Helping a loved one

When someone you love is struggling with substance use or a mental health condition, you want what is best for them. You want them to heal and to build a life that works. Our evidence-based outpatient programs let your loved one continue working and living at home during treatment, and they bring you into the process too. 

Our programs include weekly support meetings for family, close friends, loved ones, and chosen family. These meetings provide education about substance use, mental health, and recovery, along with guidance on what to expect when someone close to you is going through treatment. 

A family approach

Outcomes improve when family is involved. A substance use disorder or a mental health condition affects not only the person living with it but also the people who care about them, including family, friends, spouses, and partners. At Kolmac, we treat the people around the patient as part of the work.

How to recognize addiction

It is not always obvious when use or distress has crossed into something that needs treatment. For substance use, the National Institute on Drug Abuse suggests asking whether the person: 

• Has escalated how much or how often they drink or use 

• Wants to quit but has not been able to 

• Is unable to function at work, school, or home because of drugs or alcohol 

• Avoids social, recreational, or work activities in order to use 

• Keeps drinking or using despite consequences they know are caused by it 

Mental health conditions can be harder to see from the outside. Warning signs include: 

• Withdrawing from people and activities they used to value 

• Persistent sadness, hopelessness, or loss of interest 

• Extreme mood changes, or excessive worry and fear 

• Changes in sleep, appetite, or energy 

• Growing difficulty functioning at work, school, or home 

If several of these apply, encourage them to seek professional support. We offer evidence-based treatment for substance use and mental health conditions across Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. If you are scared, confused, or simply do not know how to help, you can start by calling Kolmac. We know what to do.

We help you while your loved one gets help

While our clinicians teach your loved one the skills for recovery, including relapse prevention, addressing problem behaviors, and healthy lifestyle changes, we encourage you to take part. Supporting someone through treatment is hard, and you deserve support of your own. 

Weekly family and friends support meetings

We offer confidential groups for loved ones, family, and friends. These groups provide education about substance use, mental health, and recovery, support for family members, and a safe place to ask questions, raise concerns, discuss setbacks, and celebrate progress.

Family, friends, and chosen family

Family means more than an official relative. We welcome spouses, partners, close friends, and anyone with a stake in helping the patient get better. Participants are encouraged to share their experiences, but no one is required to speak. You can simply listen and learn how to best support your loved one through the experiences of others.

Everyone needs a support system

We urge each patient to have at least one person attend family group sessions as often as possible. For young adults between 18 and 25 who live at home, we ask that at least one parent attend. Decades of evidence show that patients and families do better when everyone talks, listens, and learns about treatment together.