When you meet someone who has an addiction, it can be difficult to know how to help them. It's important to remember that recovery is a solution and that embarrassing your loved one can do more harm than good. Speak with positivity and encouragement, offering the idea of a successful long-term future recovery. Offer verbal and physical encouragement instead of lecturing or scolding.
Realistic expectations are key when it comes to helping someone with an addiction. Long-term recovery is not a quick fix, but rather an ongoing process that requires time, effort, and ongoing support from both professionals and family. If one treatment doesn't work, it doesn't mean that all treatments will fail - it simply means that you'll have to find the specific one that works for your loved one. Educating yourself about addiction and treatment is a great way to help someone with an addiction.
Learn about the symptoms of an alcohol addiction, as well as the treatments available. Learn about the specific type of recovery your loved one is in, so you can better understand what they are going through and the type of help they are receiving. It's important to set limits and rules for both your well-being and for the well-being of your loved one, and it's important to enforce those rules and limits. This is the only part of recovery where tough love is beneficial, as it is done for your protection and that of your loved one.
If your loved one is attending therapy or counseling on their own, respect them and don't pressure them for details. Supporters of people struggling with addiction often want to be able to do more to help, but it's important to allow the person to learn to gracefully reject tempting offers on their own. Make sure they are okay with talking about their problems and having them discussed. Attending a family reunion to follow a 12-step program can be a useful way to begin to understand good habits and address them.
Being able to understand what types of behaviors allow drug abuse is the first step in eliminating them from your lifestyle. Helping the addict is a process that involves the whole family, not just the person with the problem. The best ways to help a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol may seem contradictory, especially for people who struggle with codependent relationships. However, setting limits, speaking positively, offering encouragement, educating yourself about addiction and treatment, and allowing the person to learn how to reject tempting offers are all key components in helping someone with an addiction.