How to Support a Loved One Through an Addiction

At some point in your life, you might know someone who needs that little bit of extra support in their life due to an addiction. The challenge that comes with this though, is that the addict is not the only one who has to deal with consequences. Family and friends will also have to deal with the difficulties that come from an addict’s behaviour. However, the important thing to remember though, is that it’s a great help if you are there for your loved one. Hopefully, it will make things a bit easier for you and certainly it will make things easier for your loved one. It will also help them overcome their addiction.

Understand What an Addiction Is

An addiction is the inability to stop consuming a chemical, drug, activity or substance, even though it is causing psychological and physical harm. It’s important to understand what an addiction is, so that you can be there to support your loved one. You might notice that they take the substance regularly, are unable to quit, neglect their home life, school or work, plus
many other things. If you think that something is wrong, then you should trust your gut feeling. The main thing to realise is that a person with an addiction, can’t just quit straight away, even if the person wants to. These things take time. So, you should just be patient. Even if you think that things are going slow, just know that you are doing everything that you can to help this person. You can be supportive, but ultimately it is down to the individual to get over their addiction.

Talk to Them about Their Addiction

You don’t have to wait until your loved one has hit rock bottom before talking to them. Sometimes they’ll listen to you even before they’ve hit this moment. It’s better to talk to them as soon as you can to help them with their addiction. The sooner they get treated, the easier it is for them to recover. Don’t confront them straight away, as this might make them defensive and can be
counterproductive. You should try and wait for the right moment (if possible) and express your concern in a caring manner. Make sure that you are calm throughout the whole conversation, no matter what the outcome is. Just remember to be there for your loved one and hopefully they’ll listen to you.

Explore Treatment Options for Them

If your loved one is willing to listen to you, then the next step is to explore treatment options for them. You want to make sure that you get the right sort of treatment for them. So, this might mean that they go to an inpatient rehabilitation centre, or they might prefer to use outpatient treatments. There are loads of different types of treatments that a person can get, so it’s a good idea to do your research first and find the right one for your loved one. What works for one person might not be the best option for another.

Just remember to be there for your loved one, and make sure that they are aware that you aren’t going anywhere. They need to have a good supportive person to help them at times, so just make sure that you are there for them when they need you. Doesn’t matter what their addiction is, be it drugs, smoking or alcohol you can always try and help someone. If you are concerned about someone having an addiction, then you should make sure that you reach out to them as early as possible. Sometimes it’s a good idea to talk to them when they are young first to make sure that they are aware of the health risks that come with these addictive substances.