To achieve long-term recovery, it’s vital they tackle both their addiction and their mental health issue at the same time. While you can’t force someone to tackle their addiction, your love, support, and patience can play a vital part in their recovery. With these guidelines, you can learn to support your loved one’s efforts, set the necessary boundaries to preserve your own health and welfare, and find some stability for both yourself drug addiction substance use disorder symptoms and causes and your loved one. An intervention is a carefully planned process that family and friends can do, working with a doctor or another health care professional, such as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. An intervention professional, also known as an interventionist, also could direct an intervention. It sometimes includes a member of your loved one’s faith community or others who care about the person struggling with addiction.
- Since stress levels can escalate when quitting drugs, you can even encourage your loved one to do the same.
- It may include clinical treatment, medications, faith-based approaches, peer support, family support, self-care, and other approaches.
- Ultimatums are not only alienating, they are no match for drug craving, an immediate, powerful force to continue use.
- It can also be helpful to explain to others in the household, in an age-appropriate way not overloaded with detail, that Dad or Sis is struggling with a problem.
- Instead, the goal is to quietly remove the many psychological barriers that keep a person from taking steps to overcome addiction.
You don’t want to make them feel like you’re checking up on them or assuming the worst about their condition. You also don’t have to make their addiction the main focus of every conversation you have. You may not be able to eliminate every trigger, but in the early stages of recovery it’s best to avoid triggers to help prevent cravings and relapse. Going through detox is a crucial step in recovery, and it’s these first few weeks that are arguably most critical because they are when the risk of relapse is highest.
Whatever you say, never call someone an “alcoholic” or addict.” It’s not just a stigmatizing put-down, it actually limits how people can see themselves. Forcing someone to admit to a problem is not the wisest way to encourage someone to stop using the problematic substance or behavior. Instead, the goal is to quietly remove the many psychological barriers that keep a person ecstasy mdma or molly uses, effects, risks from taking steps to overcome addiction. It is difficult for those addicted to see beyond the craving and momentary pleasures, to envision functioning without their drug, yet important for their future to have a powerful positive incentive to do so. Lectures and confrontational techniques are usually ineffective and often damage relationships that could be levers of change.
To meet this goal, SAMHSA collaborated with federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local partners including peer specialists to develop the National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification. Although these are often difficult to do, an intervention may be exactly what your loved one needs if they’re deep into their addiction. Consider bringing in an intervention specialist to help you navigate this process.
However, your loved one will often have a greater chance of overcoming their challenges with your support. Even if an intervention doesn’t work, you and others in your loved one’s life can make changes that may help. Ask other people involved not to feed into the destructive cycle of behavior and take steps to make positive change. Keep in mind that strong emotions are part of your loved one’s addiction. The process of organizing the intervention and the intervention itself can cause conflict, anger and resentment, even among family and friends who know your loved one needs their help.
Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction
” Remind them often that you are willing to be their recovery support. Remind them that they’re valued, they can do this, and they’re not alone. You may also want to consider if anyone in the list of friends and family should not be included. If they refuse to seek help or they begin using again, let them know what boundaries you will set on your relationship as long as they continue to use. It’s possible they will need to “hit bottom” before they are willing to change or ask for help.
Communicate Effectively
An important first step in helping your partner is understanding their substance use. Educate yourself on substance use disorders and available resources. By doing this, you are not only empowering yourself to make well-informed decisions, but you are also ready and equipped with information when your partner decides they are ready to seek help. If someone you love is experiencing a substance use disorder, please bear in mind that they have a chronic illness and need support and help.
Supporting a loved one’s addiction recovery
“Unburdening them from the idea that they have gone out and done this of their own will is really empowering,” Dr. Brennan says. This doesn’t mean not holding the person accountable for the consequences of their actions or acting like they don’t require treatment, he notes, but this show of empathy could mean the world to them. “Many people feel horrible about themselves when they’ve suffered a relapse,” Dr. Brennan says. You want to help your loved one with addiction in any way you can, but you can’t control exactly how they do it. They may have unconventional ways of looking at addiction, or maybe they’re experimenting with alternative therapies or treatments.
As long as they aren’t causing more harm to themselves or others in the process, you can show them that you respect their way of making positive changes. Continue to ask them about their weekend plans or invite them to see a movie with you. Remember that they are still a person with likes, dislikes, opinions, and desires.
Establishing financial boundaries
A person may need to try quitting more than once before maintaining any length of sobriety. If you think it’s important to have someone involved but worry that it may create an issue during the intervention, consider having that person write a short letter. • Becoming defensive or lashing out when questioned about drug use. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.