{"id":1389,"date":"2021-05-10T18:05:19","date_gmt":"2021-05-10T18:05:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jameshaggertyrecovery.com\/?p=1389"},"modified":"2021-05-12T16:19:31","modified_gmt":"2021-05-12T16:19:31","slug":"addicted-family-member","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jameshaggertyrecovery.com\/blog\/addicted-family-member\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Deal with an Addicted Family Member"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"HowWhen your family member or loved one suffers from substance dependence, the whole family is affected in one way or another. The presence of a Substance Use Disorder places a tremendous amount of psychological, emotional, and financial burden on both the addict and those who love them.<\/p>\n

As a recovering addict and alcoholic\u00a0 myself, I know all too well the pain that is involved in being addicted to substances, as well as the pain that my loved ones endured while I was sick and even as I continue through my recovery process. It feels like a never-ending journey, and in many ways, it is, but if I had to name one thing that has helped me become healthy and stay healthy, it would have to be the support and unconditional love of my family.<\/p>\n

You might be wondering then, how does a family help the addict?<\/em> It is my hope that the following tips will help you as the family member, be a good support system to an addicted and (eventually) recovering substance abuser in your life.<\/p>\n

Learn as Much as You can About Addiction<\/h2>\n

The first step in facing the challenge of supporting a loved one who is addicted to a substance is to educate yourself on what addiction is and how it affects people and their families. There are many misconceptions and assumptions when it comes to public opinion on addiction. It is important to view addiction as a disease and treat the person with the same dignity you would treat anyone who is suffering.<\/p>\n

Make sure the information you find on the internet is from a trustworthy source, if you look hard enough you can find anything on the internet so beware. It is also helpful to research the topic of addiction pertaining to the specific substance your loved one is using. The information on alcohol abuse is different from heroin abuse and different still from cocaine addiction. If you are unsure what your loved one is using, you may be able to determine what they use by their behaviors, their physical appearance, or sleeping patterns. Be curious, and if you can, ask them straight out.<\/p>\n

Take Action Early<\/h2>\n

If you suspect or know that your loved one has a problem, then do not hesitate to take action. Don\u2019t fall victim to believing the myth that one needs to hit rock bottom before getting help with addiction. Research has shown that, in fact, the earlier an addiction problem is identified, the better the overall outcome.<\/p>\n

My personal advice is to attempt a soft intervention before a traumatic event happens; someone loses their job, experiences a loss in a relationship, or worse. The earlier the problem is addressed, the better equipped your loved one will be to face their problem head-on and may experience less anxiety in the process.\u00a0 Confronting your family member with love and concern is difficult but with SUD being a disease of isolationism it is easy for your family member to slip into the victim mentality as well as you, the family member.<\/p>\n

Consider Some Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts<\/h2>\n

When interacting with a person addicted to substances, there are some general \u201cdo\u2019s\u201d and \u201cdon\u2019ts\u201d that are helpful to know.<\/p>\n

Be sure to consider these tips before confronting a loved one:<\/strong><\/p>\n