WHEN A LOVED ONE HAS AN ADDICTION |
Posted: March 15, 2018 |
Addiction is a complex problem that impacts more than just the person who is afflicted. Family members and close friends also suffer when a person is struggling with an addicion. It is these people that are often overlooked when you discuss addiction problems. Family and friends, however, often suffer great emotional distress when their loved one has an addiction problem. Their Addiction Is Very Much Their OwnThe first thing that a family member must understand is that they did not cause the addiction in their loved one. The first thing that a person learns in rehab is that addiction is a very personal thing. Every addiction is different and happens because of different factors. Part of the work of a substance abuse counselor is to help the person with an addiction to quit blaming others for their problem and address the issues that led them to this point in their lives. A person suffering with an addiction cannot begin the healing process until they are willing to “own” their problem and are ready to do something about it. If the person with the addiction cannot blame you for their problems you should not blame yourself either. You Cannot Control Another Person’s AddictionMany family members believe that they can help their loved one with an addiction problem by controlling the situation. Some people have tried buying the drugs or alcohol for their loved one and then giving it to them in a controlled method. Others have tried monitoring their loved ones every action to try to prevent them from accessing their addictive substance. Neither action will help. In fact, it will probably cause more problems and heartache than it will help. If you want to help your loved one, try addressing the problem in a non-confrontational manner and see if they are ready to enter into an addiction rehab program. Give them your love and support and tell them that there are high quality live in and outpatient programs available for them when they are ready to rid themselves of the addiction. Let them know that you love them and that you are ready to walk these steps with them to recovery. Then let them decide. You cannot force your loved one to want to recovery, but your compassion may convince them that it is the right thing to do. Accept That You Cannot Cure A Loved One’s AddictionRecovery is a lifelong process. A person who is battling an addiction will face temptations for the rest of their lives. Whatever has caused them to resort to the addiction may reoccur, or the desire for the “high” may at times just become overwhelming. It is important for family members and friends to understand that once their loved one leaves rehab, the process is not over. Drug rehab centers often encourage loved ones to join in on some of the therapy sessions so that they can learn about the addiction process and what to expect in the future. They also learn how to help their loved ones through the tough times that may be ahead. It is a beneficial part of rehab that helps the person with an addiction build a strong support system for the future. You Cannot Do It Alone As a family member or friend of a person with an addiction you should never try to fix the situation alone. Addiction is a very complex issue with both physical and mental problems that must be addressed for the addict to enter into addiction treatment. Trying to correct all of these problems on your own can lead to an undue amount of frustration and stress. For the best help for your loved one, encourage a drug rehabilitation center to start the recovery process. Rehabilitation centers have everything that is necessary for a person to take control of their lives and start the recovery process. There are many types of rehabilitation centers. A high quality rehabilitation center will have the option for live in or outpatient services for their clients. They will have a well trained staff of substance abuse counselors that are able and willing to work closely with your loved one to help them make this transition. The drug rehab center will also offer programs for those people who are close to the person with the addiction and need emotional support as well. There Is Always HopeWhen you are watching someone you love suffer from an addiction everything may seem hopeless. Thankfully, there is always hope. Love and support and encouragement often lead to a person suffering with an addiction to choose the path to recovery. And when that choice is made everything will begin to change for the better. Recovery is a long process that can be difficult at times. A person with an addiction often has to overcome physical withdrawal symptoms before they can address emotional and mental addiction issues, and the physical issues. Once they have overcome the physical dependency they have made a major step in their recovery. It is never wrong to keep hope in your life that your loved one will decide to leave the addict lifestyle and enter into recovery. In fact, a family member with hope is probably the leading reason for those suffering from an addiction chose to enter into recovery.
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