How To Help Someone With Addiction?

How to Help Loved One With Addiction

Addiction often does not only have an impact on the people who abuse drugs, and that is why it is often a friend or family member looking for treatment options on behalf of their loved ones. A close relative or friend’s addiction can have a negative impact on everyone in their path. From the people he or she associates with to co-workers and loved ones, it has an impact that may not easily be noticed by the addicted person.

In most cases, they are not able to see how substance abuse is affecting their lives and if they knew, they would not admit to it or even forget about it. So, how can you help your loved one with an addiction?

Watching your loved one struggling with addiction brings about pain, anger, sadness, fear, and the feeling of hopelessness but that does not mean you should write them off. There are always ways you can assist your loved ones in getting treatment to recover from addiction and to help them get back to their normal life. But how can you find the right treatment for your loved ones? This guide will give you a step-by-step procedure on how you can get your addicted loved one into treatment.

Below are nine steps that will help you get your loved ones into treatment for addiction:

1. Understanding Addiction.
2. Recognizing signs of addiction.
3. Researching addiction treatment options.
4. Speaking with a professional about getting help.
5. Stop enabling them and their addiction.
6. Plan and execute an intervention.
7. Enrolling in an addiction treatment facility.
8. Learning about aftercare and future role in your loved one’s sobriety.
9. Using aftercare resources to remain sober together.

The above steps can be applied to help anyone who has a loved one or family member who struggles with addiction. A few examples of this include but are not limited to an alcoholic son or daughter, alcoholic wife, drug addict daughter or alcoholic father. If any of these examples sound familiar then it is recommended that you read this article to the end as it has the potential to change and possibly save your loved one’s life.

Understanding Your Loved One’s Addiction

The first step toward helping someone who is struggling with substance abuse is understanding addiction. It is important that you understand addiction is a mental disorder that affects people from all walks of life across the globe and that your friend or loved one may not be an exemption. We often judge people addicted to drugs and alcohol without having the knowledge of what may drive them to substance abuse.

It is, therefore, important that you keep away all the negative thoughts that preoccupy your mind with regard to addiction. But how can you understand addiction if this is the first time you are experiencing this?

Understanding addiction may not be an easy path. It is a self-sacrificial practice that may need much of your time. In understanding addiction, it is essential that you do research. Read books and articles that explain what addiction is, what kind of substances people can get addicted to, and what may drive your loved ones to substance abuse. Once you have an overview of what addiction is, then you will be on the right path to helping your loved ones overcome addiction.

Learn more about alcohol hotlines for loved ones

Recognizing Signs of Addiction

There is a thin line between ordinary drug consumption, substance abuse, and addiction. Very few people may be able to tell when their friends or loved ones have crossed the line into addiction. While consuming high amounts of drugs and alcohol does not necessarily mean drug abuse or addiction, there are indications that your loved one may be drowning in the pool of addiction, and suitable levels of care, no matter the stage of their drinking or drug use.

Signs of addiction may include changes in an individual’s behavior, dangerous and reckless acts that may endanger their lives, poor performance at work and/or school, absenteeism from work and/or school, strange body odor, frequent trembling of hands or entire body, sudden weight loss among many other unusual behaviors and occurrence. If you identify any of these signs in your loved one’s life, then it is essential you act and help them out.

Researching Addiction Treatment Options

Addiction treatment varies for different people depending on what substance they abuse and their level of addiction. Generally, options feature a combination of outpatient and inpatient treatment programs, medication, detoxification, and counseling paired with self-help groups.

Treatment options vary for each individual and may be personalized depending on their specific needs and situations. For instance, patients suffering from chronic addiction may be enrolled in an inpatient facility where they receive 24-hour medical and therapeutic care. While under an inpatient rehab, addicts go through the process of detoxification to help reduce the amount of drugs and alcohol in their bodies, as well as receive medication.

On the other hand, individuals with mild addiction may be enrolled in an outpatient facility. While in an intensive outpatient program, they will receive similar treatment as those in an inpatient rehab except that they can go back home and continue with their day-to-day activities.

Another possible option is residential treatment. Residential treatment provides 24-hour support and care in a non-hospital setting. The main focus is the socialization of the addict and uses the entire community’s program as an active component in treating addicts.

Once you know the various treatment options, it is important to learn the cost of treatment for each option. Where one cannot afford the cost of treatment in private rehabs, there are several state-funded rehabilitation programs that help in the recovery of individuals with low income or no insurance coverage. However, it is important to note that insurance plays an important role in various treatment options.

Depending on your insurance coverage, your loved ones may not have limitations on the type of facilities they may need to attend. The type of treatment, amount of time covered as well as how quickly the treatment can be done are just but a few advantages of insurance. With a proper plan, your loved ones can be taken out of the state for specialized treatment. An environment away from home will help them stay away from people and things that may trigger their addiction.

Helping Addicted Loved One – Get Professional Advice

Once you have researched various treatment options that could best suit your loved ones, it is essential that you put all the logistical options in place before getting your loved ones into a chosen treatment. Talk to a professional counselor and exhaust all possible treatment plans. Make proper travel arrangements and organize for his/ her accommodations. Most importantly, discuss the various ways of getting financial assistance.

