Ways To Help Drug Addiction

Find Help For An Addicted Loved One Today

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Its obvious that addiction affects Albertan families in devastating ways. It causes family members to develop specific roles as a way of coping with the turmoil of addiction. Thats why its so important to get help for an addicted loved one sooner rather than later. It is never too early to get help. You may think that addiction is only hurting your loved one, but that couldnt be more wrong. Addiction has the ability to devastate the entire family unit. Instead of allowing substance abuse to progress in your home, contact our addiction specialists and interventionists in Alberta today to see how we can help your family and your loved one.

How To Talk To Someone About Their Drug Abuse

Starting a conversation with someone about their drug addiction is never easy, but its important you come from a place of compassion and understanding. Remember, no one sets out to become an addict. Drug abuse is often a misguided attempt to cope with painful issues or mental health problems. Stress tends to fuel addictive behavior, so criticizing, demeaning, or shaming them will only push your loved one away and may even encourage them to seek further comfort in substance abuse.

Discovering someone you love has a drug problem can generate feelings of shock, fear, and anger, especially if its your child or teen whos using. These strong emotions can make communicating with a drug user even more challenging. So, its important to choose a time when youre both calm, sober, and free of distractions to talk. Offer your help and support without being judgmental.

Dont delay. You dont have to wait for your loved one to hit rock bottomto get arrested, lose their job, suffer a medical emergency, or publicly humiliate themselvesto speak out. The earlier an addiction is treated, the better.

Express your concerns honestly. Emphasize that you care for the person and are worried about their well-being. Offer specific examples of your loved ones drug-related behavior that have made you concernedand be honest about your own feelings.

Staging an intervention

Dont: Violate Their Privacy

In taking care of yourself and attending therapy, you may be tempted to vent about your loved one with an addiction. While you should be as honest about your feelings as possible when getting therapy, its important to respect their privacy. This is especially relevant when discussing someone with addiction with friends or family.

Make sure the person is okay being talked about and having their struggles discussed. If you attend counseling with your loved one, make sure you dont reveal what was said in session to others. If your loved one attends therapy or counseling on their own and dont want to discuss what they talked about in session, respect that and dont push them for details.

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Tips To Overcome Drug Addiction:

Surround yourself with supportive people. One of the most important things you can do to stay sober is to find friends who are sober, too. While it may be hard to cut off unhealthy relationships of your past, hanging out with people who support your need to stay clean will pay off in the long run.

Find new hobbies. Staying busy is the best way to keep your mind off your desire to use. Not only that, but establishing an interesting and rewarding hobby can also help you find joy and purpose in your life, and replace your old unhealthy habits with new drug-free activities.

Exercise. Working out is good for the body and the mind. As your physical health improves, youll also experience the natural high of endorphins, which can elevate your mood. And an exercise routine creates a structure to your days, helping to reduce your risk of a relapse.

Volunteer. Finding a worthy cause to support while in recovery allows you to help others while helping yourself. Giving back to the community can help you discover a sense of purpose, build healthy connections and friendships, and feel good about the contributions youre making to society.

Eat well. The food you eat has a serious impact on your wellbeing. By making sure you consume a healthy, well-rounded diet, youll keep yourself in shape both physically and mentally. And if youre feeling good, then youre less likely to turn to drugs for a mood booster.

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Symptoms Of Drug Abuse

There are many signs both physical and behavioral that indicate drug use. Each drug has its own unique manifestations, and symptoms of abuse vary from drug to drug. However, some general signs that your loved one may be addicted to drugs include:

Sudden change in behavior
Problems at school or work
Lack of energy or motivation
Becoming careless about personal grooming
Loss of interest in hobbies, sports and other favorite activities
Changes in sleeping patterns
Sudden requests for money or a spike in spending habits

If you or someone you love is struggling with substance use or addiction, The Recovery Village can help. Contact us today to learn more about drug or alcohol detox and our other addiction treatment programs that can work well for your needs.

Tip #: Have Realistic Expectations

Dont preach or lecture to the addict. They are usually unable to hear what you are saying. Continue to hold them accountable to expectations and offer help to direct them to the treatment they need. Dont expect addicts to keep promises, they are not able to do so while in the process of their disease. Dont react with pity or anger. This only keeps you in the process with the addict.

If your loved one is ready to get help, visit our Alcohol and Drug Treatment page to find out more about getting a referral and assessment.You can also contact Legal Aid programs in your area to see if you qualify for those services or they may be able to direct you to someone who can assist you.

