How To Help An Addict Recover At Home

Powerful Ways To Recover From Addiction

Do Most Addicts And Alcoholics Recover? | How Families Play A Key Role In Addiction Recovery

Most people suffer from addiction to illicit substances to find relief from their pain. In fact, the stories of drug abusers are nearly as tragic as the disease they have acquired. Now were hearing about kids in middle school buying and selling pain pills. Kids are overdosing on prescription pain medicines, which are often derivatives of the opiate drug heroin.

Drug treatment centers are reporting shortages of manpower. Federal and state governments are at a loss about what can be done, if anything. Importantly, some parents are apprehensive about sending their kids to school.

This article focuses on the individual response. That is, we offer suggestions on what people can do if they or someone they love is suffering from drug addiction or substance abuse.

Dont Make Excuses Or Be An Enabler

Typically, in families with an addict, someone becomes an enabler to the addict. Sometimes its a sibling who is willing to cover things up or hand over money.

In many cases, the enabler is a parent. Enabling is detrimental to the recovery process.

More often than not, the enabler is in denial of whats right in front of them. They want to protect their child or loved one and hold on to them forever.

They get stuck in the path of denial or making excuses so much that they put the addict in danger by ignoring the facts. Denying things wont keep them as they are itll make them worse.

Dont make excuses about your son to friends and family either, especially when they can hear. Believe it or not, recognizing that they have an addiction is much more empowering than trying to cover it up. Addicts appreciate someone whos on their side and recognize the extent to which the disease afflicts them.

Making excuses for them or covering up their behavior and actions will only contribute to their feelings of shame and isolation.

Find A Peer Support Group

Organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous are other ways to build a support network. You can try different meetings for the different groups to find one thats right for you.

Several smartphone apps offer ways to connect with others who are going through the same things you are. In addition to guidance and support, some of the apps also can help you get immediate help from your network or find a ride to a support group meeting.

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Develop A Strong Support Network With Other Recovering Addicts

These are the people you can call and meet up with when the going gets tough! Peer support is an essential aspect of addiction treatment. You cant do this alone, and you dont have to. Having a strong network of sober friends will be the net to catch you when you fall and also help you stay on track with your addiction recovery.

Find Support For Your Addiction Recovery

Device helping addiction recovery patients with withdrawal ...

Dont try to go it alonereach out for support. Whatever treatment approach you choose, having positive influences and a solid support system is essential. The more people you can turn to for encouragement, guidance, and a listening ear, the better your chances for recovery.

Lean on close friends and family. Having the support of friends and family members is an invaluable asset in recovery. If youre reluctant to turn to your loved ones because youve let them down before, consider going to relationship counseling or family therapy.

Build a sober social network. If your previous social life revolved around drugs, you may need to make some new connections. Its important to have sober friends who will support your recovery. Try taking a class, joining a church or a civic group, volunteering, or attending events in your community.

Consider moving into a sober living home. Sober living homes provide a safe, supportive place to live while youre recovering from drug addiction. They are a good option if you dont have a stable home or a drug-free living environment.

Make meetings a priority. Join a 12-step recovery support group, such as Narcotics Anonymous , and attend meetings regularly. Spending time with people who understand exactly what youre going through can be very healing. You can also benefit from the shared experiences of the group members and learn what others have done to stay sober.

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What Is Drug Addiction

Many people ask, is drug addiction a disease? It is. Any drug addiction definition states that addiction to drugs or alcohol is a chronic disease.

Its important to pay particular attention to the word chronic. What that means is that drug addiction is a relapsing brain disease. Its characterized by compulsive or consistent drug seeking and use, regardless of harmful consequences.

Drug and alcohol cause changes to the brain. They work by producing pleasure, and they trigger the brains reward system, thus interrupting the normal flow of messaging and communication.

Dopamine, one of the neurotransmitters in the brain, can be found in some regions responsible for feelings of pleasure, cognition, motivation, emotion, and movement. When people use drugs, their reward system is then overstimulated, typically from a buildup of dopamine.

This, in turn, produces a rush feeling addicts crave when they use substances. Eventually, the brain rewires itself so that it continuously seeks this alternative way of producing feelings of reward. People need to understand this to realize that drug addiction isnt a choice.

While someones first time using a particular drug is a choice, continued abuse is not something that most addicts can help. Even recovered addicts spend a lifetime fighting against their addiction.

Addiction Treatment Can Help

Digital technology may have an area in treatment programs while in-person treatment in a very reputable treatment center, like the best detox centers Phonenix AZ has, continues to be the gold standard for effective addiction treatment.

