dangerous disease. In fact, it appears that UHNW families are more susceptible to addiction than regular folk. We do, sometimes, hear stories of heirs spiraling out of control in a haze of drink and drugs, culminating in the inevitable hard stint in rehab. However, coverage in the media does not adequately highlight the problems UHNWI face with addiction. Most affluent families go to great lengths to shield such problems from the public.
The fear, frustration, and devastation are things that all families face when dealing with addiction, but for the wealthy there is an added layer of worry. There is genuine concern for the family’s reputation, which could in turn jeopardize business interests. Thus it is important to portray the perfect family life, or at least keep out the prying eyes of the media, at all costs.
Viewing addiction from the family’s perspective is rare. In most instances the spotlight is on the alcoholic or addict themselves. But, families suffer too, particularly in a closed system such as that of so many wealthy families.

A Harrowing Insight

Addiction reaches its tentacles of terror into so many aspects of family life. The person afflicted with addiction have their own battles to fight, and as family members you probably feel confused as to how to help them. We live in a culture where it is often difficult to recognize addiction in our loved ones before it has really taken hold.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human resources reported that, in 2006 some 20 million Americans used illicit drugs. This represents 8.3 of the population aged 12 and over. They further reported that 6.9% of the population were heavy drinker (binge drinking five days within the past 30 days of the survey). In young adults, between the ages of 18 and 25, the binge drinking rate was considerably higher at 42%. Older adults are now abusing prescription drugs.
Now, most of the individuals surveyed would not consider themselves addicts, and many would probably be correct. However, this culture of drugs and alcohol bingeing, especially among young people, hides a deeper issue that families are eventually left to contend with.

Broad Brush Strokes for the Upper-Crust

Of course legal prescription drugs and alcohol are not the only substances the well-heeled get addicted to: there are non-substance addictions also. Coping skills such as gambling, food and shopping are probably the most well-known non-substance forms of addiction. But, more recent forms of addiction, mostly involving technology are fast becoming a concern for loved ones across the developed world.
Chief among the internet driven addictions is cyber sex addiction. This includes a whole host of behaviors like online pornography. The effects on family and loved ones from these types of addictions are not that dissimilar to those of individuals under the influence of up to forty varied medications and much more.
According to one small survey, “Cybersex was a major contributing factor into separation and divorce of couples” – ruining the family the same fashion as substance addiction. The children of these families often suffer from lack of attention, early exposure to cyberporn, and indirect involvement in their parent’s conflict.
Families dealing with non-substance addiction face the same struggles as their counterparts. In fact, it could be argued that the former faces greater complications. Substance abuse and addiction are widely recognized and well-addressed. The same cannot be said for addiction to Cyberpornography.

The Whirling Dervish of Addiction

Living with addiction is physically and mentally exhausting regardless of the type of the name of the addiction. No matter how committed you are to helping your loved one you will no doubt find yourself in a challenging juggle trying to help ultimately helping them to stay sick.
You can ensure you do all the commonly recommended things; educate yourself on addiction and recovery, get professional help, support your loved one as best you can. However, it is neigh on impossible for you to avoid the traumatic effects it will have on you. Yes, that is right! In all of this chaos you actually have to think about yourself. It is easy to forget that you are part of this addiction battle too. You are not immune to battle weariness.
The first action for an individual or family is to acknowledge that there is a problem and that they cannot manage it alone. All families are doing the best they can, but they are not trained and seasoned healthy professionals. Your physical, emotional and mental states are no doubt in a fragile state. Even if your loved one successfully overcomes addiction there will be deep routed damage within the relationship requiring repair.
And so, once this realization dawns that it is not only the addicted individual that is suffering, it stands to reason that as a family member you should be afforded the appropriate treatment.

A Scientific Treatment Plan that Works

Couple Des Cierges © & Family Des Cierges © is a U.S. Medical Boards Model based on scientific studies. It is a recognition that the families can require as much help as the afflicted themselves. It is a studies-driven, evidence-based plan designed to effectively heal families from all sorts of scenarios. This plan not only gives you the support you need to maintain a strong mentality and good physical health, it also empowers you to better support your nearest and dearest while they overcome addiction and other challenges.
The struggles that family members face go largely unseen, but not by all. One of our doctors suggested a good way to describe our treatment protocols as being led by an extended healthy family – The Scott © treatment team of seasoned doctors. We have learned that testing, intensive treatment, in certain cases Treatment Tourism © and Treatment Home Healthcare © will stem the flow of tears shed by the family long before those tears ever run out replaced by laughter and good memories.

What Will Family Money Buy?

Time and the finest luxury concierge rehabilitation team of doctors that will change tyour life to wholeness and peace affecting and protecting the families future generations.