Helping a Family Member Beat Addiction
>> Aug 11, 2018
Addiction is a family disease. One person may be
the active user, but the entire family is affected. Just like if your family
member was suffering from cancer, you have the desire to help them beat the
disease. Helping a family member beat addiction can be a bit more complicated
because they may not be ready to get help. Rather than kidnapping them to go to
treatment, there are many indirect ways that you can help a family member beat
addiction.
Do Not Enable
Many family members actually delay their addicted
family member’s recovery by enabling them. Any form of helping that prevents
the addict from experiencing the natural consequences of their addiction is
enabling. Common examples of enabling are providing a place to live, paying
bills, giving money, giving rides, and buying food. Enabling is termed as
“lowering the bottom.” While you may be worried about your family member’s
well-being, they have to face the natural consequences of their addiction in
order to be motivated to receive help. Most people do not have the resources to
be an addict themselves; someone is typically helping them.
Attend A Support Group for Yourself
Attending a support group for yourself is imperative. Al-Anon and Nar-Anon are the most common support
groups for addiction. They use the 12 Steps from Alcoholic’s and Narcotic’s
Anonymous and make them applicable for your healing as a loved one of an
addict. Many people become addicted to the addict, which is an addiction called
co-dependency. SMART Recovery Friends and Family takes a therapeutic approach
for treating co-dependency. Support groups will help tremendously because you
will receive support from those who can empathize and you will learn tools that
you can bring into all relationships.
Educate Yourself on the Disease
Addiction is a disease, not a flaw of character.
Many families are ambivalent about being open about their family members
addiction because they fear that they will be
stigmatized. However, addiction should not be stigmatized, and staying silent
will only reinforce the stigma and ignorance. Educating yourself on the disease
will prevent shame and havoc from trying to force solutions that will not work.
Attend Family Sessions
If your family member enters rehab, family
sessions will be hosted to help you heal as a family. Attending family sessions
will show your loved one that you support their recovery and are willing to
understand their disease. Boynton Beach rehab centers understand the importance of family healing for successful
recovery.
Be Supportive and Patient
Dealing with addiction and new recovery requires a great deal of support and patience.
Educating yourself will help the support and patience come more easily. Just as
addiction did not strike overnight, recovery will not strike overnight. Though
you may tempted to be angry, worried, and protective, you will need to allow
your addicted family member to slowly progress through the process. Anger and worry
will only drive your family member away and discourage. Love and support will
make them more likely to get better and maintain a relationship with you.
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