To produce a further avenue for people managing substance use disorders to higher manage their addiction recovery is what technologys role in addiction recovery is.

The best thanks to treat the symptoms of addiction and effectively manage a substance use disorder is to require part during a treatment program with a facility that uses evidence-based treatment strategies.

How Do Behavioral Therapies Treat Drug Addiction

Behavioral therapies help people in drug addiction treatment modify their attitudes and behaviors related to drug use. As a result, patients are able to handle stressful situations and various triggers that might cause another relapse. Behavioral therapies can also enhance the effectiveness of medications and help people remain in treatment longer.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy seeks to help patients recognize, avoid, and cope with the situations in which they’re most likely to use drugs.
Contingency management uses positive reinforcement such as providing rewards or privileges for remaining drugfree, for attending and participating in counseling sessions, or for taking treatment medications as prescribed.
Motivational enhancement therapy uses strategies to make the most of people’s readiness to change their behavior and enter treatment.
Family therapy helps people with drug use problems, as well as their families, address influences on drug use patterns and improve overall family functioning.
Twelve-step facilitation is an individual therapy typically delivered in 12 weekly session to prepare people to become engaged in 12-step mutual support programs. 12-step programs, like Alcoholic Anonymous, are not medical treatments, but provide social and complementary support to those treatments. TSF follows the 12-step themes of acceptance, surrender, and active involvement in recovery.

Find An Approach That Works

The dos and donts of helping a drug addict recover | Maia Szalavitz | Big Think

There are a number of different treatment options that can be effective, so it is important to consider the options. Think about which approach might be best suited to you and your loved one’s needs and goals.

Depending on the nature of the addiction, treatment might involve psychotherapy, medication, support groups, or a combination of all of these. A few options include:

Other important factors that can affect a person’s recovery include family involvement and other social supports. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration suggests that family therapy is an important part of an effective recovery plan.

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Set Boundaries For Your Child

Its important to love and never give up on your addict son, but its also crucial to set clear and strict boundaries with consequences.

Are you willing to lie for your son? How do you expect to be treated?

Make some non-negotiable boundaries for your son and do not waiver. It wont be easy as addiction often comes with manipulation and deceit. You dont want your family practices and behaviors to set an example by doing the same.

Before making boundaries, know your limitations and needs so that you make rules you know you can adhere to, should your son break them.

Even if these boundaries result in anger or backlash, dont give up. Stay consistent, and dont stop communicating.

Whats The Difference Between At

Outpatient rehabilitation for a substance use disorder lets patients continue living at home but requires them to check into treatment at scheduled times, sometimes every day. Patients may receive MAT, undergo therapy, and create a continuing care plan. The main difference between at-home treatment and outpatient rehab is that at-home treatment does not require someone to travel to a facility. The treatment is brought to their doorstep. Daily check-ins are there to hold patients accountable, and some may submit to urine screening or GPS tracking. These extra measures work as a way to hold patients responsible and to not seek out drugs or alcohol once their last session of the day is over.

Get Help During COVID-19

With just 30 days at a rehab center, you can get clean and sober, start therapy, join a support group, and learn ways to manage your cravings.

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Detox At Home: How To Detox From Drugs At Home Correctly

Reviewed by Michael Espelin APRN

Drug and alcohol detoxification can be an expensive and time-consuming process. Intensive inpatient programs to detoxify with 24-hour medical supervision are highly effective in alleviating the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms, but they do not come cheap. For many recovering addicts, a home drug detox is a tempting option compared to the cost of treatment at rehab facilities.

However, self-treatment can be dangerous. To detox from drugs, home remedies can prove fatal in some situations. The physical symptoms of withdrawal from substances can be quite distressful. In addition, recovering addicts have to battle psychological demons during recovery, especially in the initial stages of addiction treatment.

Is it possible to do a heroin detox at home?Can someone quit drinking without enrolling in a supervised program with detox protocol? Learn if detoxing from drugs is possible in privacy and comfort without putting ones life in danger.

Have An Honest Conversation

Addiction Recovery at WhiteSands Treatment

At some point, you may need to confront your loved one about their meth problem. This may seem daunting at first. You could be met with any number of reactions, including denial or anger.

But having an honest conversation with your loved one can also establish trust between you and set up a relationship in which you are able to truly help them.

When it comes to talking about drug abuse, you want to show your loved one that you are willing to listen without judging. You can try telling them that you care about them, and that they havenât seemed like themselves lately. This opens the door to a talk about whatâs going on, without threatening them.

