Being in the family of someone dealing with addiction may be one of the most difficult things that a person has to go through. You want to help your loved one but don’t know how. To help you, we have put together these tips on how to support a loved one struggling with addiction.
Educate Yourself on Addiction
Learn about what your loved one is going through so you can understand their illness better. You may find your loved one is open to talking with you about their addiction and treatment options. You will also be able to better understand how best to help them through this difficult time of their life.
When They Need You the Most, Be There For Them
Addiction takes a toll on those who have it as well as those around them. You must take care of yourself as well as your loved one during this time so that neither of you gets burned out or discouraged too easily by the situation at hand.
Be available when your loved one needs support, but don’t push too hard if they don’t seem like they want any help right now. Give them space if they need it instead of always trying to “fix” everything all at once — this will only make both of you feel worse.
Understand the Process of Recovery
The road to recovery is never easy, but it doesn’t have to be complicated either. Recovery is a process that involves many steps and multiple facets, including physical health, mental health, financial stability, and sobriety. It’s important to understand all these components in order to get the most out of your loved one’s treatment plan and help them achieve their goals.
There are several steps involved in achieving sobriety: detoxification, rehabilitation therapy, and long-term aftercare programs. During the detox stage, individuals must remove themselves from their environment to safely detox from drugs or alcohol.
Rehabilitation therapy involves learning how to abstain from substance use while also addressing underlying mental health issues that may have contributed to an individual’s substance use disorder (SUD).
Aftercare programming allows individuals to continue working on their recovery after they leave rehabilitation facilities by providing ongoing support groups, counseling services, and relapse prevention training.
Encourage Treatment and Recovery
Encourage treatment and recovery like alcohol treatment in Jackson MS. A person battling addiction may not have the motivation or desire to seek help on their own, so it’s up to you to encourage them.
Make sure they know that you’re there for them no matter what they choose — whether they decide to seek treatment or not — but do your best not to pressure them into doing anything they don’t want to do.
Get Information About How to Help
The first thing that you need is information on what helps support people in recovery. You’ll want access to good resources that will provide information about how to support people in recovery, what kinds of things can trigger relapses and how families should interact with those struggling with addiction. You need this information so that you know what you can do and what your limitations are when it comes to helping someone else recover from addiction.
Don’t Negotiate, Argue or Threaten
Negotiation and arguing are forms of enabling, and they rarely work (if ever). Threats often backfire because people who are addicted don’t want to lose what they have — even if it means their life. This can put your relationship in jeopardy if the person threatens to cut off communication with you altogether.
Be Patient
If your loved one has been using drugs for a long time, it may take them some time before they are ready for treatment. It is common for people in the early stages of recovery to relapse several times before becoming successfully abstinent from substances like heroin or cocaine for good. Remind them of their goals, and offer encouragement and support when needed.
Encourage Exercise and Healthy Eating
Addiction often begins with an attempt to self-medicate underlying mental health issues or emotional pain. Exercise and healthy eating are proven ways to improve your mood and decrease feelings of depression. Encouraging your loved ones to make these positive changes in their life can help them feel better about themselves, which will result in fewer cravings for drugs or alcohol.
Look into Support Groups
It’s important for people who struggle with addiction to have support from others who understand what they’re going through. Support groups are available for many types of addictions, so look into finding one that fits their needs. You may even want to go with your loved ones if they’re willing to attend such an event together. This will help them feel less alone in their battle against addiction and give you a chance to learn more about how this disease affects those around you.
Wrapping Up
When someone we love is struggling with substance abuse, it can feel hard to know what to do. If you’re wondering how you can best support a loved one as they work towards recovery, above are some things that might help.
