Life is not easy for an addict, and it is not easy for those who love that addict, either. If your loved one is an addict, it can be difficult to figure out what you should do. Unfortunately, unless you are a professional addiction counselor, there is only so much you really can do regarding addiction help. However, there are some steps you can take to help your loved one. The key is to make sure that the addict gets the help they need as soon as possible.
Getting an Addict Addiction Help
An addict is a person who loses control over their ability to make rational decisions when faced with their particular addiction. Addiction is a substance or activity that creates a sense of euphoria that an addict craves always. An addict can be addicted to drugs, alcohol, gambling, pornography, committing theft, or any number of other substances or activities. Physical addiction occurs when the lack of a substance or activity causes an adverse physical reaction. For example, drug addicts often experience nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms when they are without their particular drug of choice. With mental addiction, there are no physical reactions to ceasing an addictive substance or activity. However, there is often anxiety and mental anguish that occurs at a very high level.
The most difficult thing that a family member has to do for an addict is to stop enabling their addiction. You need to set boundaries that dictate what you are willing to do and how much you can offer in the way of resources and then stand by those boundaries. Giving an addict money without knowing where it will be spent is enabling the addict and not helping them. If you agree to get a family member addiction help and get them back on their feet, then offer to make direct payments for the things they need instead of giving them money. You need to show strong love and support and insist that the addict get help as soon as possible.
It is important to remember that you cannot help your family member if you are not taking care of yourself. Do not allow your family member’s addiction to bring your life down. Work on your health and habits to make sure that you feel good about yourself and you can be there for your loved one when you are needed. You can also rally other family members to lend support and take the pressure of being the only responsible family member off of your shoulders.
Unless you are a professional counselor, then you cannot help an addict. You cannot shame an addict into recovery, and yelling at an addict is not going to accomplish anything positive. These are not effective ways of providing addiction help to the person suffering. Do not allow an addict to manipulate you into giving them the things they need to perpetuate their addiction either. Remember your boundaries and be prepared to deny many of the requests the addict makes. It can feel emotionally painful at first, but a firm hand is one of the only real methods you have available to help your loved one get the help they need.
Helping Family Members that Are Addicts
It can be difficult to watch a family member go through addiction. If you want to help your family member to fight their addiction, then you need to get your family member to an addiction expert. In many instances, the family member will insist that they are not battling addiction and refuse to get help. Intervention counselors are trained professionals who can step in, with the assistance of the family, and help the addict to see the damage they are doing to themselves and their family. The ultimate goal of an intervention counselor is to get the addict to a facility that can provide the necessary treatment to beat the addiction.
Addiction can happen to anyone and at any time. It can occur when life seems to be going great, and it can happen when life throws challenges at us. Addiction does not just affect the addict; it also affects the addict’s family as well. With addiction help and the love and support of a strong family unit, an addict can recover from their issues and get back to becoming a productive person again.
Educate Yourself on How Addiction Affects Everyone
Educate Yourself Further
After learning about addiction and how addiction affects everyone, you need to learn what you can do to help your loved one. Only the person that is addicted can ultimately decide to get help and stop using. However, there are things you can do to help encourage them. Counseling and support groups tend to be helpful for families of addicts. Getting some help for yourself might help encourage your loved one to seek the help that they need.
Getting Support and Help for the Family
Because addiction is a disease that affects the entire family, it is important to seek help and support. This is incredibly important for adolescents, who are often affected by addiction the most. There is a range of services available for families seeking assistance. As stated above, counseling and support groups are good options.
Consider Seeking an Intervention
Only the addict themselves can decide to seek help. However, the family may consider professional intervention when their loved one is in denial. This involves having a professionally trained and experienced interventionist to provide support, education, and guidance. A professional may have the skills necessary to get the addict to accept that they have a problem and get treatment.
Try to Have Patience With Recovery
Depending on the level of addiction, addicts go through various recovery processes. While it can be hard at times, it is necessary to stay focused on your loved one’s recovery. Try to set aside negative feelings and focus on the positive. The recovery process for an addict is ongoing as there is no known cure for addiction and how addiction affects everyone.
Dependence on drugs or alcohol wreaks havoc on the whole family. It is important to note, however, that long-term recovery is possible. There are many different options for people that need help dealing with an addiction to drugs or alcohol. It is always important to seek the help of a qualified medical professional when dealing with addiction. With time and the proper medical advice, children and families of addicts can heal and put their lives back together.
Resources for Addiction Help:
- Definition of Addiction
- Drug Addiction
- Understanding the Addicted Mind
- Genes and Addiction
- Helping a Friend With an Addiction