Helping someone with a problem requires having an understanding of what caused the problem in the first place. While blind assistance can be helpful, there are times where that help can be taken advantage of. Take a moment to learn more about supporting your friend or family member in a healthy way. The treatment and therapy options available for both addicted individuals and their loved ones make it easier than ever to support them in their recovery.
There’s no shortage of people in need of addiction treatment and every success story helps inspire others to seek sobriety. Addiction’s presence has been felt by many, so here are some ways to help someone close to you battling the disease.
Set Boundaries and Expectations Carefully
Knowing how to maintain a healthy relationship with someone in recovery isn’t a lesson many people were taught in school growing up. It’s a learning process that changes between different people. No two stories of addiction are identical, but each one should include ground rules that protect both sides. Set the expectation that if a boundary is crossed, there will be consequences. You may choose to stop helping them with certain tasks or even ending communication with them until they enter treatment.
The goal is to avoid a situation where one’s generosity ends up enabling someone to continue their substance abuse. Covering up for their poor decisions or bailing them out of situations repeatedly simply removes the negative consequences of their actions. There’s a fine line between helping and enabling that moves over time. Remember to take a step back and assess your relationship from time to time.
Guide Them Towards Treatment
Depending on how severe their addiction is, your loved ones may need immediate medical attention in order to facilitate a safe recovery. America’s Rehab Campus often sees guests enter for medical detox that gets them through one of the hardest parts of treatment. The more support someone has during treatment, the more they’ll be able to focus on healing.
For those who have recently shown signs of addiction, early intervention with group and individual therapy may be all they need. Less intensive treatment plans allow participants to attend sessions on their schedule. There are even options for you and anyone else close to your addicted loved one to receive therapy. Addiction is a complex topic and managing the emotions and stress it creates can be challenging.
Find a treatment center that gives everyone involved the resources they need to grow from the situation and move forward. Creating healthy relationships during recovery means there’s a strong support network waiting for your loved one on the other side of treatment.
Remember To Take Care of Yourself
If you want to help create that safety net for your loved one, you have to make sure you’re in a place to do so. Take time to get things off your plate that would be too much to tackle along with helping your friend. Stretching yourself too far can do more harm than good for everyone. Stick to the boundaries you set and monitor how you feel about the way things are going.
Helping a friend or family member during their treatment will take time and energy so make sure you give yourself as much of each as you can. Maintain a healthy sleep schedule and diet, move a little each day, and take time to process your emotions and events from the day. The less you have taking up space in your head, the more you have to give to your loved one without hurting yourself.
It Never Has To Be Done on Your Own
The goal of intervention and offering to help a friend or family member is to get them to agree to rehab. Give your loved ones the best chance at a successful recovery with professional addiction treatment. Addiction is a lifelong disease that requires expert treatment to correctly handle. Comprehensive addiction treatment will arm patients with the tools and knowledge needed to overcome future cravings and avoid relapse.
Anyone in need of addiction treatment for themselves or someone they care about is encouraged to reach out to the ARC team with any questions or to schedule intake. Every conversation with our compassionate staff is fully confidential so don’t hesitate to contact us today.
