If you have a loved one who is struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, it can be difficult to know what to do. You want to help them but don’t know how. It’s important to remember that you are not alone; many people struggle with finding the best way to help a loved one with an addiction.
That’s why we are going to provide you with 7 practical ways to help someone with drug or alcohol addiction. We’ll cover everything from offering support to knowing when to seek professional help.
1. Educate Yourself
The first step in helping someone with drug addiction is to educate yourself. Learn as much as you can about addiction and recovery so that you can better understand what your loved one is going through.
Spend time researching the types of treatments available, learning about how addiction works and understanding how to support a loved one in recovery. Additionally, there are many books, articles, and videos available to help you understand addiction and recovery from a knowledgeable perspective.
2. Encourage Treatment and Rehab
Addiction is a complex and serious condition that requires professional help. It can be difficult for someone struggling with addiction to make the decision to get treatment, but with your support and encouragement, it can become a reality.
Encourage your loved one to look into various types of treatment provided by Mental Health Providers that can help them rehabilitate. These treatments include inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient programs, or various support groups.
Show your loved one that you are there for them no matter what and will provide them with emotional and practical support throughout their recovery journey.
3. Avoid Enabling Addiction
One of the most important things to remember when helping someone with an addiction is not to enable their behavior. It’s easy to think that by giving in to their requests, you are being supportive and helping them out of a tough spot. However, this can actually make their addiction worse.
Enabling someone’s addiction means you are making it easier for them to continue to use drugs or alcohol. It could mean anything from providing money for drugs or alcohol to lying or making excuses for them when they don’t show up for home or important appointments.
4. Support Their Sobriety
It’s important to remember that the recovery process takes time, and it’s not something that can be forced. However, there are ways to help your loved one stay on track.
Start by encouraging them to attend support groups. These meetings can provide a safe space for individuals to share their experiences and gain valuable advice from others who are in recovery. Offer to drive them to meetings if needed.
In addition, it’s important to make sure they have access to a therapist and other medical professionals. Talk to them about finding a sponsor and suggest they attend regular therapy sessions. Being surrounded by people who are in recovery and have experience with addiction can make all the difference in their progress.
5. Promote Healthy Habits
To promote healthy habits for someone you love, it is best to create an environment that is conducive to sobriety. This could mean making sure there are no drugs or alcohol in the home or car. You could also encourage activities that promote health and wellness, such as exercise, yoga, or meditation.
These activities can help to provide distractions from temptations and can also be a great way to connect with your loved one. It’s also important to ensure that the person has access to healthy meals and snacks. This can help to support nutrition and prevent cravings for drugs or alcohol.
Additionally, encourage them to drink plenty of water throughout the day as this can help to flush out toxins from the body.
6. Help them Deal with Triggers
Triggers are certain people, places, and situations that can spark cravings for drugs or alcohol. It’s important to help the person identify their triggers so they can avoid them in the future.
First, you will have to talk to them about what triggers them. Ask them what makes them crave drugs or alcohol and why. Once you have a better understanding of the triggers, you can help them create a plan to avoid these triggers.
For example, if being around certain friends triggers their craving, encourage them to find new sober friends who won’t put them in this situation.
7. Practice Patience
Addiction cannot be treated overnight. When your loved one is in recovery, the most important thing is to practice patience. During the recovery, they will also try to re engage in unhealthy activities and behaviors, so it’s your duty to stop them from doing so.
Their healing and growth may take time, and it’s you who has to be there for them around the clock. In case any setbacks happen, you should continue to show your support and love to them.