When a family member or friend is suffering from drug or alcohol addiction, it can be difficult to know how to reach out and offer your help. You may find your efforts to be unsuccessful, which can be discouraging as they continue abusing substances. When you don’t have a lot of experience with the situation, it can be challenging to know the right steps to take.
Many people attempt to help in different ways but end up enabling the individual. Fortunately, there are a few ways you can help a loved one overcome drug or alcohol addiction and help them have access to the right resources.
Create an Intervention Team
One of the most effective ways of helping your loved one understand the severity of their addiction is to schedule an intervention. This is useful if your efforts to communicate with them haven’t been successful. Form a team of people who are involved in the life of the individual and has a strong relationship with them to ensure they are surrounded by the people who care for their well-being.
The team can also consist of a professional who specializes in drug or alcohol treatment and can act as a mediator while moderating the conversation. Meet in advance to ensure everyone is on the same page and to rehearse what will be discussed. Ask your loved one the day of to meet to ensure they agree and aren’t suspicious of the plan.
Obtain the Right Resources
Your loved one likely wants to overcome their addiction but doesn’t know where to turn to for help. Research different resources that are available in the local area to ensure you can provide them with various tools to use to work towards sobriety. Look for local treatment centers in the region or find professionals who specialize in addiction treatment to ensure they can begin meeting with your loved one. There are also many different books available that they can read as they begin the recovery process.
Provide your family member or friend with the right resources and give them the freedom to choose which route they want to take as they work towards sobriety. They may prefer to enroll in an outpatient program or are interested in meeting one-on-one with a therapist. Conducting all of the research yourself can make it easier for your loved one to take the next step without feeling intimidated or challenged on how to get started.
Avoid Enabling the Addiction
In an attempt to love a family member or friend who struggles with addiction, it can be easy to enable their behavior. Avoid giving money, drugs, or alcohol to them, which shows you support their addiction. It’s also important to avoid lying or defending them when talking with other friends or family members. Although you may feel protective of the individual, your efforts can end up furthering their addiction and preventing them from obtaining the help they need.
Remain Honest
Although it may be painful, to be honest with your loved one about their addiction, it’s necessary for ensuring they understand the severity of the situation. When you communicate your concern for their well-being and explain why you want them to seek help for an addiction, it can help them to understand how far off they’ve become.
Don’t be afraid to say you’re hurt or that you have a lack of trust in them after their addiction has caused them to lie or hide the truth from you. Having a real conversation that isn’t confrontational can prompt them to work towards sobriety when they understand how it’s hurting themselves and their relationships.
Be Prepared for a Lifelong Process
Unfortunately, recovering from an addiction isn’t an overnight process. Be prepared to remain committed to your loved one as they work hard to overcome drug or alcohol addiction. There may be times when they relapse or adopt other bad habits that affect their well-being. Have patience with the process and learn how to forgive when you feel let down by their actions. It’s also necessary to support their milestones as they make progress while in recovery. If you’re ready to get started, contact us at 855-334-6120 today.
What Happens After Your 90-Day Rehab Program?
