How to Help Someone Who Is Addicted to Drugs
More than 23 million Americans have struggled with problematic drug use, yet 75% of them haven’t received any treatment.
Most of these people are in denial, and it’s hard to help them. Some of them will become defensive when you question them about using illegal substances. Others will start avoiding you when you try to help them.
So, what can you do to overcome these obstacles?
Keep reading to learn how to help someone who is addicted to drugs.
Educate Yourself on Addiction
To help a loved one struggling with drug abuse, you need to start by educating yourself about addiction. Find out what causes people to turn to drugs. Learn how to communicate with this person when trying to help them effectively.
Also, get information on creating a conducive and safe space for this person. The goal is to set up an environment that helps a loved one fight addiction.
Don’t Enable
Although you’ve good intentions of helping a loved one struggling with drug addiction, you may end up enabling them. The biggest problem is that you don’t even realize you’re doing it. For example, a loved one may call you late at night to pick them up from a remote location, and you do it.
Yet, by rescuing this person, you’re making them avoid the consequences of drug addiction. That’s why you need to learn more about various forms of enabling and stop them. Yes, it is painful to watch a loved one suffer, but it’s the only way to help them overcome drug addiction in some situations.
Show Empathy and be Realistic
It’s normal to feel sad and disappointed when you realize that a loved one is abusing illegal substances. Yet, you must control your emotions when talking to this person about the abuse. Understand that being overly harsh will only make the person defensive.
That’s why you need to show empathy and take time to listen to this person. Besides, understand it takes time for an addict to open up about the problem. So, don’t rush them or force them to go to rehab.
Recommend Professional Help
The other way to help a loved one struggling with addiction is to recommend seeking professional drug treatment. They’ll most likely fight the idea of going to rehab, and that’s why you need to suggest outpatient treatment programs. The idea is to persuade them that undergoing treatment will enhance their health and wellbeing.
Help a Loved One Overcome Illegal Substances Abuse the Right Way
It’s impossible to turn a blind eye to a loved one struggling with the abuse of illegal substances. That’s why you need to educate yourself on addiction to know the right way to help. You want to learn how to show empathy and make this person open up about the drug abuse problem.
Also, you need to know the right way to recommend to this person to seek professional drug treatment.
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