Family Roles in Recovery: Why Healing the System Matters
Family roles don’t disappear when someone enters recovery — they often become clearer. In many families impacted by substance use, unspoken roles develop over time: The Caretaker. The Hero. The Scapegoat. The Lost Child. The Mascot. These roles are not random. They form as survival strategies. When addiction creates unpredictability, fear, or instability, families naturally…