Dont Neglect Mental Health

When recovering from addiction, you will most likely see that your mental health can be impacted. The negative thoughts and feelings that people experience when coming off drugs can affect their state of mind, and it could even potentially leave them feeling suicidal. The impact of coming off of a drug addiction and the mental health issues all compounded together could leave your friend feeling very vulnerable and isolated, so, where you can, it is wise to seek professional mental health guidance and support.

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Challenges Of Supporting A Person With Addiction

Common challenges a person may experience when loving/supporting a person with an addiction can include:1, 7

Not having healthy boundaries. You might not be able to tell where you and your loved ones emotions end and begin. You might let them get away with behaviors that you wouldnt tolerate from others.
Stress. Supporting a loved one with an addiction can add stress to your life because youre not sure what they may do, how theyll act, or how to help them.
Neglecting your own needs. You may be so focused on the needs of your loved one, you may neglect your own physical or mental health needs.
Ignoring abuse or neglect. You might justify their behavior, make excuses, or say things like they cant help it.
Relationship conflict. You might have increased arguments or fights, which can be difficult especially if children are present.
Social isolation. You might feel embarrassed about the problem and avoid seeing friends or family or seeking help for yourself.

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What To Expect When Your Family Member Enters Treatment

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Part of learning how to help an alcoholic loved one is knowing what treatments are available. Another part you may not have considered is what you can expect once they begin treatment. You may end up experiencing the gamut of emotions, all of which are normal, such as:

Relief: You may be glad your loved one is finally getting treatment and comforted to know that your loved one is physically in a safe space.
Anxiety: You may worry about the well-being of your loved one and whether theyre getting the help they need.
Anger: You may feel resentment that your loved one seemingly burdened you with their disease.
Sadness: Feeling bad for your loved one and their struggles is a sign of empathy and compassion. Sadness doesnt necessarily mean pity, either.
Shame: You may feel either shame stemming from the guilt that you couldnt save your loved one or embarrassment at having to explain that your loved one is in Recovery.

When your loved one enters treatment, its the perfect time for you to focus more on yourself and your healing. Reach out to support groups of people who are in the same situation as you. If you find yourself blaming your loved one for their addiction and its impact on your life, speak to a therapist to work through those feelings healthily.

Eventually, you will be asked to become involved in your loved ones Recovery. Family involvement in rehabilitation has proven to be incredibly beneficial for both the patient as well as the family.

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How To Talk To Your Friend About Their Drug Use

Drugs can be a hard subject to discuss, especially if you think your friend has a problem. Theres no right or wrong way to talk about drugs, but there are some general guidelines you can follow to make things easier.

Do speak to your friend:

when youre both sober and not on drugs
somewhere private and familiar
when you have plenty of time its not a conversation you can rush
more than once you may need to have several conversations

Dont speak to your friend in a way that:

is judgmental or critical it wont help
doesnt give them time to talk try to speak less and listen more
assumes superiority dont act like you know better

Remember that you or your friend can call FRANK anytime on for confidential advice.

Build A Meaningful Drug

You can support your drug treatment and protect yourself from relapse by having activities and interests that provide meaning to your life. Its important to be involved in things that you enjoy, that make you feel needed, and add meaning to your life. When your life is filled with rewarding activities and a sense of purpose, your addiction will lose its appeal.

Pick up an old hobby or try a new one. Do things that challenge your creativity and spark your imaginationsomething youve always wanted to try. Learn a musical instrument, a foreign language, or try a new sport.

Adopt a pet. Yes, pets are a responsibility, but caring for an animal makes you feel loved and needed. Pets can also get you out of the house for exercise.

Spend time in nature. Take a scenic hike, go fishing or camping, or enjoy regular walks in a park.

Enjoy the arts. Visit a museum, go to a concert or a play, take an art class or write a memoir.

Get involved in your community. Replace your addiction with drug-free groups and activities. Volunteer, become active in your church or faith community, or join a local club or neighborhood group.

Set meaningful goals. Having goals to work toward and something to look forward to can be powerful antidotes to drug addiction. It doesnt matter what the goals are, just that they are important to you.

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Keep A Positive Mindset

Its essential to try to seek the positives in the situation and celebrate the progress made. Changing addictive behavior is hard, just like making any significant change of habit. Yet its even harder than that because there are chemicals involved that interfere with their decision-making ability.

