What is Family therapy?

19th May 2024

Family therapists help a family understand and work through patterns of negative behavior that may cause underlying problems.

An article in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Trusted Source states that family therapy can help families with adolescents experiencing mental health issues.

This type of therapy can also help people with:

substance misuse disorders

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a treatable mental disorder that affects a person’s brain and behavior, leading to their inability to control their use of substances like legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, or medications. Symptoms can be moderate to severe, with addiction being the most severe form of SUD.

eating disorders

Eating disorders are behavioral conditions characterized by severe and persistent disturbance in eating behaviors and associated distressing thoughts and emotions. They can be very serious conditions affecting physical, psychological, and social function. Types of eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, other specified feeding and eating disorder, and pica, and rumination disorder.

Taken together, eating disorders affect up to 5% of the population, most often developing in adolescence and young adulthood. Several, especially anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are more common in women, but they can all occur at any age and affect any gender. Eating disorders are often associated with preoccupations with food, weight, or shape or with anxiety about eating or the consequences of eating certain foods. Behaviors associated with eating disorders include restrictive eating or avoidance of certain foods, binge eating, purging by vomiting or laxative misuse, or compulsive exercise. These behaviors can become driven in ways that appear similar to an addiction.

behavioral problems

Behavioral disorders involve a pattern of disruptive behaviors in children that last for at least 6 months and cause problems in school, at home, and in social situations.

Behavioral disorders may involve:

  • Inattention.
  • Hyperactivity.
  • Impulsivity.
  • Defiant behavior.
  • drug use.
  • criminal activity.

anxiety

Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure. People with anxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns. They may avoid certain situations out of worry.

OCD

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common, chronic, and long-lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts (“obsessions”) and/or behaviors (“compulsions”) that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over.

medical issues

Most Common Health Issues. Physical Activity and Nutrition; Overweight and Obesity; Tobacco; Substance Abuse; HIV/AIDS; Mental Health; Injury.