Explore different insurance plans or any other options that will facilitate quick payment for your loved one’s treatment. Once all the logistical options are in order, you can now plan for an intervention.

Stop Enabling Their Addiction

The greatest issue in enabling an addiction with your loved ones is contributing to their feeling as though their behaviors are acceptable. In most cases, people enable addiction in their loved ones without knowing that they are actually doing it. In an effort to stop enabling addiction, stop acting as though you don’t understand or even know about their addiction. Instead, bring them close and help them understand that what they are doing is wrong and dangerous.

Stop giving them extra money if you are not sure of what they intend to do with it. This will provide them with the opportunity to buy more drugs or alcohol. Always have open judgment-free discussions and help them understand the importance of sobriety. Above all, show them love. Make them feel that despite their condition and the circumstances surrounding them, they are still loved and you are willing to support them.

Plan and Execute an Intervention

Convincing an addict to get treatment may not be as easy a task as it sounds. Often, such efforts are met with a lot of resistance from the addicted persons and forcing them may not be an option. Positive intervention is, therefore, the most effective approach to confronting an addict.

Intervention is an opportunity for you, your family, and close friends to help your loved ones know how you feel about their situation and that you are ready to support them in every way possible throughout the rehabilitation process. It is also your chance to help them understand that it is possible to help them overcome their current situation and get them back to their normal life and be accepted back into society.

When planning an intervention it is essential that you understand each and every step of the process. Have a good plan and write down what you intend to talk about. This will help you pass your message along calmly, with ease. Also, decide on the time and place of executing the intervention.

Once you complete your plan, it is now time to execute your intervention. Invite your family members and a few trusted friends to help you. Talk to the addicted individual in a friendly tone as you explain to them why you find it necessary to get them into treatment. Avoid using words that would make it difficult for them to change their minds. Be emotional and show them that you are saddened by their situation and that you want to help them.

If your plan fails, don’t give up. Invite a professional interventionist. These people are better skilled with the knowledge of convincing addicts to go to treatment. A professional interventionist will help you go through the mistakes you did and help you get your loved one into rehab.

On successful execution of your plan, proceed to the next step and have your loved ones enrolled in a rehabilitation center.

Getting Your Loved One Into Rehab

When the addicted individuals agree to go to rehab, it is essential that you enroll them into treatment immediately while they are still in high spirits. Set the appropriate date and time of enrolling them into rehab.

Consult the relevant authorities and if possible arrange for their admission on the same day before they have a chance to change their mind. Ensure that the facility is well equipped with all the relevant materials and experienced staff who will address all the aspects of their lives and not just the drugs and substance abuse.

As they begin the treatment, give them all the necessary support and visit them frequently to check on their treatment progress. Show them love and encourage them to complete the treatment.

Learning About & Preparing for Aftercare Treatment.

Getting your loved ones into rehab for drug treatment may not be the final step in the journey toward getting them out of addiction. In fact, the greatest task lies in taking care of them after treatment. Once out of rehab, most addicts need enough care to help them recover completely from addiction. If proper care is not given at this time, they are likely to get back into drugs and succumb to addiction.

It is, therefore, essential that you learn about the best ways to support your loved ones in their newly found sobriety. Seek the help of professionals and perform every role in accordance with their advice. You can also seek the help of support groups such as Al-Anon, and Alcoholics Anonymous among others. These support groups have experienced personnel who will help your loved ones recover completely after going through rehab treatment.

Using Aftercare Resources to Remain Sober Together.

Taking care of your loved ones as they recover from addiction is paramount. It helps bring them back to normal life and avert the possibility of falling back into drugs and substance abuse. Aftercare support groups such as Al-Anon, Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Celebrate Recovery, are but a few groups that will help your loved ones recover from addiction.

You can also seek help from local therapists who will respond to any questions and help in the recovery process of your loved ones. In addition, set aside time to hang out together with your loved ones as this will help keep their thoughts away from drugs and other substances. Find time to go for a walk, swim together, play games, hike, and bike. These are but a few activities that will help rebuild their mind and prevent thoughts of drug abuse.

In conclusion, getting your loved ones into treatment may not be an easy task, but with proper planning and arrangements, you can overcome the challenge. The success rate of getting them into treatment will depend on their willingness to participate in the process. However, the greatest achievement lies with the members of the family’s ability to work together with the addict and help them recover completely.

Conclusion – How to Start?

Substance abuse is a devastating condition and watching your loved ones drown in the sea of addiction can be very painful. If you know of any of your friends or family members who struggle with addiction, don’t hesitate to take action. Addiction can be healed!

Edward P.

Edward lives and works in South Florida and has been a part of its recovery community for many years. With a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Massachusetts, he works to help Find Addiction Rehabs as both a writer and marketer. Edward loves to share his passion for the field through writing about addiction topics, effective treatment for addiction, and behavioral health as a whole. Alongside personal experience, Edward has deep connections to the mental health treatment industry, having worked as a medical office manager for a psychiatric consortium for many years.