Addiction happens when you become overly dependent on a certain substance and use it over a long period to foster the normal functioning of your body. There is a lot of stigma associated with addiction in society. However, addiction is like any other condition you could suffer from.
Therefore, support is an important part of the recovery process of an addict. Caregivers use it as the main component to treating addicts because it has proven to be completely effective and efficient for many years.
Hence, it is essential for you to expose yourself to as much information as possible about offering support to your loved ones who may be dealing with addiction. Below are some crucial tips you can practice to offer support to your loved one.
Communication
Communicating with your recovering friend or relative is an essential step in the road to recovery. It is important to be open with the affected party and layout the issues on the table. This will help them identify how their behavior is affecting the people around them. This will often make them want to make changes in their lives. You should be soft-spoken and honest at the same time to bring this desire out of them.
Education
You should first familiarize yourself with as much information as possible regarding the addiction your friend or family member is facing. It will better equip you with insights into how it affects your loved ones. Knowledge is power, and it is widely available on the internet. Ultimately, you should have positioned yourself to make decisions from an informed point of view.
Don’t Enable Your Loved One
There is a special bond between you and your friend or relative. Therefore, you are susceptible to be in denial that your loved one could be ailing from addiction. You might be enabling your loved one without even realizing it. A common way of enabling an addict is giving them money to buy the substance.
Gaining acceptance of their predicament is the first way you can support your loved one. It is also important for them to realize the consequences of their actions, which will make them want to seek help. Enabling the addict worsens the situation, as they are able to get out of tricky situations, and get the substance of choice with ease.
Realistic Expectations
The addict should be handled with care. Shouting at them and constantly reminding them of their transgressions will only worsen the condition. Addicts tend to have low self-esteem; a small confrontation could trigger them. Instead, you should hold them accountable for their actions and inform them how the treatment is supposed to work over a period. Your loved one might end up breaking their promise of not indulging in the substance, but it is common for a recovering addict to relapse.
Take Good Care of Yourself
Supporting a recovering addict could take a toll on you and cause you stress. Therefore, you should also take care of yourself by going to a therapist because of the strain supporting a recovering addict comes with. If the issue is not identified at an early stage, it might spiral out of control, causing you to resent your loved one. You should not take on all the responsibility alone.
A problem shared is half solved. You should alternatively use your free time to socialize with friends or exercise and sleep. These activities will provide you with some sort of stress relief. Being relaxed and joyous will help you to better support your loved one or friend. Overall, the above tips will enable you to support your loved ones and hasten their recovery process.
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