{"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":"
When 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 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 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 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 It\u2019s important to bear in mind the fact that many substance abusers have underlying conditions that require professional help. Seek out reliable help to assist you in helping your loved one without having to take it all on yourself. Look for local health facilities, in-patient rehab centers, support groups such as AA or Al-Anon, detox centers, etc. These resources are invaluable in addressing all the issues and can make the difference between long-lasting recovery and a temporary fix.<\/p>\n Besides encouraging your loved one to seek the help of a professional, it is important that you get help as well. Talking to a therapist or a counselor can be a good outlet and offer balance for family members during this time. There is a lot of emotion involved in confronting a loved one with a problem. Anxiety, fear, and depression are all feelings that can come to the surface, and often families are stressed, confused, hurt, and extremely worried. Talking about these feelings with someone who is a professional is important. You can\u2019t take care of someone else if you don\u2019t take care of yourself. Talk therapy is a useful approach to expressing your feelings so that you are capable of supporting your loved one on this journey.<\/p>\n Consider these three things as you prepare to have an intervention:<\/strong><\/p>\n You need to set boundaries during the process of confronting your loved one and helping them through their recovery. Be careful not to enable your loved one at any point of this journey. Do not give them money in order to purchase drugs or alcohol. Be firm on this and be open with your concerns. Take this opportunity to remind them that you are here for them when they are ready to receive your help.<\/p>\n Learn to communicate well. This is where a counselor or therapist can help. Be sure not to engage in shouting matches and verbal arguments. Focus on positive things and making forward progress. Spiraling into negative thoughts and conversations will become exhausting very quickly and may lead to cutting off communication instead of engaging in helpful dialogue.<\/p>\n Show your unwavering support by offering to attend meetings or group therapy sessions with your loved one. This gesture shows that you are in this with them and are invested in their willingness to get better.<\/p>\n Please know your limits as a family member of an addict and do not accept unacceptable behaviors. Prepare yourself for a time when you may need to cut yourself off from this person.<\/p>\n This is extremely hard, but you need to protect yourself from dangerous situations that may include:<\/strong><\/p>\n If these unacceptable behaviors continue or put anyone in harm\u2019s way, you may need to report the situation to the local authorities.<\/p>\n Finally, give yourself grace as you deal with an addicted family member. Know that you are amazing for trying, and your efforts, although at times may seem to go unnoticed or unappreciated, are always a glimmer of hope in a very dark situation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n To keep yourself in check, here is some tried and true advice I call Tips to Help Family Members of Addicts Cope:<\/strong><\/p>\n If you need additional support or advice on how to help an addicted family member, and if you should consider a professional intervention and treatment, please reach out to me. Just send me a message<\/a> about your specific situation and how I can help. I have many connections in the SUD field and know many very good interventionists and therapists.\u00a0 My goal is for no one to have to navigate the world of addiction alone. As a loving family member, you deserve to have a level of support as well. I want to create a community that is there for each other and is willing to hold hands and get to the other side of addiction together. My personal experiences with addiction have shaped me into the person I am today, and I have my family and support group, I call my \u201cBoard of Directors\u201d to thank. I hope to be a resource for you and your loved one. Together, we can do this!<\/p>\n Stay strong,<\/p>\n Jim<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When your family member or loved one suffers from substance dependence, the whole family is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1390,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[109],"tags":[110],"yoast_head":"\nLearn as Much as You can About Addiction<\/h2>\n
Take Action Early<\/h2>\n
Consider Some Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts<\/h2>\n
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Find a professional or a specialist and get help for yourself.<\/h2>\n
Plan and Hold an Intervention<\/h2>\n
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Always Set Boundaries<\/h2>\n
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Support When an Intervention Is Needed<\/h2>\n