Once you have listened to everything your loved one has to say, it might feel right to express concern for them. Expressing concern shows your loved one that you love them and are worried about them, without blaming or judging them. Your concern could be about anything related to their wellbeingâtheir health, social behavior, or whatâs going on at their job.

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Signs And Symptoms Of Drug Addiction

People who are addicted to drugs tend to show signs of the disease in every aspect of their lives. The symptoms of addiction are varied, but common signs of a problem with substance abuse include:3,4

Needing to use drugs to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Needing more drugs to get the effects .
Continuing use of drugs even with the awareness of the harm it causes.
Neglecting family obligations and financial issues.
Continuing to use drugs or alcohol despite declining physical health.
Losing interest in hobbies.
Changes in eating habits .

Signs Of A Porn Addiction

After watching X-rated movies for some time, many people ask themselves if they are addicted to porn? So, when does watching porn become a problem?

Its important to define what porn addiction is, and how it differs from regular or moderate pornography consumption.

Just because someone regularly views adult materials does not mean that theyre addicted, or that they need to seek treatment.

To understand the addiction to erotic movies or magazines, one should understand its resemblance to other addiction types.

For example, common signs of addiction to any substance would include:

Constant craving for the substance
Unsuccessful attempts to stop
Increased tolerance to the substance
Compulsive behaviour leading to lack of control
Continually being preoccupied with the activity

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Help Your Friend See The Truth

Your recovering friend may have a hard time seeing the truth about himself or herself. Self-awareness is very important in early recovery and beyond, and one of the most important answers to the question, how can I help a recovering addict is to help your friend stay mindful of choices and stay aware of his or her thoughts, attitudes, and emotions.

Psychological And Emotional Needs

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It is important to remember when working towards recovery that your addiction is routed in complex emotional and psychological causes.

Treatment must identify and address these causes. It is also essential that you maintain a focus on these causes as you continue your recovery. So it may not be always easy for you to quit porn cold turkey or gradually on your own.

You may need to alter your life in other ways to help you in your recovery. There may be certain relationships or habits in your life that jeopardize recovery.

It may also be necessary to consider how you process and express emotions and how you communicate with those around you. A professional treatment centre will help you to do this.

Good treatment centres will also offer porn addiction aftercare services which will help you to maintain your focus on recovery.

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Be Honest With Yourself And Others

An addiction requires lying by default. You have to lie about getting it and using it and you have to hide the effect it has on you. Then you have to do it all over again as you plan your next hit or drink. The more you lie to others, the better you get at it, and the easier it becomes to lie to yourself. This creates a horrible cycle because the more you lie, the more you hate yourself, and the more you feel the need to use drugs and/or alcohol to escape your self hatred. Being rigorously honest is one of the most powerful skills to have to immerse yourself fully into successful addiction recovery.

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When we look at the redemption of the human beings from the prevailing challenges of the addiction, then we would find that Buddhism has a lot to offer. Buddhism is more than a religion. It can be practised as a way of life with components that can be helpful to those who are seeking a path to recovery. These components include the practice of meditation, means of relieving stress, mindfulness, etc.

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How Can New Life Houses Education Program For Personal Growth Help

The New Life House Education Track can assist with your personal growth by helping you find the best academic path forward. We understand that not everyone wants to or has the means to go to college. As such, we offer a wide range of educational opportunities, including vocational training, to help you prepare for your future.

Our Education Track program is a supplementary program that offers guidance, tutoring, and mentorship within the comfort of New Life House. We help you determine where your strengths and interests lie by performing various assessments. These assessments also help you determine an appropriate academic pathway based on your interests and abilities.

How Do I Handle Addiction Triggers

Recovery from Addiction Is Possible With Your Help

Here are a few tips to better handle addiction triggers:

Reach out to family members and friends for support.

Make a list of all the benefits of remaining sober and the costs of relapse. This can provide the needed motivation to handle triggers productively and successfully.

Meditation, mindfulness, and deep breathing exercises can help control and prevent internal triggers. These techniques can be used to manage frustration, which evidence shows is one of the biggest triggers for relapse.2

Be part of a 12-step program. When you feel the urge to use, you can contact your sponsor, who will immediately provide counseling and support.

Abide by the HALT rule. This stands Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired. Those in early recovery are advised to avoid these states because they increase the likelihood of relapse. Remember to eat regularly, watch your sleep, control your anger, and socialize with others.

Change your lifestyle. By taking up a productive hobby, you can distract yourself from your triggers. Joining a gym or playing sports can also build feelings of confidence and self-esteem to make you more resistant to relapse. A healthy diet is also helpful.

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