When a family member is suffering from addiction, it is often hard to determine what is helping them, what is enabling them and what is alienating them from you. It is a struggle for all parties involved, but it is a struggle that can be fought and won. The trick is to take things one step at a time and defer to professionals wherever necessary. Remember, in the end, you are not there to cure, you are there to love, support and guide however you can.
Promote Quality Time Together and Make It Happen
Addicts who do not want their family members to know they are using will look for ways to avoid spending time together. Come up with fun and appealing things to do as often as possible. Do not spend the whole time talking about addiction. Make this time quality time to show your loved one the benefits of being clean, not a time to bully him or her about addiction.
Talk About Rehab
If things have gotten to the point where your loved one needs immediate help, it might be time to bring up rehab. This can scare off some people with addictions because the nature of addiction is to reject anything that will separate the addict from his or her preferred substance. Try to wait until your loved one brings up getting clean and then be careful about how you mention rehab. Try to bring up positive things about rehab centers in Arizona, like not having to stress about work, family and chores while seeking sobriety. Sell rehab instead of trying to scare an addict into going.
Get Involved and Stay Involved
It is fine to show up for one group or one meeting that your addicted family member asks you to go to, but addiction is not a short-term struggle. It is for life, so show up, get involved and stay involved. Relapses are just relapses, so do not let it discourage you from showing up again when it is time to go again, should that happen. Family members expect people suffering from addiction to keep up the struggle, so it is imperative to show them that everyone else is keeping it up too.
Find the Right Professionals for the Situation
When it comes to addiction, there may be many things going on. Target all the mental health and physical health issues that are happening with professionals who specialize in those areas. Your loved one may be malnourished, have diseases related to substance abuse and have mental illnesses that are triggering abuse. Quitting is about overall healing, so find the right people to make that happen.
Sometimes, when all is said and done, what you can do for your family member right now is be there. You cannot make quitting easy. However, you can make it more comfortable, more promising and less bleak.
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