You may consider helping a friend or relative who is struggling with addiction. To be precise, deciding who will provide drug addiction assistance or support for another type of addiction is not easy. However, your loved one will have a more reasonable chance of overcoming addiction with your help.
Find and Receive Support for Families of struggling with addiction
It is diffcult to be in a relationship with an addict. You must acknowledge that what you’re going through is complex and that you seek help. For this purpose, there are numerous resources available.
It’s also beneficial to develop anxiety management techniques when deciding how to help an addict. This is a crucial step in assisting a loved one. It also enables you to deal with the stressors you’ll likely face while allowing a friend or family member to seek and receive addiction treatment.
Find an Approach That Works
Several different treatment options can be effective, so it is essential to consider the possibilities. Think about which approach best suits you and your loved one’s needs and goals.
Treatment may include psychotherapy, medication, support groups, or a combination of these, depending on the nature of the addiction. Among the possibilities are:
Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT)
This is a research-based method for assisting families in obtaining treatment for addicted loved ones. Traditional interventions, such as therapy, have been replaced as the preferred method of helping people with addiction get the help they need.
Medications: The Food and Drug Administration approved several medications for the treatment of alcoholism and other substance use causing personality disorders.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): Addiction therapy that utilizes CBT focuses on helping people understand how their beliefs and feelings influence their behaviors. It works by assisting people in changing the thought and behavior patterns that contribute to addiction.
According to research, online therapy may be an effective treatment option for substance use disorders. CBT and motivational interviewing are common components of such programs, which involve using structured conversations to help people think about how their lives will improve if they stop using.
Support groups: During the rehabilitation process, 12-step and peer support groups might be beneficial. These organizations work to encourage sobriety through a number of methods. Some encourage complete abstinence, while others promote moderation. Many of these have in-person meetings, but there are also online support groups. Family involvement and other social supports are also important factors in recovery.
Recap
Addiction can actually be treated with a variety of treatments. Encourage your friend or loved one to discuss treatment programs, online therapy, or support groups with their doctor as part of their recovery.
Expect Difficulties
There are many possible reasons why it can be challenging to help someone you care about who has an addiction. Your loved one:
- I May not agree they have a problem.
- They do not want to alter what they are doing.
- I May worry about the consequences (e.g., losing their job or going to prison)
- They May feel embarrassed and not like to discuss their addiction with you (or anyone else)
- They may feel awkward discussing their issues with an experience, such as a doctor or counselor.
- They may use their addiction to avoid dealing with another issue (such as mental health issues)
There is no such quick or simple way to help someone who is addicted. Addiction requires a lot of effort and support to overcome. Persuading someone to seek help if they refuse to change their behavior is unlikely to succeed.
You may take steps to assist your loved one make changes in the long term. It’s also essential that you get the support you need to cope.
Establish Trust
It can be difficult to regain and maintain trust if a loved one has already betrayed it. However, establishing mutual trust is a crucial first step in assisting someone with an addiction to consider a change.
- Avoid These Trust-Destroying Individuals it won’t help struggling with addiction
- Criticizing, lecturing, and nagging
- Exaggeration, yelling and calling people names
- Even in moderation, engaging in addictive behaviors can be perceived as hypocrisy.
- Even when you are attempting to help, trust is easily betrayed. When considering talking to a loved one about their addiction, there are a few things to consider.
Different perspectives.
While you only want to help your family, they may believe you are attempting to control them. These emotions may encourage someone who is addicted to engaging in their addiction even more.
Stress can aggravate the situation. Your loved one is most likely using their addictive behavior (at least partly) to cope with stress. If your relationship is stressful, they are more likely to engage in addictive behavior.
Trust goes both ways.
While you want to help your family, they may believe you are attempting to control them. These emotions may encourage someone who is addicted to engaging in their addiction even more.
Stress can aggravate the situation. Your loved one is most likely using their addictive behavior (at least partly) to cope with stress. If your relationship is stressful, they are more likely to engage in addictive behavior.
Communicate Effectively for struggling with addiction
You may be eager to tell your loved one how you feel about the problems their addiction has caused, and you may have a strong desire to persuade them to change. Learning how to communicate effectively with someone who is addicted is essential to having an effective conversation.
While it may be aggravating, remember that the choice to change is theirs. If you intercommunicate honestly and without being threatening, a person with an addiction will likely consider a change.
The following are some communication techniques that can help you start your conversation on the right foot:
- Instead of using “you” statements, use “I” statements q q (for example, “I get sad when you drink” rather than “You never consider what you’re doing to me when you drink”), reducing blame and confrontation.
- Using “I” statements than “you” statements (for example, “I get sad when you drink” rather than “You never believe what you’re doing to me when you drink”) reduces blame and confrontation.
- Providing empathy10 (“I can tell your addiction frustrates you, and that must be difficult to deal with at times”) so they don’t feel alone or as if no one understands what they’re going through. Letting them know you want to help (“I’d be happy to look after the kids while you seek substance abuse treatment”), allowing them to seek addiction treatment without having to worry about other things
- It’s also important to be aware of your nonverbal communication. or accept your help if your body language or facial expressions are negative.
- Even if you don’t have an addiction, you’ll probably have to change if you want an addict to change. If you demonstrate your willingness to try, your loved one is more likely to do so as well.
Participate In Addicts struggling with addiction
Addiction treatment differs depending on the type of treatment received. If you’re helping a loved one with their treatment:
- Continue to work on building trust. Before you counsel your loved one, try to assess your trust situation.
- Be open and honest about your emotions. Tell your loved one how you’ve felt due to their addiction, and be open about what is the next thing you wanted to happen.
- Do not criticize, blame, or humiliate your loved one in counseling. Tell us about your experience. Confrontational behavior rarely works and can harm yourself or your relationship.
Be ready to take the fall. Don’t be surprised if your loved one tells you something you did or said contributed to their addiction. Keep your cool and pay attention to what they’re saying with an open mind and heart.
When your loved one help to pursue treatment on their own
Could you, in everyday life, respect their privacy? Do not inform friends, family, or others about their treatment without your loved one’s permission?
Could you keep their confidentiality in therapy? Don’t press them to tell you what happened if they don’t want to talk about it.
Exercise patience. Addiction treatment can take many forms, but no change happens overnight.