Even if they slip up, try to remain positive. Use supportive communication to explore what led to the slip-up, and then figure out how to avoid it in the future. You dont want your loved one to slide back, so encourage them to see how far theyve come already.

How To Help A Drug Addict

4 Ways to Help Prevent Substance Use in Teens

The first thing that you need to know is that the difficulties involved with stopping substance use are complex. Using drugs or alcohol affects areas of the brain associated with self-control. As an individual keeps using drugs or alcohol, the way these areas of the brain function are changed, making it difficult to stop or otherwise control compulsive substance use.1 It is also important to know that it is unlikely that you alone can make them quit using drugs. However, loved ones of drug addicts can help them get off drugs by supporting their motivation to change.

Encouraging your loved one that seeking some form of professional help for addiction is a positive step towards recovering from drug and alcohol abuse can put them on the path towards a sober life. Whether you are seeking help for a problem with alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, heroin, crystal methamphetamine or any other addiction, recovery is possible.

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How To Deal With A Drug Addicted Family Member

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki that is building the worlds largest and highest quality how-to manual. Content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons License.

When family members or loved ones abuse drugs, it affects everyone they know. Their addiction can have emotional, psychological, financial, and environmental effects on the people who care about them most. Follow the advice below to cope with a drug-addicted family member or loved one.

Method 1 of 4: Educate Yourself About Addiction

1. Search online for information about your loved ones form of addiction.

The optimal plan for addiction management and rehabilitation may vary according to the substance on which your loved one is dependent.

Priorities reading information from sites with a medical or scientific bias or trustworthy sites such as government or university sponsored information. There is information on the web but not everything you read about drug addiction is true or realistic.

Learning about the characteristics of your loved ones drug and addiction can help you understand what to expect from addicts and how to best address the situation.

2. Look out for organizations such as Al-Anon, Ala-Teen and Nar-Anon which offer 12 Step programs for the families and friends of alcoholics and addicts.

Method 2 of 4: Seek Professional and Specialist Help

2. Search for local anonymous support groups.

3. Speak with a professional therapist or counselor.

4. Encourage your loved one to seek help.

Ways To Help Drug Addicts And What To Say To Someone In Rehab

When someone you love is struggling with addiction, naturally you want to be able to offer them some help. However, finding the correct ways to help drug addicts without enabling them to continue in their addiction can be difficult. In this article, we are going to take a look at what to say to someone in rehab by offer you the encouraging words for someone in rehab in your life.

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Dont Let Their Care And Well

Perhaps it has been a long time since you put your own well-being first due to your concern for a loved one wrapped up in drug addiction. But not only is it a mistake to forfeit your own well-being, but it is unfortunate to miss out on the many opportunities for the help and support that are available.

Even as your loved one is engaged in drug rehab and treatment, there are opportunities for family therapy, individual therapy, support groups for friends and family of addicts, and integrated family programming to reinforce their long-term transformation. It is in everyones best interest that you give sufficient attention to your own needs, your physical health, and your mental health. The way forward is together, and the best path is one of positive transformation all around.

Alta Mira offers comprehensive treatment for people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction as well as co-occurring mental health disorders and process addictions. Contact us to learn more about our renowned Bay Area programs and how we can help you or your loved one start the journey toward recovery.

Dos And Donts For Helping A Loved One Overcome Addiction

Understanding addiction to support recovery (:60)

When it comes to helping a loved one with their addiction, keep the following in mind.

Find a private place to talk
Keep your concerns short and to the point
Listen to what they have to say
Follow through on any consequences you establish with your loved one

Dont:

Talk to your loved one when they are under a lot of stress
Blame the person for their addiction
Ramble on and on about how their addiction has affected you
Use drugs or alcohol in front of them

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Find The Support You Need

People going through emotional distress are susceptible to drug abuse if they lack the right coping skills. There might be events or experiences in the past that affect your feelings and make you feel stressed.

If you feel that you have paranoia, depression, anxiety or other mental problems, you should seek social communities or spiritual organizations that can help you eliminate the negative emotions and behaviors in a healthy life-affirming manner. The problem with using drugs with mental disorders is that they only make your problem worsen.

Dont: Give In To Manipulation

When a person with an addiction is unwilling to seek treatment, they will resort to whatever they need to do to continue feeding their addiction. This may include lying or trying to guilt the people who care for them. Its important to establish boundaries and learn how to say no. It may be very difficult to not react negatively or to stick to your established rules, but its necessary for everyone involved.

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